The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-10-19
STOKESD|VORCE
UNCONTESTED
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to any State whose laws win not
permit one to get divorced unless
one is winning to be made subject
of scandal.
eft Is my belief that man and
woman living together without love
as man and wife. with or without
benefit Of justice OF peace. violate
the very essence Of what is best in
them, and destroy those elements
within themselves that are most
worth nourishing. On the other
hand, love is always justified, even
when short lived, even when mis-
taken, because during its existence
it enIarges and ennobies the natures
Of the men and women experiencing
the love.
but the prevailing social system
degrades lovers and sanctifies the
most unwholesome, degrading and
destructive relationship chat it is
possible to conceive. In this regard
the State Of New York reflects the
worst aspects Of this social system.
"a married woman cannot get a
divorce in this State upon proof
that she is a wife to the man she
has married in name only. If she
would be freed she must go out Of
her home to produce proof that
she is a wife in all that might
gIorify and ennoble but not in
name. This becomes a scandal.
the real scandal-the wife who gives
herself to the husband without love,
and the husband who gives himself
to the wife without love-the real
breach is given a veneer Of sanctity
by the church and covered with
cloak Of decency by the law"
Had Statement Ready
She had the statement all framed
in her mind. She dictated it glibly
and with earnestness. There was
none Of the fire Of the communistic
orator, her present political creed,
in her somewhat detached discus
sion of the parting Of her marital
ways. Except, perhaps, when she
transferred the mantle of shame"
from her shoulders to the figura-
tive shoulders Of the State of New
York.
Mrs. Stokes was interrupted once,
a telephone call. She broke off
the dictation, and pulling her gray
cloak about her, the apartment was
a trif1e chilly, dashed out to bid
the caller come up for the state
ment. Her rumpled bob Of luvuriant
auburn hair was more tousled than
ever when she came back to the
dictation.
Nothing on the suit beyond the
statement was forthcoming from
Mrs. Stokes. She was smilingiy
unwavering on that. Inquiry at
Sharon Springs, n. Y, where the
correspondent in the case, identified
only as "Mr. Grossman," was said
to be living, disclosed that his
hotel had closed for the season and
that he was supposed to be living
in Manhattan.
Felt Urge of Art"
On the walls of the room where
Mrs. Stokes met interviewers were
several examples of her work as
an artist. They were of the i'm
pressionistic school, similar to those
which were exhibited two years ago
at the show of the Society of In
dependent Artists. Three years ago,
said Mrs. Stokes, she began to feel
the urge OF art.
when l was a child in school,"
she explained, II was forever draw
ing heads on the slate. Once the
teacher spoke harshly to me about
the sketching. 1 stopped, and it
has taken forty years for the desire
to sketch to reaSsert itself. Re-
Gently I sat up all night sketching,
/ but l find little time for It,"
She was asked If she planned to
go in for art as career. Her
answer was a smile of the Mona
, Lisa variety, and a reminder to the
questioner that the statement told
all she cared to say.