Evening star., 1926-11-19
INSULT CHARGED
IN ANNULMENT
British Bishop Calls Mari.
borough incident Blow to
Marriage Stability.
~ she Associated Press.


LONDON. November 19.-Annul
ment by the Catholic Church Of the
Episcopal marriage of the Duke and
Duchess of Marlborough continues
under discussion here by representa-
tives Of the Church Of England. The
annulment Is regretted as inimical to
the sanctity of the marriage tie.
The Right Rev. DIR. E. A. Bur
roughs, Bishop of Ripon, in an address
to the National Assembly of the
Church of England, said:
Although the question to which
refer will not receive official notice by
make a passing restrained allusion to
an incident which is calculated to deal
q further blow to the stability OF
Christian marriages and is an insult.
whether calculated or otherwise. to
the old communion to which we are
proud to belong"
Utterance Is Cheered.
The assembly cheered the utterance
Of the bishop, but nothing further was
said on the subject.
The Church Times, representing the
right wing of the Church Of England.
which is endeavoring to effect a union
between the Anglican and Catholic
Churches comments a 6 follows:
Assuming the marriage was
effected by duress on one party. II
cannot be denied it is invalid. On
this point, however. the protests or
the shop Of the diocese in which the
ceremony is performed must he con-
sidered (The reference was to state
ments by Bishop Manning of New
York. EpiscopaD.
I'm any case. the parties had lived
been born. and to reopen the case ~
many years afterward seems hardly
eouitab BILE. We deeply regret that the
decree of annulment was made. We
feel il has done much To weaken the
sanctity of the marriage tie
Action Called Distressing.
rs II an encourag cement to parties
to endure a hard. loveless union when
ithey see wea"h, persons can get dis
tasteful marriages snnulled after long
acouiescence In it's bonds?
AT time when the whole basis
Of marriage is attacked. we regret a
decision that must, whatever its
justifica tion, cause distress to the
pious and excite the SCOTS OF the
infidel. II Is disconcerting that this
anrulment should he announced at a
moment when 1t is reported that
marriage is entirely abolished in
Russia"
Amid all the incidents that have
been brought to light one stands out
prominently. At dinner party at
Blenheim Castle some years ago the
Duke made q remark to which his
wife. the former Consuelo Wander
bilt, took exception. The duchess i'm
medtately left Rlenheim. setting m
her own establishment in a magnifi-
cent new Curzon street mansion.
Through all the intervening years.
the duke and duchess and their
friends have maintained secrecy as
TO the nature OF the remark. which
intimate friends say. had much to
do with wrecking the marriage The
duchess entertained lavishly. forming
a new circle of friends. her two Young
sons. The Marquis % Bla andford and
Lord Ivor Charles, were sent TO pub
l!c school, spending most Of their
holidays with their mother Occas-
ionally they visited the duke at Blen
helm ss.-.
Some years later mutual friends
endeavored to bring about a reconcile
alton. The duke and duchess agreed
to make the trial; accordingly, they
were brought together at house
party for several days. But all eff
forts went to naught. for the duke
abruptly departed. Soon after. he
intimated to the duchess by letter
that he regretted the experiment had
been a failure and informed the
duchess that he felt that after so
many wears in which they had lived
separate lives there was little pros
pect OF permanent "ec'."''''ir
From that on they lived apart. meet.