Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-15
SPEAKING OF DIVORCE

BY ZOE BECKLEY

Deliberate of movement and soft of
voice, Max d. Steuer, known through
out the land for his clever and SYM
pathetic handling of divorce cases, dis
believes in divorce!
Disbelieves in it because in most
instances it is resorted to for trivial
ns--disillusionment. incompatible
ity. restlessness and desire for new
| thrills The disillusionment thinks
Mr. Steuer, looking back over a long,
contented married life of his own, can
be avoided by proper effort. The in
| compatibility exists only because we
will not take trouble to discover the
hidden depths of Rne another's ma
lures The new thrills" are an ignis
| fatuus, leading the foolish one ever
on and on in the false hope of realiza-
ton.
"You see," said he in his astonish-
ingly gentle tones, as though he We're
thinking aloud all by himself in a
sort of reverie. you see, each couple
thinks their situation is unique
1t isn't. The couple across the way,
and the pair next door, and the one
down the street are exactly in the
same boat They, too, are suffering
the same disappointments, the same
Weaknesses and monotonies. They
think it's incompatibility. 1t isn't.
| It's only-marrlage.
! Mr.. Steuer went on to sketch the
love-and-marriage story of Everyman
the old, old human story that is al
ways new, sometimes happy and often
sad. Whether 1t Is sad or not depends,
in Max Steuer's opinion, on whether
you are reasonable or unreasonable,
| sensible or the dupe of your own emo
tions, philosopher or a bungler at
| life.
IA man and woman fall in love-"
he goes on, denting his desk -blotter
ref1ectively with golden knife.
There are the caresses, the kisses.
the sparks, the fervors, the flowers
and candy and theaters and long, long
looks Of love.
They marry. They kiss as much
as they want to-and the thrills grow
less and less. The girls heart no
longer bursts at the sound of his key
in the door. The man no longer no.
| tees what dress she has on. He Is
too preoccupied with business to buy
theater tickets, and perhaps he for
gets the wedding anniversary.
They no longer find each other an
adventure. Yet they are the same
two persons, with---and here's the
| point--vast UNEMPLOYED depths of ma
ture, of taste and of character. They
4
don't. And they don't take the trou
BILE to learn each other. If they only
did. this country would not be suffer
ing from this plague of useless, fruit
| less DIVORCE
| Not that Max d. Steuer doesn't
| think divorce justified In some cases.
He does, or he wouldn't be who he
| is. But he thinks 1t should be had
only for grave causes: Diseases or GER
tain types, gross brutality, fragrant
| unfaithfulness, insanity and the like.
| He is also believer in aliniony for
wives. whether childless or not,
whether able to earn for themselves
or otherwise.
| Not" says he, ION the ground of
women'S weakness. That's a fallacy
and long ago proven to be. one. But
| 1t always has been and always should
be the part of man to earn the living
for both, and of woman to bear the
children. Marriage presupposes her
willingness to bear children, and
whether she does or whether she does
not, her right to financial mainte-
nance by her husband lis inalienable
unless she has sacrificed 1t by her
own unworthiness. 1t is the respon-
sibiiity every man should take on him
self when he marries."
/, Speaking of the causes OF so many
couples seeking divorce. Mr.. Steuer
i finds the reasons inadequate:
1.-THE troubles with most people u.s."
he continues. that they expect mar
i rage to be continuous honeymoon.
AS matter of fact, the end and aim
| of marriage is mutual service and self.
i development, not mere delirious hap
ipiness. And the best part. of true
4 marriage begins when the sdelirious
| joys are ended. True marriage grows
| into fondness, friendship and peaceful
mpanionship.s
Peace of mind and cempanionship
are the two great human blessings.
Peace of mind comes with philoso-
phy--accepting things as they are
and companionship comes with con.
stantIy renewed effort on the part OF
the husband and wife to make each