Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-23

ton is the very essence of the service
they render to each other. 1t is one
of the greatest misfortunes that
young people so often enter into mar
riage without the least idea that il
means a change in ones nature. and
that no one should enter marriage
unless he is willing to undergo that
great change. Persons who do this
actually become happy in each others
society"
Prof. Adler undoubtedly attributes
to us mortals a great capacity for
moral struggle and points out with
more truth than indulgence that I'VE
faint too quickly" in the fight.
But he admits, of course. that in
many marriages the evils to be borne
are intolerable and need remedy.
His remedy Is separation
Separation" he says. sis often
good, even for those who are happy
in their love. After a brief absence
they will often come back to each
other feeling as If they had been mar
ried anew. But for those who are
not happily welded, separation is
often a great help. Some people get
a sort of mental vertigo from constant
friction. Give them a short respite.
let them stand off and view each other
IN a new light and the chances are
they will correct their misunderstand
ings and come back in a more con-
ciliatory spirit, especially il there are
children whom they both love.
Children are a great argument to
bring together those who are alien
ated. 1t Is a terrible thing that par
ents of the same child should not be
kind to each other
When ideals fail, however, and
facts confront us; when human ma
ture proves humanity frail and un-
equal to the struggle for moral i'm
provement under acute unhappiness,
the recourse must be the separation
decreed by the courts. 1t seems to
DR.. Adler that separation, If prop
erly managed by these courts. would
fulfill every requisite without need of
divorce
Regarding the argument that people
should not be made to suffer life
time for a single mistake. made per.
haps with the noblest intentions and
highest ideals, DIR. Adler answers that
this punishment disproportionate to
the fault as ii seems, is the only eff
fectual means of educating the HUI
man race.
rs it not true" he asks, that this
disproportionate punishment appears
| in life everywhere? A person alb
| sentmindedly mistakes a bottle and
| instead of taking medicine drinks
poison. The fault, how trivial; the
punishment, how terrible? A young
fellow under the influence of boon
companions. gayety and wine, enlists
in the Army. On the morrow he bit
terly repents. but. A man enters
1,,e,; so, -
who proves the worst of associates,
but he has made a contract and can
not prove a fraud, and so must live
up to his contract.
There are countless situations in
which decisions become irrevocable. at
least for a term of years, and in which
the penalty is out of all proportion to
the fault.
But if we cannot help the results
of rash and ill-mated marriages. we
can show more kindness to those not
yet entered into the marriage rela-
ton. We can give young people an
idea of the gravity of the step they
are taking. We can teach the ethics
of marriage in churches, in ethical
societies. In this respect we are all
culpably negligent. Although in the
ethical society we try to give the
young some idea of the nature of the
marriage bond, there is far more yet
to be DONE"
Extreme as it may sound to many,
Prof Adler considers no fault or mis-
fortune warrants divorce, from incom-
patibility to lunacy.
There are incompatibilities." he
points out, 'in parental and filial rela-
tions. Often fathers and sons. mothers
and daughters, do not agree. Is that
a reason they should shake off their
obligations to one another? Why not
propose the divorce of parental and
filial ties? Such incompatibilities are
a source of almost as much unhappi-
ness as the marital tie.
"No-the husband cannot cut the
wife adrift nor the wife cut the hus-
band adrift. no matter what faults APP