Evening star., 1928-03-25


been very numerous in the weeks Just
past. and in this way they managed
to keep official eyes of the matter until
vrite-ups in American newspapers
called attention to 1t.
Court Is Established.
II was 10 end this situation that the
ministry of Justice established a sepa-
rate and special divorce court Tor
Americans. This was the first step.
A magistrate who was experienced In
the complications and evasions which
were likely to arise With applications
from foreigners vas assigned to this
tribunal.
Then a second step was taken By
the French officials The minister Of
Justice ordered that thereafter the
french court would not be satisfied with
the mere production of signed lease
or certificate of domicile. The police
were instructed to investigate every
sucn document and obtain proof Of the
statements made by the petitioning par
Ties. In other words a petitioner could
not live In Paris apartment or motel
Ior TWO weeks and get by with the claim
tnat ne or she had lived there for sig
months Automatically the court threw
OUT all such cases, and since October
q great number Of American apulics-
alone aus
Thus. without changing the Frsr,h
divorce laws in anv partic1Ilay an e.
tlrely new regime has been fnaue1Ira+s1
ana the great food Of American divorces
mas oeen damned so effectively that
certain notorious American divorce
lawyers in Paris find their chief source
OF income stopped and are faced WITH
the necessity Of becoming Soy11athiry
else beside divorce counsel
A comparison OF the figures l. s,If1-
Gently enlightening Two wears ago
there were between two and three hun
oreo American divorces annually in
ParE. During the last year even this
large ngure began to mount until II
appeared there would soon be an aver
age OF one American divorce everv
day-and when the distance Of Parix
from Chicago, St Louis and Denver is
TAKEN INTO consideration this is an ex-
tremely nigh average. But as has
oeen SAID. only one American divorce
was granted in October. and ONLY tao
or three in November.
Procedure Changed.
Were an American. divorced in Paris
three years ago. remarked and seeking
another divorce. to appear before the
Paris special tribunal today he would
experience distinct shock indeed,
There is probably no magistrate in
Paris who asks more embarrassing
questions or is actuated bv a more ey-
pahSlVe curiosity than the judge Of
this particular court.
In the last FIVE months such scenes
as this have been repeated again and
again: To the judges question as 70
now long ne has been living in Paris.
the applicant, having been coached n
advance, replied. six months"
Very we'll" says the Judge. ''let me-
see your carte didentite" But the
newly arrived American has no govern
ment card Of Identification
You will have TO have a carte d'Iden-
tite, declares the Judge. The court
cannot consider your petition until you
have one. Case dismissed"
Or perhaps It Is Chicago business
man whose certificate OF domicile ap-
pears correct.
You have sold your business in Chi
eago and no longer have any affairs
there?" asks the magistrate Tres hien.
kindly let me see the bill OF sale"
But / have no bill of sale with me. =
says the mustered business man I
oiont think such things would be nee
CSSary"
The court must have proof that YOU
have severed all connections with your
former residence in America and are
actually living In France" rules the re-
ieftieSS magistrate. This court can
not continue with the merits OF your
petition until YOU have satisfied II tina.
you no longer maintain business AFFAIRS
IN Chicago, II you can present a re-
celpted bill Of sale Of YOUR business
there, very wsll-if not, this court can
not pass judgment on the case"
Then again. II may be Young Amer
lean matron-perhspS dsbutante Of
only a Few seasons agO--wh0 wishes %
rlo herself Of an ili-choSen husband
Ana how long has madame been \
resident or France" inquiries the hard
hearted magistrate
Citizenship Is Ban.
six months" she replies rnnx-ny
she has complied with AL the REQUIRE
msntS 0f the law
And can madame prove thar Ssls aas
severed sill relations with Anaerica-,hAt
She Is not resident Og France merely
pour convensGss9"
Madame cannot, and another oreArn
OF marital freedom fades AVA.
Or II may Be sn Oklahoma rsncher
who vcucheS that he has abandoned
tAe great open spaces for the Paris
houlevardS
Then prove to me that you have no
further connection with YOUR former
home III Oklahoma, demands the
Moge. And Il the hapisSS rsncher can
not do this his case is dismissed.
Naturally the divorce LAWYERS have
learned 20 wise up" their clients and
To have them insist that they ESve
severed all connection With business ar
property associations In America. Hlt
the INVESTIGATION oy the French police
regarding the exact time of the pe-
uuoner'S residence In Paris Is very
minute, and today more eases are
thrown Qua ON the ground ef inSalf.
neient evidence OF domtctle than for
any other cause
A recent example Of this Was the rll~
Ing OF the Versailles eN>,lrs that Il lad
no jurisdiction In the divorce apnla,a-
tioa brought there hy RainnFiCige CSnlhvs
The eN~Secretary ef state was renre~
Sented by one IL the cleyereSt most els>-
euent lawyers ot France none other
than Mtllevand eN~PTeSldent OF the RE-
public But MllleranaS gifted MEAS
were " no avail II VAS stated that
Colby gave As residence xilAa IN Sd
Cloud, use of which he had Obtained
nom a friend The court Officials M
yeStigated and found il was true thai
Colhy received mail there. but actually
only passed an occasional aav ana
night at the Vtlla. Because cf this the
court ruled that colev had not a leSal
residence a. ST. Cloud ana that thA
case could rot hs heard
Courts AaAnAAat.
Doubtless this GjfheGlty eonFFSansea
CothS eecalt>e he like many ether re-
cent American applicants tor divuFre,
Was mot acquainted with the new Strlete
ness az the court hut when A uaaaa