Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02

amendment have had thousands of letters
from interested citizens in all parts of the
country and more than $50 letters reached my
Offices in the two three days following talk
the radio on the subject a short while
ago. Most of these letters express approval
of the amendment, which is as follows:
THE Congress shall have the power to make
laws which shall be uniform throughout the
United States on marriage and divorce, the
legitimation of children and the care and
custody of children affected by annulment of
marriage by divorce"
The largest women's organizations in the
United States have for some time Endorsed the
amendment and a proposed bill which Con-
gress would then be called upon to enact.
Among these are the General Federation of
Women's Clubs, whose former legislative chair
man, Mrs. Edward Franklin White drew up
the bill now before Congress; the National
League of Women Voters, the National FEEDER
alton of Business and Professional Women's
Clubs, the Daughters of the American Revo-
luton, the National Congress Of Mothers and
Parent-Teachers Associations and the Ameri-
can Association of Home Economics.
THE subcommittee of the committee of the
judiciary In the Senate has put itself on
record as being in favor in principle of uni
form marriage and divorce laws
The only objections which have been raised
are based on other grounds than the principle
Of uniform law itself That uniformity in
our laws on marriage and divorce is desirable
is universally admitted. The objections are
based on the argument that States rights are
being violated and that the Capitalization OF
such inherent rights in the hands of the Federal
Government is dangerous.
But feel that the dangers to our social
structure from the destruction of the family
as one of the corner stones of the foundation
of that social structure are just as real and
more certain
There are people who feel that the Consti-
tuition is already suffering from too many
amendments; that the makers of the Con-
stitution had intended that the Federal Govern
ment should have the power to regulate mar
rage and divorce, that right would have been
given to it in the beginning. But the makers
of the Constitution were wise enough to put
in a provision for such an emergency. They
drafted Article VII, which defines the process
of amendment.
Furthermore, Congress has enacted uniform
laws for the States relating to interstate COM
merce, bankruptcy and naturalization, all
though nothing has been found in the Consti~
tuition that authorizes such laws
The bill, as it is now drafted, does away
with hasty marriages and the grounds for
divorce are rather limited, because when only
the mature and the fit are married there viii
be fewer persons seeking divorce.
The provisions Of the bill for uniform regu-
lation of marriage and divorce are briefly:
1. That after q license has been obtained
the marriage is to be contracted in the presence
Of two competent witnesses before any person
authorized by the State to solemnize mar
riages or in accordance with the customs rules
and regulations of any religious society, demon
tnation or Sect
2. The license must be obtained in the cOun-
ty In which the woman resides
8. No license shall be issued to one who b
Continued on Thirteenth Page