The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-10
JUDGE URGES
EASIER LAWS
FOR DIVORCE
Marriage, in Its Present
Form, Not Permanent,
Says Reno JuriSt.
BRIDES GIVEN ADVICE
Don't Worry About Mates
Previous Affairs, Is
His Philosophy.
BIZ United Press

BIZ United Press
NEW YORK, April l0-A plea
for loosening divorce restrictions. on
the ground that 1t is "the only
practical escape from the man
made trap OF marriage" is con-
tanned in a book written by Judge
George A. Bartlett of Reno. He
has presided over 10000 divorce
cases.
This book, "Men. Women and
Conflict" is published today by
Putnam's.
Judge Bartlett holds that in a
happy marriage the sex factor is by
far the most important.
Successful lovers" he writes.
weather storms that would crush
frail semi-platonic unions"
And while he admits that there
are some cases in which adultery
has been profoundly wrong" he
believes that, for every one of these,
Il have seen a hundred cases in
which adultery was the least of all
possible crimes of a woman against
her husband, or a man against his
wife and children"
Divorces Are Numerous
Judge Bartlett points out that
during 1929 there was one divorce
to every six marriages.
About nine out of every ten di-
vorces are uncontested," he writes.
The average length of time be-
tween marriage and divorce is from
1lve to six years, which may be-
taken to indicate failure of per-
sonal adjustment.
Cruelty, either alone or in COM
bination with other causes. accounts
for almost one-half of all divorces:
but cruelty has been so broadened
by the courts in its meaning that it
has become largely a subterfuge.
-Four OF every ten divorces re-
port children affected by the de-
cree. Children are involved in a
considerably larger proportion of the
divorces granted to husbands than
in those granted to wives"
It is Judge Bartlett's idea that
marriage, in its present form. is not
a permanent institution. Yet the
famous Reno jurist does not be-
heve that divorce is undermining
the institution of marriage.
Gives Advice to Brides
"The free dissolution of ties that
lack emotional Justification" he
writes, "is no menace to the mar
rage institution.
indeed, the contrary is true. A
noble marriage Il d union of con-
genial spirits. Divorce will not touch
1t. Other unions are pseudo-mar-
rlages and their disruption harmon
ICES with the best preservation of
the marriage institution
In his chapter on advice to
Young Brides" Judge Bartlett
urges that young woman should
not worry about parental approval
OF her husband, about previous
affairs" he has had with women,
or about any discrepancy in ages.
After the first flush of marriage
happiness" the judge writes, the
bride is going to judge her man by
much the same standards as others
judge him.
If he hasn't measured up before
to public opinion, the chances are
strongly against his measuring Up
to her private opinion in the second
year after the great event"
INDUCES in Philosophy
Here are some philosophical bits
from Judge Bartlett's book:
Few women are wholly one man
women"
"a man thinks that marrying a
woman is some kind of chemical
process that automatically blots out
of her recollection every male friend
she ever had.
"A woman thinks that the man
is a base villain if he doesn't be-
come oblivious of the fact that
there are slim ankles, trim forms.
sparkling eyes and charming man
ners in the world, except as she
embodies them.
Woman is streaked with insanity
the way bacon is streaked with fat.
but when she is sane she is great
deal saner than the sanest man.
Birth control is dangerous; but
so is vaccination. .