The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-11-06
Bv JULIA BLANSHARD
staff Writer for NEA Service

Staff Writer for NEA Service
VCopyright, 1881. NEA Service, 1nc.)
If you got tired of your wife In
Russia
You could divorce her more easily,
more quickly and more cheaply than
YOU could renew your automobile IL
cense in America. And she could 40
the same to you!
You would not need a lawyer or
witnesses. Nobody would ask you for
grounds
No newspaper would even mention
the fact of your separation. Thele
would be no public gossip.
For Russia considers divorce a
strictly personal affair. There Is not
even a court procedure for it. You
merely step into Gags (the bureau
of vital statistics) and write your
self out" as they call the proceed
ings in Russia.
This matter-of-factness extends TO
nil affairs of sex. Whereas the Ger
mans have made colonies for sum
bathers. in Russia men and women
bathe nude anywhere they want 10
do so, in the most unselfconSclous
manner They would be surprised at
the idea Of having to go to some spe-
cial place to strip! ,
Soviet Russia has revolutloli!zea
sex standards and legal forms are not
of much Importance in relation TO
love and marriage.
Every child in Russia is legitimate,
whether his father and mother are
married or not. Adultery is not a
legal crime. This does not mean that
there is complete recklessness or
promiscuity in sex relations; it SIM
ply means that the government re-
CARDS such life as a matter OF per-
sonal concern.
This freedom does not mean that
the government does not punish lner
for irresponsible relations. War
s. found this out. Twice las1
summer Ivan had persuaded ignorant
young peasants from villages to marry
him and then left them after two
days. The third girl he registered
with reported him when he failed X
show up.
Ivan wa tracked to his department
store job. He is now serving time II
prison.
But even if men and lax,
no marriage vows in Russia and ar
not asked to promise a single thing
the institution hasn't gone OH tn
rocks. apparently. Russia has L..
marriages to every 1000 people, a
against Americas 1914. In Moscow
the Gags bureau head told me Their
was practically one divorce to ever
two marriages, which almost dou
bles our Reno. But down in tn
smaller towns and in the village
there are not more than one in II
In Rostov the Gags bureau register
200-250 marriages a month and di
vorces from 1880.
It costs you exactly seven ruble
$3.50 to get a divorce. If you e
without your mate to get it, it cost
one rouble more. The extra chare
is to pay for sending a slip to motif
him that he nc longer is married I
you.
There is no ceremony about mai
riage or divorce in Russia. There
nothing about the appearance of
Tags bureau to suggest it. The Jhre
I saw were all small office room
each with four separte desks, fl
births, deaths, marriage and divorc
Behind each table sat a clerk, mo
OF them girls of high school age.
X X X
The first couple who came in to q
married the first afternoon I visits
were textile workers. The young 81
wore a shawl over her head. T!
boy was dressed in store clothe,
and a new visored cap which he ke]
on.
Are you relatives?" mo" "A
you both healthy?" Eyes," So r.
the few questions and answers.
She was 20, he-23. Neither h;
been married before. Both show,
their union cards which told whe
they worked, where they lived. 81
would move into his room. 30
signed on the dotted line three tim
-once for the register book, once +
a receipt for her and nee for a 1
ceipt for him. She took her rccei
the clerk handed her and lumber
out. He followed. Ten minutes fro
single state to welded!
The next marriage took mu
longer to register. Both were so g
and laughed so much.
What name do you want?" S
kept her own She could have TAX
his. He could have taken hers. S
SIDE CHANCES .