Evening star., 1931-03-14

Recent efforts Of several States to
, compete for divorce cases from other
States are put by the American public
! in the class of business competition, and
1t is suggested that, in its approach TO
big business" in this sphere, it is inevi-
| tably leading to Federal laws governing
the residence provisions that have been
| chief factors in the competition.
Marriage, W. grant, is not always q
| SUCCESS, says the Columbus Ohio State
Journal. There are occasions when
| divorce Is the sensible and logical way
, out OF bad marital ENHANCEMENT. On
the other hand, it Is mistake to make
divorce too easy" That papsr concludes
that If Arkansas, Montana and South
Dakota seek TO replenish their State
! golfers with fees derived through easy
! divorce laws, the shame must be- theirs. !
Referring to "mail-order proposal
introduced by Nevada legislator, the
New Orleans -Picayune expresses
sK ptlclsm as TO the logic of the idea,
Tor the main profits of the divorce busi-
| ness are derived from the residence re-
quirsment which maintains a more or
less free spending divorce colony" That
| paper adds that reduction of the 9O-day
residence to six weeks would "cut these
| taEingS considerably" but it is better
! TO collect six We ks pickings than tC
lose the business entire to competing
States"
1t Is going to be a spirited fight be-
| tween these States to obtain ana hold
the business" declares the New London
Day, with the suggestion that divorce
Is evidently being taken quite seriously
as pig business, and it can be seansthat
nigh pressure salesmanship by the
Stat Is TO be applied to bring into these
states the cream OF the business. -
Mentioning Nevada, Montana. Idaho
and Arkansas, the Rochester Times
Union sees "sordid motives" and re-
marx, How Tar the movement NAV
go, OF now many States may join in the
| rivalry, Is pretty hard to guess" The
New Bedford STANDARD finds 1t illumi-
mating that "one Idaho legislator COM
| p'ained that the State is handicapped
IN comparison with Nevada, by too Strict
gambling laws
Observing that "hot Is. gamblers and
SO on are rea2ing the profit" the St
Louis Post-Dispatch concludes that "a
great social question is being decided on
a cash-and-carry basis. The Allentown
/ Morning Call states that 1.-THE trade is
estimated to be worth three million a
| year to the Nevada city, which is very
snug sum to be poured into a citv Of
reno size. The Scranton Times de-
ciares that "the four Western States
now making a grand rush for the di-
Vorce business from the East must think
that most OF us are getting tired of the
marital state" and that lit must be
they believe we are a quarrelsome lot
back in these parts"
| INC objection to q 90-day divorce
law, AYERS the Champaign News-Ga-
zette, lis based on the fact that such a
measure Measure rs not passed for the benefit of
the people who reside in the state If
Ior the purpose of Turing people TO
.rie 2tatr LOT the brief period that is
| Specined in the law. Easy divorce NAV
pe defended in all sincerity. and excel.
tent arguments may be put forth i'm its
support. But when divorce is made
easy merely to attract mismated men
| ana women 10 particular loeailtv sIIrh
actlon would appear to be below the dig-
nlty OF State that is concerned in
preserving the home as the bulwark OF
American life." "
| Legislators and Governors nc
/ viewed by the Kansas City star "iust
can resist the temptation to vote for
IeHeI IN some form these days Relief
from marital ties, however. NAV he
! only temporary at best. 1t is assumes
That most persons establishing a 90
day residence In State merely To sIe
Tor divorce are not going to take I'M
permanent residence in such a State.
| The State that permits quick divorce
thereby announces to the rest of the
country "This is good State to be
| divorced in, although you perhans NAV
not want to live here longer than three
| months"
A different point of view is repre-
Sented by the comment of the Pasa-
dena Star-News, which offers the
| opinion as to the agitation in several
States: "A survey OF state Iegis-
lstures in session this Winter shows
tnat prop nents of easier divorce laws
are being worsted by opponents Of thi.