Evening star., 1933-07-19
Better Times Seen as Cure
For Depression in Marriage

Latest reports from the Census Bu-
reau. showing a decline in beth mar
rlage and divorce, suggest to the public
the relation Of these records 10 the de-
preston of recent years. Lack Ct funds
| is held responsible for the showing III
both the acceptance Of marriage re-
sponSibllities and their termination.
One suggested way Of dealing with the
subject is revision of the marriage laws
of the several States, while it is advised
that in the present reconstruction Pc
riod some provision should be made fer
encouraging wholesome family life.
People are not buying n.atrimony
any more than they are buying futures,
automobiles or diamond tiaras," de-
clares the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Marriage isn't what 1t used to be in
many practical. prosaic respects. In
the dear old sentimental days mar
rilges we're made by convention. pro-
pinquity. considerable perspicacity and
about the average percentage Of poor
judgment mixed with Spring and moon
light. They were very differently re-
garded and approached by one-half of
the sketch in the days before that half
came into citizenship rights. When one
Of the unemancipated failed to do her
best by herself in the only available
avenue OF escape from home, it was a
serious business. Only the foolish
virgins didn't. The other variety trim
med their lamps and if any other por-
ton CT the cast of characters became
trimmed in the process, it was charged
to the law of averages. But that was
then. This is now. AS between a hus-
band potentiality and a iob-maybe a
career under direct concentration,
what would be the logical answer to
anybody fit to be emancipated9 The
answer accounts for the drought in
marriages"
IF the falling off was due to the de-
preston, and the depression is vanish
! ing" thinks the Glendale News Press,
doubtless the difference will be reflect
ed in the marriage license bureau. 1t is
not strange that individuals out of work,
working at reduced pay, or clinging
with only precarious hold to their jobs,
refrained from assuming any respon-
sibility that could be avoided The
man who marries without being quail
| fed to support wife and possibly a
| family not only is rash, but guilty of an
offense against society. The burden
of caring for the impoverished already
has become almost too much to be
carried. Among the most senseless of
old adages is that which says two can
has misled the unthinking and accounts
| for disastrous unions, but, having no
basis in truth, it is poor guide. If
times get better this matrimonial slump
will pass. Until they are definitely
better, the slump will remain as evi-
dence of reasonable caution"
AN all-time low mark was reached
last year because of the depression. ~
according to the Youngstown Vindi-
Gator, reviewing the figures for the
year: "The number was 981 ,759, or 49,
032 fewer than in 1881. The ratio was
70 per thousand of population, as COM
pared with 8.5 for the preceding year
The ratio is based by the Census Bureau
on an estimated population Of 124, 1922
600 the first Of this month, while that
population Of 124070,000. Only 10
States, all in the West and Southwest,
save West Virginia, reported slight in
creases in the number of marriages. All
those adjoin States which have strict
marriage laws. The increase in num-
Der of marriages in West Virginia was
due largely to the new Ohio law de-
signed to prevent hasty marriages"
Asserting that the decline is purely
. depression phenomenon" the New
York Times refers to the trend that has
been observed apart from the effect OF
the depression, declaring: Contrary to
popular belief, marriage in recent years
has been becoming more frequent. The
supposed postponement of marriage for
economic reasons does not take place.
A larger percentage of persons between
the ages of Is and 19 were married in
| 1890 than In 1890 Out of a thousand
persons between 20 and "a years of age
there were rs more married in 1890
than in $780,"