Evening star., 1935-07-07
Will Make 0vertures to Pal
misano to Get 1t Out
of Committee.
INSISTENCE ON CRUELTY
GROUNDS MAY WAIVER
Conference Tomorrow Also Ex-
pected to Adjust Differences
Over Status of Measure.
BY JAMES Z, CHINN.

Determined TO prevent de1eat OF
the Districts liberalized divorce bill
at the current session of Congress,
Representative Carpenter, Democrat,
of Kansas, disclosed last night he in
tended to make a series of compro-
mise overtures TO Chairman Palmisano
of the Judiciary Subcommittee of the
House District Committee, who has
been the principal obstruction facing
the measure on its path to the House
calendar.
Carpenter and Palmisano will get
together for a private conference to-
morrow in an effort to adjust their
differences. Indications are there will
be a reconciliation, and that the bill
in revised form will be presented to
the full District Committee Wednes-
day for approval.
Carpenter is the sponsor of House
bill to broaden the divorce laws, but
in his zeal TO get some legislation
enacted at the present session that
will save District residents a trip to
Reno in time of domestic strife, he
offered to accept, as a substitute. the
liberalized divorce measure passed by
the Senate several months ago His
hope of success was almost realized
until a hearing last week, when
Palmisano abruptly announced an
adjournment and walked out in pro-
test against what he described as a
move to railroad" the bill out of his
subcommittee
Cruelty Grounds Opposed.
Palmisano has said he wanted to
give the District respectable" di-
vorce law. but he vigorously opposed
provision that would grant an abb
solute divorce on grounds of cruelty,
because of a fear that Washington
would become another Reno-a mecca
for prospective divorces. He likewise,
but more mildly, objected to another
provision that would grant an ab-
solute divorce on grounds of inSan-
lty.
Throughout the hearings before
Palmisanos subcommittee, Carpen-
ter insisted that cruelty should be
made the grounds for sn absolute
divorce, but he is willing to wsver
now, it seems, in order to get the
House to approve the bill before ad-
journment.
Rather than see the bill scuttled
at the last minute" he declared. Il
am willing to work out a fair COM
promise
The basis of compromise has not
been definitely decided, but it is likely
that Carpenter will agree to elm
ination from the bill of the provision
making cruelty grounds for absolute
divorce. He ntimated he would be
willing to allow cruelty TO become
grounds for limited divorce for a
period of two years. after which. If
a couple continued to remain apart.
the innocent party would be allowed
an absolute divorce.
Objection Might Be Met.
Carpenter believes that proposition
might meet one of Palmisano's objec-
tions, since it would provide a two
year 'cooliug-of period" and not re-
suit in hasty divorces, which he Bit
terly opposes.
If necessary, Carpenter indicated he
might even go a step further and
agree TO removal of the provision al
| lowing an absolute divorce on grounds
of insanity.
That provision was not in the orig
:ual liberalized divorce bill written by
the District Bar Association. which
formed the genesis of the proposed
| legislation. It was inserted by the
Senate. and Carpenter, as we'll as the
Bar Association, is understood to be
willing to allow its elimination.
When Carpenter and Palmisano 60
into conference tomorrow. they also
expect to adjust their difference over
the status of the bill because Of the
sudden adjournment of last weeks
/ hearing After Palmisano left Car
penter and Representative Brewster,
Republican. of Maine, another men,
Der of the subcommittee, ordered the
measure favorably reported to the
full District Committee But Palmi-
sano insisted their action could rot
be recognized, and thereby raised a
neat parliamentary question which
has not yet been definitely decided.
Report Is Hoped For.
Anyhow, Carpenter plans to shunt
the parliamentary question into the
background and hopes to arrange with
Palmisano to have the bill reported
to the full District Committee with
amendments that will remove his OBJ
jections.
incidentally, tomorrow is scheduled
to be District day in the House, but
| it Is to be postponed until July IS
or later because Of the desire OF the
administration for early action on
| the T. v. A. bill. There are already
13 District bills on the House calelI-
dar awaiting action, and the delay
may enable Carpenter to get the
divorce bill there before July IS.
The District Committee will meet
Wednesday to clear its calendar of
bills which Chairman Mary T. Nor
ton hopes to have passed at the pres
ent session, and if Carpenter and
Palmisano reach an agreement before
that time the divorce bill has a chance
of being reported out favorably
The full committee also will begin
reconsideration Wednesday of the re-
port of the Special Crime Investigat-
ing Subcommittee. At that time an
effort will be made to eliminate a
recommendation for removal of
United States Attorney Leslie C. Gar