Evening star., 1937-05-05
CHILD MARRIAGE
BAN IS REPORTED
Bill Sent to House Also Re.
quires Three-Day Wait
for Licenses.

Denouncing child marriages" and
Cocktail marriages" the House Dis
trict Committee today favorably re-
ported a bill that would have the
dual effect of raising the age OF con-
sent and preventing the issuance of
all marriage licenses until three days
after the filing of aneapplication.
The committee also decided to
renew consideration at its meeting next
Wednesday Of the controversial bill
to legalize horse racing under the pari-
mutuel system. This measure was
withdrawn from the House calendar
more than a month ago as result of
charges that it had been "railroaded"
out Of the committee.
Amendment Adopted.
The bill to prevent c.'iid mar
riages, as originally introduced sew
eral months ago by Representative
Dirksen, Republican, of Illinois, would
raise the minimum age limit Of legal
marriages from Is to l8 for males
and from IA to Is for females The
committee, however, adopted an
amendment to prevent the issuance
OF marriage license to any appli-
cant until three days after filing Of
the application.
Action on the bill was preceded by
prolonged discussion. Representative
Schultz, Democrat, of Indiana said
a girl Of l6 is too young to be mar
rled and urged that the age limit be
raised to l8. Representative Mich
OILS, Democrat, of Oklahoma argued
that this plan would make per-
Jurers out of young people"
"Sixteen-year-old girls are quite
mature" Nichols declared III l6-
year-old girl wants to get married at
Is you would make her a perjurer. I
know a lot of fine mothers who were
married at Is and are doing pretty
good at it."
Compromise at II Proposed.
Chairman Norton proposed a COM
promise at II for girls, but Schultz
declared: Too many young marriages
wind up in the divorce courts. They're
gin weddings"
Representative JenckeS, Democrat,
OF Indiana then proposed an amend
ment for a three-day intermission be-
tween the application for a marriage
license and its issuance She con-
tended such plan would do away
with gin and cocktail marriages"
Two other bills we're reported favor
ably by the committee One would
regulate and control beauty parlors
and the other would authorize the
Commissioners to issue licenses for
the practice OF the healing arts and
save Congress the necessity Of passing
bills for this purpose.
Bills to Subcommittee.
A number of other bills were re-
1erred to special subcommittee for
consideration. These include the Wood
Dill to abolish the Office of director of
PUBLIC welfare and substitute a paid
board OF three members for the pres
ent board OF nine, bill to reduce the
NUMBER OF taXicab bS, a bill providing
Tor the retirement of police and f,re-
m l and bill to regulate proceedings
In adoption of children
The subcommitte named to con-
slider the Welfare Board bill is COM
posed OF its sponsor, Representative
Wood, Democrat, OF Missouri. and
Representatives Hull, Progressive. Of
Wisconsin,, and Brewster, Republican.
OF Maine. Representatives Randolph
OF West Virginia and Sacks of Penn
sylvania, both Democrats, and Brew
ster constitute the subcommittee to
consider the taxicab bill. The police
and f1remen retirement bill will be
handled by subcommittee composed
OF Representative Jenckes and Wood
and Bates, Republican, of Massa cf1u-
setts
Chairman Norton urged each OF the
suocommittees to hold early hearings
on the bills.