Imperial Valley press., 1937-03-07
BY Carol Bird

brittle and romantic" affair to be
smashed up whenever the hus-
band becomes attracted to the
pretty daughter of the tobac-
conist" around the corner, or a
wife is annoyed by her marital
partners bad play at bridge, ]. B.
Priestley, distinguished English
novelist and playwright, epito-
mized his view of the most i'm
portant of all human relations.
Mr.. Priestley was in New York
several months ago and produced
his play, Eden End" on Broad
way. During the last few years he
has turned his attention to the
theater and has produced several
very successful plays. He is a
director of a London theater.
He is married and has several
daughters and one small son,
Thomas. His home in Highgate
Village, charming region in the
highest part of London, was once
the home of Samuel Taylor Cole
ridge, the poet He also has an
old house, Billingham Manor, on
the Isle of Wight.
Although Mr.. Priestley, who is
a versatile, energetic, forceful and
humorous person, much sought
after as an after-dinner speaker
and a successful broadcaster, pre-
terred to discuss the theater, he
was sidetracked into giving his
views on marriage; what makes
or breaks 1t, how to make it a
happy and successful relationship.
This he seems to have achieved
in his own marriage.
u@NE Of the first and most
~ important things that must
be borne in mind about marriage
is that it is a social partnership,
and that it should be respected
by the individuals themselves as
a partnership" said Mr.. Priestley
in his hotel suite in New York
City.
"Just as two men who are
partners in business will not go
about spreading evil reports of
each other because it will be
ruinous for the firm, so must two
married partners refrain from do
ing anything to wreck their
union.
THE trouble with many mar
riage, particularly in America,
where the divorce rate, l under
stand, is high probably results
from a very childish and roman
tic view of marriage itself. When
a marriage is entered into in this
immature spirit-a romantic atti-
tude encouraged and fostered by
sentimental literature - it has
very little solidarity. Its founda-
tions are weak and are threat
ened ever so often. Thus it is that,
in q marriage of this kind, every
time the man sees a very pretty
face and falls for it." he seems
to think that he should smash up
everything-his home, marriage,
family-and start all over again.
"In the same way a woman,
a wife in such a fragile union,
seems to imagine that some pitt
full little grievance, some petty
dispute about a bridge game or
an argument as to who should
use the car that day, entities her
to break up her marriage, too.
Ny point is that if marriage
is taken seriously, as social
partnership, then it begins to take
on solidarity. The sentimental,
romantic type of marriage is a
brittle thing. 1t will crush at
touch. The view of marriage as a
social partnership gives it its
strength"
FRANCE, of all nations, in Mr..
Priestley's opinion, has the
best and soundest view of mar
riage.
''It is the exact opposite view
from the American one" he said.
French people do not associate
marriage with little, petty, nom
essential things. They think of
marriage as public thing. You
have union, set up home. plan
to have children. That is a very
important partnership. The French
do not think that man can break
up all this, change the whole
structure of his life and that of
the partner associated with him,
and that of their children. for
every passing fancy.
IF he must have a liaison, all
right, let him have it, and get it
over with, and forget about it. A
man must not give more serious
thought to a pretty girl he sees
somewhere than to the partner of
his marriage, must not cast aside
this partner simply because he is
temporarily attracted by fresh.
romantic interest.
"A man cannot, merely because
ne thinks the daughter of the to-
bacconist on the corner pretty,
smash up his marriage. People
should pay public respect to their
marriage. They ought to have an
adult attitude about it. They must