The Washington times., 1938-12-15
GRETNA Green
BAN PUSHED
BY VIRGINIA
Marriage Of Girl, Is,
Speeds Action

As Virginia officials today
planned a campaign to prevent
Alexandria from becoming the seat
Of a second Elkton marriage
MILL" machinery was set in mo-
ton to annul the marriage Of a
l5-year -old girl who was issued
license and married last Monday
to Washington plumber II years
her senior.
Following a con fer n be-
tween parents of the girl and au-
thorities, it was decided that no
action would be taken against the
man, Walter Poetzman, but that
the girl, Josephine Katherine Ma
euire. will, be sent to the Chill
dren's Aid Society in Baltimore
until her education is completed.
ACTION SPEEDED
Revelation that the 15-year-old
girl had been issued a license in
Alexandria and married by a JUS
tiec of the peace in the Virginia
city, plus the announcement Of
one of Elkton's marrying par
sons" that he will set up his bust
ness in Alexandria in the next few
days, speeded action on efforts to
ban hasty marriages.
Members of the Virginia legisla-
ture in this section announced
they are ready to introduce the
necessary legislation if Gov. James
H. Price calls a special session.
Delegate Maurice D. Rosenberg,
optimistic over passage of the law
in view of the rising tide of OPP
position to having Alexandria be
come another Elkton, Md, pointed
out that an emergency clause
could be included in the legisla-
ton to make it effective immedi-
ately.
WILL SPONSOR ACT
State Senator John w. Rust,
representative of Alexandria, Ar
lington and Fairfax counties, also
announced that he would sponsor
an act to still the growing alarm
over Virginia's newly acquired
quick marriage business.
Meanwhile Alexandria citizens,
fearful of a repetition of the
divorce mill scandal that rocked
this historic city Is years ago,
were encouraged over Governor
Prices announced immediate in
vestigation" of the situation and
his statement that he would con-
slider requests for a special session
Of the legislature.
City officials, ministers, the
Woman's Christian Temperance
Union and civic leaders lined up
behind the demand for an extra
legislative session. All were wor-
ried Cor the city's reputation if the
present marriage without-waiting
law is not repealo before the reg
ular session of the legislature in
January, 1910.
They pointed out that there is
no provision in the present law to
stop marrying parsons from
other sections of the State coming
to Alexandria to set UP shop, and
that even Elkton'S handicapped
clergymen could succeed in trans
ferring their business here by get
ting their ordination papers ap-
proved in another part of Virginia
and then moving to Alexandria.
TURN AWAY BUSINESS
The city's marriage business
continues to flourish. Since the
new Maryland 48-hour wait law
became effective last Friday, Clerk
of Court E. F. Hoffman has is
sued more than 100 nuptial per
mits, and has turned away a score
Of other couples.
To date, about so per cent OF
the marriages have been per-
formed by Justice of the Peace
Herman Friedlander, whose office
is the front room of his home one
half block away from the clerks
office.
Romance for one runaway cou-
pie was halted at least temporarily
yesterday by Clerk Hoffman when
he refused to issue a license to
Monroe Pollard and Laura Ellis
of East Orange. N. j., on the
strength of a telegram It a tt n
that the intended groom'S mother
was i'll from shock in a hospital
The couple said they would
apply for a license elsewhere.