Evening star., 1939-04-18
1937-25O,O 900. or

This is the last estimate available
to the Census Bureau, but curve just
published by the Metropolitan Life In
surance Co., based on statistics from the
New England States alone, shows small
increase for 1888 over 1887.
The big break in the stability of the
American family apparently came in
1884, when the rate shot up nearly 80
per cent, and every year since there has
been approximately 10 per cent in
crease. The jump is against all prece-
dents, according to sociologists, who are
trying to fathom what has happened
to the American home.
The divorce rate has been on the
increase, the life insurance study shows,
for the last SO years. The rate of in
crease, however, was only about per
cent year.
This continued until 1919, when there
was an outbreak of divorces following the
war. This was fairly easy for the sociolo-
gists to fathom. There had been many
hasty, ill-considered marriages during
the war. Some divorces which had been
planned before were postponed until the
husbands were back from the front. At
home wages and profits had been sky
high and times of prosperity, statistics
OF the past had showed, always are
times OF high divorce rates. Both hus-
banus and wives had money to go their
own ways and develop different interests.
They also had money to pay lawyers and
alimony.
Immediately after the country got back
on normal basis the rate dropped,
although only about half way to the 1918
level. Then came the unexampled pros
perity and gay life of the 2Os, when
there was moderate increase of about
10 for each thousand married couples.
1t leveled off during the depression. Folks
who wanted divorces did not have money
to pay for them. 1t was virtually i'm
possible for wives to get jobs to support
themselves.
mo data are at present available" says
the life insurance company report.
which offer an authoritative interpre-
tation of this recent remarkable devel-
opment. The increase cannot be ascribed
entirely to improved business conditions
While the economic situation is far bet
ter than 1t was few years ago, the
improvement seems hardly sufficient to
account for the increase, although it is
significant that the new rise took place
Immediately after the very nadir of the
depression had been passed 1t may be
that large part of these more recent
divorces are so-called poor mems di-
vorces,' instituted on the grounds of nom
support and abandonment. The statu-
tory cause which seems to have shown
the sharpest increase during the last few
years is that of cruelty a convenient
designation which may cover multitude
of actual causes"
For the New England area alone, the
report states, the divorce rate of 1887
exceeded that of 1890 by 1853 per cent.
This is believed to be fairly representa-
tive of the country as a whole. Re
gardless of immediate causes" the report
says, I'VE are dealing with an irresistible
trend conditioned by basic factors deeply
inherent in our social structure"
Other statistics show that the average
time between marriage and divorce be-
fore the present rise was approximately
seven years, and that for the country
as whole one divorce was granted about
every two minutes. The greatest number
come in the third year of married life,
with a steady decline thereafter.
The average length of all marriages in
the United States is % years before they
are ended either by divorce or by death
of one of the partners