Evening star., 1944-05-28
Broken Marriages Present
Vital Postwar Problem
By Raw H. Everett,
Executive Secretary D. C. Social Hygiene Society.

AlsOACJks
:. Social Hygiene Society.
tor requires study, forbearance, ADJUST
ments of various kinds and willingness
to live and learn.
Certainly the prospective partners
should have a fairly definite under
standing on the matter of their future
family. Childless marriages, where one
parent desires children and the other.
either through lack of desire or in
ability, fails to cooperate, are inn
portant causes of marital disharmony.
Occasionally medical psychiatric or
surgical aid is needed in such cases but.
fortunately. there now are several good
books to help in solving these more init
mate problems.
The past two decades have seen great
progress in sane marriage guidance lit
erature and in general public consid-
Grafton of the subject. Today your social
hygiene lecturer, whether in univer-
sity, church, women's club, parent
teacher or civic meetings, can use the
simple scientific expression, human
reproduction, without causing the
slightest ripple of embarrassment.
Disappearance of tabus and inhibi-
tions doesn't mean that reasonable de-
grees of reticence and decency shouldn't
or can't be maintained in considering
sex problems. 1t merely signifies that
we're getting away from the street-cor-
ner type of sex education and attempt
ing to move on into the era of sound
scientific and ethical dealing with the
subject.
Recreational Interests Vary
Students usually appear incredulous
when recreational differences are listed
high among causes for divorce. Yet the
ranking is correct, as innumerable golf
widows" will attest. So, likewise, will
the bridge widower," not to overlook
the movie fan married to partner who
despises movies,
In recreation, as in all others of mar
ried hfe's varied problems, there must
De fair, mutual give-and- take atti-
tude If happiness is to be assured. A
little tolerance and resourcefulness
usually will do the trick. Wives can
learn to enjoy hockey matches just as
husbands can acquire tolerance for the
current screen Valentino.
Health Vital Asset
I didn't know he had tried to commit
suicide couple of times and had been
confined in the psychopathic ward for
monthsl" This was but one of the back
ground facts the young wife didn't
know" about her husband Had she been
less anxious to get married right away"
she could easily have learned that his
father was in a Federal penitentiary
Tor playful little habit called "at-
tempted murder" She could have dis
covered that disease and mental taint
had made shambles of her husbands
family for three generations back. But
it wasn't until he hit her over the head
with blackjack that she realized how
important prenarital history can be.
That, though true. is, of course, an
extreme case. Many health defects are
renediable and would not vitaIly affect
later events; serious disease or disa-
bll1ty, however-particularl an infec-
ton that might be transmitted to the
other partner-may well mean post
] ponement, or even discarding, of the
wedding plans.
Prospective marriage partners should
know each others health background
insofar as the knowledge may affect
their later happiness. Epilepsy, tuber.
culosis, active syphilis or gonorrhea.
drug addiction, chronic alcoholism-all
these are decidedly pertinent factors in
influencing successful marriage and
home-building. Thirty States now de-
mand premarital blood tests and clinical
examination for syphilis as prerequisites
to the granting of marriage licenses.
Ethics, the Keystone.
There's nothing in varying religious
backgrounds to make successful mar
riages impossible. But achieving that
success requires the utmost in careful
premarital study and discussion and
definite agreements regarding future
religious affiliations. A spiritual inheri-
tance Is not an asset to be cast aside
lightly. If left until after marriage for
adjustment, religious differences may
prove ever-present plaques.
All the technical knowledge in the
world on finances, sex, health, recrea-
ton and religion will not suffice to lower
divorce rates if the golden rule is left
out of the picture. With that as guide,
far more marriages will last until death
the twain shall part"