MARRIAGE BOOM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 267, 10 November 1937, Page 22

MARRIAGE BOOM.

IN MIDWEST GRETNA.

CHICAGO'S YOUNG LOVELORN.

LICENSE BUREAU RUSHED.

(By HUH A HI) S. DAVIS.) t'KOVVN POINT (Ind.). Marriage in haste has long been conducted, almost as a leading industry, in thi* quiet Yankee town, but business was never so good as it lias been since the neighbouring State of Illinois began observing its new eugenics laws, which went into effect on July I. Indiana puts nothing bulky in the path of true love. Indiana set* no lime of residence and demands no physical examination. The whole State is generous that way, but. because Crown Point is close to Chicago—some 35 miles from the loop— and because the town long ago gained a reputation as a Gretna Green, it i* here that the lovelorn come hurrying by train and bus and motor car. Thi* re[>orter has just spent a Saturday— from noon to midnight—in Crown Point and can testify that the matrimony trade i* running close to capacity. The long bench in the corridor of the Lake county courthouse, outside the clerk's office, was filled with youthful clients awaiting their chance for a license. And the same youthful clients later akipped in joyful parade across Main Street to the offices of the leading justices of the peace. Ostentatiously is Lore. So great waa the rush through most of the day that the county clerk's office was kept locked and was opened only to admit new applicants. Between 10 and 20 couples were waiting continuously from 2 p.m. until the supper hour, when the outer door* were barred. After that the deputy county clerk and an asaistant could keep up with the demand. All the couples were young, some «o young that their right to marry at all appeared debatable. All were gay, although some ceemed a little anxious over the cost of Hoosier nuptials. When they learned the entire business could be done —day rates —for 9 dollars fiO cent* they could relax, because they would still have 5 dollars 50 eents for a honeymoon. The reporter heard that comment on the bench. The kids in the corridor were ostentatiously in love. Prospective bridegrooms in line at the clerk's door stood with their right arms around their twittering brides and hugs were anything but furtive. Only one father and mother appeared while this reporter watched. These people were Italians from Chicago, and it was theif boy who was on the way to his wedding. The mother was crying, but hers were the only tears visible in the long afternoon.

"Ifo Fooling—l Fml Sick." The girl and the boy, the mother and the father went in for the license, canfc out together and walked across the street, where they were kept waiting while other knots were tied. Finally the job was done for them, too, and they started the drive back to Chicago. As they pulled away from the curb the mother wa« saying: "Is it a joke to get married? Is it so funny that all those kids must laugh! No fooling, I feel sick." And she turned to glare at the newly-mated pair in the back seat. It was just that way, however,—a joke, at least for most of the youngsters who came bursting out of the clerk's office to hurry to the offices of Harvey Minas and Joitn Krost, who are partners in the marriage trade. Both are justices, duly elected by the voters of the township. Illinois Law Help#. Crown Point has another justice. Arthur Taylor, but on this Saturday, Mr. Taylor was at home with a broken arm, and the firm of Minas- and Krost were taking care of everything. The word was, however, that Mr. Taylor would receive a cut, since all the justices are practically brothers. After the rush subsided, this reporter called on Justice Minas in his officeparlour and was told that the day s trade up to that point had brought his firm only fifteen couples. This was some forty couples short of the actual count, but Mr. Minas explained: "That's just, for publication. You see there's a lot of jealousy around here, and it don't do to brag ab6ut business." Mr. Minas estimated that the Illinois F/iigenics Law would mean an increase of 50 per cent in the Crown Point business. Justice Ketfhell is stationed at the intersection of the Lincoln highway and Highway 53. Most of the Chicago traffic comes his way. He has a gas station a restaurant, a soft drink stand—and he rents cabins. He is a man you might say. who makes the most of his opportunities. Boss township is entitled to only one justice and Mr. Kitchell i* it. His signs are on the highway and not a few of the couples who go to Crown I oint fortheir licenses return to be wed in the Kitchell parlour. Anyhow, the justice collects a share of the total returns. i A division of the profits has been in order since late last summer, when the city council, urged on by the Mayor, took a hand to halt the scramble that was making it perilous for a youth and hi» best girl to walk along Main Street. Solicitors and banner* were all over the place before the reform movement set in. "ftyathatk PTaachar's" Flaint. It is now illegal in Crown Point for agents to pluck at the sleeves of young men. The more flamboyant signs are down. , And the four justices— Minas. Krost, Taylor and Kitchell—are in cahoots against the Rev. Howard Kemp. Things are not going a bit well for Pastor Kemp. . This cleric still maintains a parlour and he watchea out the windows, but his trade is sliin. Late in the evening on thi* Saturday, he told this reporter hei had married only six couples. He was I exceedingly downcast, but not licked. I "All that fuss the Mayor stirred np,"| lie explained, "was directed at me. They came and ripped my big sign down. They stationed runners on my stairs to snatch couples away from me. But I'll get back at 'em. I'm going to put up a| sign jimt where the other one was and I'll go to court to keep it there." Pastor Kemp is known in Lake .County as the synthetic preacher. -He j founded the Church of the Populacfe at 1 Cedar Lake, near Crown Point and had, himself ordained. This was after he' had served one term as a justice, but'had 1 been defeated for re-election. Some citizens were mean enough to say that the church saved very few souls, possibly because it no seldom had services. "Is there anything in the law that says a church must meet every Sunday?'' I'nstor Kemp asked the reporter. "It's ' y 1 1 nf ii ,| church i meets. I'm mi i>iiiui:'i'<l preacher and I jean prove it."—(N.A.N.A.)