MARRIED AND SINGLE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16308, 4 September 1918, Page 8

MARRIED AND SINGLE.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir,—There sometimes seems to be a tendency to compare married people with single, in such a way as to assume that heme married indicates unselfishness, while single people are so out of selfishness. It would appear that when a man marries, he does so not for his own satisfaction, not for any real desire to marry j but trom some lofty motive of sacrificing himself for the benefit of others.- , Might I point out that marriage is one of the primary desires in nature, while the desire for a real home of one's own (with a_ partner, etc.), is with most people a desiro that increases as age advances. Single people, men over thirty, anyway, are single not usually because they wish to he, but because of physical, mental, or financial disability. Some are single, also, from a desire to be able to do the right thing by relatives and others, who may not, perhaps, be actually dependont on them for daily bread, but in whose comfort they may have reason to take an interest. I am not referring particularlv to conditions of pay in the war. The times are abnormal. But, speaking generally, people should be expected to support their wives and families themselves, and it is unfair that single people should be exploited fo r the benefit of those who have been fortunate enough to bo in a position to get married and who, on an average, are certainly not more unselffisli than these who. contrary to natural desire, remain single.—Yourc etc SPUING.