SOVIET RUSSIA

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 101, 26 October 1925, Page 7

SOVIET RUSSIA

MARRIAGE AND-FAMILY LIFE

ENGLISH WOMEN'S ' REPORT,

(FBOM Oim OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, Bth' September.

Four British. trade unionists women visited Russia, during April aud July. Their report, issued under the title of '■Soviet-Russia," contains a, chapter on the family. 'The following extract refers to marriage :—

As marriage under Soviet law is looked upon purely- as ;i civil contract, tho only basis of which is the love and desire for one another of the man and ■woman concerned, it is natural that, according to (Soviet .law, once the only basis for marriage is no longer there— that is, once tho man and woman no longer lovo one. auuther, and no longer desiro to livo..with one- another—the divorce of the parties is made as easy as the contracting of the marriage. All that the-husband and -wife' have' to do is to come to an understanding .that they ..desire to ,part r.this- ,they- have to communicate ,to tho proper authorities, together with their .marriage certificate or a signed statement of their .present -married condition, and the divorce- is. necessarily granted them. If the divorce is requested by, one side only, the matter goes before the Law Court of the district in which the-plain-tiff resides.

In cases regarding the support and custody of'the .child,'the guilt-or blame of one party or • the • other for the divorce is not ta<ken into consideration, except in .so far as it might affect the welfare of the cihild.