DIVORCE ETHICS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 147, 23 June 1928, Page 20

DIVORCE ETHICS

"SPITING THE. OTHER. WOMAN." Is there ever an occasion when a wife is justified, in refusing to give her erring lu'slAiid a divorce when she.has no expectation of his return?. This is the question raised by the case of Mrs.. Annio Elizabeth Blancharcl, of Windmill road, Brentford, Middlesex, who .was granted a judicial separation in tin Di.vorce- Division (London) recently. In granting the separation Mr. Justice Hill made, somo strong comments on tho "shocking motive" of wives who seek to punish their unfaithful husbands and "the-other woman" by refusing to seek divorce, so preventing a remarriago during-tho wife's lifetime, a proceeding ho> described as "wanting.' in charity." Mrs. Blanchaid gave' r 'a "Daily Mail" reporter reasons for her attitude. She, said:. .:■ • ■ '■'The facts of my case aro exactly the same as with many other, middle-aged married Women. My husband is 44. I am 43. We have, a family of three, the eldest .being 20 and the youngest 12., Our. married .life, except, for one brief j)eriod IS-years, agoy was perfectly happy. A complete change came over our relations in the summer of 1926. My husband began to go away for weekends to Brigton. I tried to persuade', him to come back. It was no use; he went away to live.with the other woman. I thought he would soon want, to come back. I loved him through it all. It. gradually grew on me that he would not come, back, and I started proceedings to ensure maintenance. Some years after we married he inherited a life legacy of £400-a year. This placed us in a comfortable** position; When the break came I was faced with the position that I, who had shared the hardships of our early life, was cast off without a penny.. In. tho end I was forced to apply to the parish for relief. I asked iiiysgU': Why.should I, now practically ■|a old woman, as far as marriage 'prospects' go, after giving 20 of the best years' of my life to him, hand 'him ' oyoil .to' the other woman? At least 'ho . could-rcmafii tho legal father of.my.children... .' . ' ' "' "It Was a matter of principle. '■' There can bo rib.equality in divorce between men and women, as,the Judge-suggest-ed. A man remains young union longer than a woman. If I'have, grown old ai:d less.attractive, what cari.be blampd by. 20. years of parried'lifo.'and' the harct life home work entails? The Judge said I was uncharitable, but have I, who" gave everything. I possess, been shown, any charity? . Should not 'the. Other .woman', who has ruined the life, with .which I was satis'fied'bc' punished?. Is n woman voluntarily to hand over all she, holds: dearest simply because another woman entices away her husband? The man who takes '.oh.,'tho responsibility of changing a woman's'career, of making her the. mother of his children, should ..not be. allowed to cast her adrift, broken,.and neglected. There is far too much corisi.deratiorii'or the other, woman arid", too little for tho woman who gave all. I feel no sonso of shame in the stand 1 have made,.in which, I believe, I shall receive' the support of. ninny/women.". .