COMPULSORY MARRIAGES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10104, 11 October 1917, Page 7

COMPULSORY MARRIAGES.

"When the war is over there will bo a terrible shortage of men, a pitiable surplusage of women, and unless we are very careful, a perilous decline in the birthrate," writes Mr Horatio Bottomley. Mr Bottomley suggests compulsory marI Hugo for men as a remedy, and outlines a 1 scheme by which every eligible man between ! the ages of 25 and 4(1 should be compelled in marrv, and, where necessary, assisted bj the .Stale to shoulder his family rosponsibjli lies. . I "Let us leave polygamy to the. lowei I races, and {jet back to my suggestion of compulsory marriage—conscription for th< Annv of Benedicts. Of course I am not proposing that any man should bo forced to marrv a particular girl. That would never do! First of all, the girl would i.atu . rally desire a voice in the matter, and sh I would certainly resent, bavins u husbaiu forced upon her; and, secondly, the-young ! man himself would expect freedom o I choice. " 1 "But why not compel every healthy mat to Blurry by a certain age, as an essential i nil,* of'his'■duty to the State? "A'-few turns of the fiscal screw would I tt-o/ic bonders. Bachelordom and its privi- ! leges mig-lit be made far more expensive ' than marriage and its responsibilities, lite suggestion of* 'bachelor tax' is .to new one, for the lifd-cf me I can see no objection to it."