WHY MEN MARRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19986, 29 June 1920, Page 9

WHY MEN MARRY.

1 have asked a number of women to give me their honest views as to the motive that impels men to marry. It is the orthodox opinion that the real incentive to marriage is love. But less than half of my women acquaintances adduce affection us man's chief reason for taking a wife. 'One of my correspondents writes that a feeling of loneliness about tbo age of thirty-five- urges many men to got married.;’ Another states that “most, men arc only grown-up children, ami they want a; woman to ‘ mother ’ them.’’ A third informant asserts that “ men marry because a wife is cheaper than a housekeeper.'’ These feminine views upon the natnro ol man' are interesting hut not very convincing. 1 grant that nil the reasons suggested actuate certain typos of men It, is true that a-yearning for companionship induces a- proportion of men of mature age to entertain thoughts of matrimony, and that this longing may not be accompanied by a, romantic ardour. The theory that men are big boys who need a. .second mother ir- also tenable, but it duo.-, not apply to a. very large number of my sex, 1 suppose there are a, few men who imagine that it- is more economical - to marry than to pay a housekeeper to manage the home, but 1 can only say thai- I have, never met- them in my wanderings. The great majority of men marry because they are in love with one woman. who, for the time being at all events, seems the embodiment of charm and virtue. There are degrees »jf this infatuation, but the basis is lore and esteem. The conventional view that most men many because they are in love is the truth of the matter. Xo doubt T shall lie challenged to dclinc -''love.” I would venly thai the emotion that impels a man to choose one woman from the crowd as a partner for life is only to ho described as- love. The impulse to possess the desired -woman is the universal and eternal manifestation of manly love resulting in marriage. Freedom of choice in the selection of a partner in wedlock is less restricted among men than among -women, partly through ihe fact that women outnumber men. The comparative economic independence of men gives them an advantage over women in selecting mates. I am not attdihpting to claim that men possess a higher capacity for loro than women possess. But I submit that t.he inspiration to marriage among the. muss of men arises from affection—(By January Mortimer in. “The Daily Mail. “I