ALIMONY HUNTERS OF AMERICA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17710, 3 December 1925, Page 5

ALIMONY HUNTERS OF AMERICA.

“ BAREFACED AND SHAMELESS TRAFFIC.” So barefaced and shameless has be- ■ come the traffic by women in America of seeking alimony from husbands whom they have quickly cast aside shortly after marriage that one of the* leading judicial authorities of the country, j\lr Justice Selah B. Strong, of .the Supreme Court, has announced in New York that he does not intend to lend the part of the Supreme Cqurt in which he presides to any scheme of a childless woman to force alimony from her husband. In these times of equality of the sexes, he said, there is no reason why divorced husbands should be compelled to contribute to the support of wives who had borne them no chil--1 dren. j "In these days of equal rights there is no reason why a woman should be awarded alimony,” he said, “ except where there are children. If a woman does not love her husband, or cannot stand his treatment, let her separate from him,” said Mr Justice Strong. “ There is lio law which compels a woman to remain in her husband’s house. She is at liberty to leave whenever she wants to do so. Of course, where there are children the husband must expect to support them, and the law forces him to do so. Gen- i erally it is* the mother of the children who is the last person in the world to appear in the Divorce Court. “ When a woman starts a separation action she is cither ' hot under the col- i lar,’ or she is filled with a desire for ! revenge. A man is almost powerless, j and she knows it. When she gets Lier j temporary award she is independent. She is mistress of the situation. “ I have studied Court records, and I have found that there are twenty ; separation suits started to every di- ' vorce. Women only want alimony. ; They tire of their husbands and get ' rid of them, but still hold their hands out for the cash. This does not reflect on the great mass of good, noble women who. fortunately, are indepen- j dent of charity. “ Imagine the predicament of a man who is compelled to pay temporary alimony for five years to a woman who hates him, but will not divorce him. It is nothing short of slavery. In J this enlightened day, when the sexes are supposed to be equal, I do not believe that childless wives should receive alimony. Women to-day err as much ! and, in many cases, more than men.” j