Causes for Divorce.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 17, 23 October 1912, Page 6

Causes for Divorce.

EARL RUSSELL PLEADS FOR A NEW MARRIAGE LAW.

The English attitude towards divorce is absolutely mediaeval, declares Earl Russell, in discussing the problem, “ When Should Marriage be Dissolved!"’ in the " English Review.” "From the point of view of the race,” he says, "the most important object (of marriage) is, of course, the continuance of the race, while from the point of view of either man or woman of a certain age, probably its chief essential is intimate companionship. To the eye of the sane maker of laws it would seem that the special contract of partnership known as marriage should be dissolved altogether, when it has failed in its object, ami when the partners are no longer carrying on business together, hut living separately—subject always to the one special difficulty of the partnership assets which have been created in the shape of children.

" When eltier husband or wife leaves the joint establishment, - deserts the home, abandons the children, and is never seen or heard of again, there is as complete destruction of the partnership of marriage as could be caused by death itself. - None of the reasons urged either by the Prayer Book or by more modern writers in favour of the sanctity of the home and the sanctity of the mar. riage tie remain.

" Yet iu these circumstances England almost alone among the nations denies all redress. I have never been able to understand the state of mind of those worthy ami pious people who iu connection with facts of this nature continue to prate about the sanctity of the home and the terrible effect of allowing marriages to be rashly dissolved. "If one of the spouses becomes insane and is confined fur years in an asylum, what essential of married life remains for the other ? It is often argued that there is something noble and touching in the sorrowing spouse waiting patiently some ten or twenty years for the other partner to recover his or her reason.

“ No doubt there is. but these acts of exalted sentimentality should be voluntary if they are to have any moral value.”