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mMiMrnmims.
Would They Answer ?
That "trial marriages witE a- view to
permanency";-would tend' to the better
- ment of tie human' race is one of 'the
■ esdi^i^riews -ctf Mrs.-. Elsie Clews Parsons,
, daughter of Henry Clews, the banker, ind
wife of -'.American Congressman, Herbert
Parsons, - m Keri; recently-published. book.
The Family.'' Mrs.- Parsohs, who holds
tie-degree' of doetor of philosophy" andwho
T^^orisSryeanr-h lecturer on sociology >t
Hariia^t ■'Collie,' iandles'the social questioii'
iff the most candid manner, in this volume,
which -she has Tvritten: as: a tert-book for
,j college lectures and for home-readihg
' filSbb ."■y1"- —
Statement on Triil Marriager, ; ;'
. Jlegarding trial_marriages. she. has . this"
p^agjaphl^—"It .wohld "therefore.seem"^
. from this point of view, "to encourage- early
trhd marriage,, the relation to be entered
info with a "vdew 'to j^riimnency, but with
, the privilege of breaking it if proved un
eaccterfpl, and, in the absence of offspring,
without" suffering any"great degree of pub-,
lie condemnation." But the advocacy of
trial marriages is only one of the radical
vtews"_Edd."'by' Mrs. Parsons in' this re
markable book,' which" is expected to cause
"Wide,discussion.and criticism,'; She believes
the .entire'plan "of arranging "and contract
ing mariiages should be changed.' She does
nqt.-hold that marriage is a sadfameht..' Of
thH'she"saysf-^lfThe dogmd that marriage
is "an" uhqud^dnable 'sacrameht; and the
dictum ,-thaj.it .ismerely a' sufviydl of" one
of "the pMt1fente'.of.pfdp©c^ holding,'are
both ,'dams'. to" £." proper solution. of the
^M -quesrion." .. . d
>.as.y ?..iAdmits; Delicacy, of Task. , • v
■In her preface to the book, which covers
589 pages and enters into the question-of
marriage and-the family life of many na
tions and races in this and past ages, she
recognises the delicacy:of her .task.in these
Words:—"General unwillingness to learn- the
storyt'Of-sbcial-'origins and developments,
.particularly those of family. relations*-is the.
mental attitude-of the average person'.- It
is, perhaps, the most notable of all the
survivals of primitive taboos.". Again she
declares:—"Enquiry-breeding - taboo, and,
fori thht ^matter; .contempt-breeding -know
ledge, are dangerous - debris, - chok
ing up possible outlets for a stream
of - progressive " -and - inspiring theory.
If ihdividuaMn and 'altruism are- to
be reconciled in? the view .that child^bear
ing and rearing is "the most' important of
all bocial services;"' she says, "the .desir
ability Of change in many social relations
in and out of the family -will have to be
frankly'faced, and. if necessary, new adapta
tip.ns^Tffust'be welcomed"' ■
From Mrs. Parsons's point of view mar
riage is. purely intended to insure future
posterity,- and' the best possible posterity
from'a physical, moral, and intellectual
standpoint. ' - - ,•
She advocates, at the very, start that the
marriage license itself be a proof q£, the
iitness. of tie twain to ente'r th.e marital
statei She asks— "
"Might it not be well to embody m
marriage licenses; data about the-personal
health .and- character of • the bride . and
groom.-likewise a certificate of the brides
previous training in child-care.
"A'".favorable, record would entitle the
holder to -a place -- upon • the ' matrimonial
White list."
-After reeomempding ' ea.rly - trial mar
riages,''- she.says
■'fMiich-.depends upon".the outcome of'pier
sent"experiments in economic independence
for women, h- matter which,- in. turn, is; de
pendent upon the general labor question.
Much.-.depends upon, the -revelations - of
physiological - science. -Meanwhile, on .the
basis iqf. present, mrcumstances, public opin
ion^ should, tend ta cohdemii .men as well as
women"". V. render'identical--the age" 6f
consent. ..with, .the-legal age' of marriage,
and to.'abolish laws requiring parental con
sent .to 'marriage;, tp'consider parental dqties'
the • same ihv the.; case of au illegitimateas;
in that of a iejptimate child,, and to .abolish
legal,reparation ^nd- diyorce. law provisions
prohibiting-the. defendant' to re-marry.'
Taking up the question of divorce, she de
rlaresi|hat,-,ihe existence;of children should'
be a'large determining- factor, with the law
in? panting pp,.withholding; a decree. . She
says™l.i0v •' • . ' ;.
4!teno^.mq.deni lay qn divorce', .-with one
or: ^pi-exeeptionSyrTs;., the; existence .of_
spring taken ai a determining';. .efinditiOTi.
From ope standpoint, hoiteyer. the effect
o4;diyprqeulgon.-flie children of the. sepa
latmgipaMnts-ipIhe foremost consideration.
Might ifcubt :bg^worth; wKileV ih "ou'r;.pre-"
6ent divorce law experimentation. to,: diy,
criminate:be.tw-ecn--ehildless divorce-Seekprs
end^dh:or(»^e§kefsbwitb :■ children* "making
th'gflaw much strict,qX ifpr the latter, than":
thpr.forinef?';. Atiaiiy rate, it seems as" It!
the emphasis of public condemnation- should
• falba-eryihiuchunbre -upon rthq irresponsible
patent" inteaseiujf: x.divorce . than.-, upon _ the
irresponsible -husband or wife. ; ,
ftQne- objection. .that may. be .rajsed .against
such a two-fold divorce law-is that it would
enebUrigei-y-oluntarily.: childless. .. marriage..
Arid - yetr is toot-th e latter-.state - preferable
to the birth of offspring to parents who are
not'-"capable of: prolonged -monogamy ? Let.
us remark-iri this -Connection that'the.volun
tarily oliffdle'ss mearriage "of :to-day is an; in
dication of a tendency toward freedom be
fore. marriage . . :- ■ ■ '•
"Voluntarily childless matriage,...or the
restriCtidh of child-bearing- to the birth' of
one or.two children, a much more general
occurrence, is no doubt, a very serious con
ditionj and- one,:-too-, that seems: to be on
the increase; Unfortunately, it seeins to* af
fect "theyClasses whor for tbe^^ sake bf the
cultural progress of the race, would dp "well
.to. have, a^more numerous offspring." .
The training of girls ' of all economic
classes in the care of young children, aiid a
system of State supervision of the home
education'.offactual and potential public
school children' are suggested as Initial
methods in' this social reform. In this con
nection it may also ; be . suggested that
gradual legal restrictions upon the right of
parents to. the earnings of their children
would serve a double purpose in being a!
check upon the birth-rate and in facilitating ;
the operation of child labor and compulsory
education laws.
"As for our over-prudential, well-to-do
classes, mere-exhortations . to the married
persons, among th'em to enlarge theij
families would seem to be of little_ avail.
The "education of young people of both
sexes would be. more to the point."
Mrs. Parsons urges, that the children of
ignorant-parents should not be permitted
to grow up in ignorance. She advises that
teachers, should be given power to correct
this. She says—
"Why . should not special public school
officers, the school nurse with large func
tions. for example, supervise and, to a cer
tain .extent. direct the home training of
children in public; school and of
children below school age? Desire to
safeguard the privacy of the home is gene
rally only an expression of clan morality.
It. is a plea for parental ownership as
against the democratic view of State, re
sponsibility: for- the education of its citi
zens." - , - - .
She expresses her general conclusion . as
follows:—"Is there not a growing realisa
tion that individualism and altruism are
mutually dependent that the State must
develop through-the-individual, but that
the individual ■ must also develop through
the: State? And is'not the conception that
child-rearing is a social as well .as an-, in
dividualistic function, a natural corollary
of such a: political philosophy? Through the
working out of this conception the family
may'regain its-lost'prestige:" -
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