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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1963)
MLDt'OHD MAIL TH1BUNE. MEDFORD, OREGON THURSDAY. MARCH 7, 1H63 A 7 Divorce Laws Remain Problem 411 Years After King Henry VIII By ROBERT MUSEL United Press International London - lUPb - King Henry VIII, a cunning and promiscu ous monarch, had such trou ble with England's stern di vorce laws even in the days when sovereigns ruled by di vine right, that he had to have some of his six wives' heads chopped off to get rid of them. Before he finally command ed Anne Boleyn to submit her pretty neck to the head man's axe he went to tortuous lengths to have his marriage to her declared invalid. His straight-faced grounds were that he had slept with her sister before their wedding, hence he was practically a blood relation. The case of "Bluff King Hal" and his troubles with the mother of the first Queen Elizabeth were raised in the House of Commons recently by Labor Party Membetr Leo Abse in the first major par liamentary attempt to reform Britain's divorce laws in 25 years. Somewhat plaintively Abse told the House that it could hardly accuse him of rushing things since one of the main points of his bill - to make long separation a ground for divorce - had been originally recommended by a committee headed by the first Arch bishop of Canterbury 411 years ago in 1552. Fight for Divorce Abse's measure is called "The Matrimonial Causes and Reconciliation Bill." A 46-year-old lawyer from Ponly pool in Wales, he decided to take on the strong religious and women's organization lob by which has always resisted any attempt to change the existing divorce laws. They permit divorce only for adul tery, desertion, insanity and cruelty. To the surprise of his sup porters the bill had only minor opposition in the House on its second reading and was sent to a committee for fur ther discussion. No one under estimates the strength of the gathering opposition but leg islative observers believe Abse has a chance of getting through the major "reconcili ation'' principle of his bill. This would modify the pres ent rule regarding what s known as condonation. If a husband considers his wife guilty of adultery but con tinues to have relations with her he has, in the eyes of the law, "condoned" her of fense and cannot use it as grounds for divorce. Choice Is Cltar Back in 1955 a royal com mission which studied evi dence on the divorce laws for many months decided this was one of the big obstacles to reconciliation. Husbands (or wives) who suspected their partners of infidelity rushed immediately to law yers because, as the law stood, they either had to for give forthwith or slop living together as man and wife. At the same lime if they happened to meet in a law yer's office or with a mar riage guidance counsellor to discuss their problems there was always a chance they might be charged with collu sion - conspiring to arrange a divorce. Under Abie's bill couples who part because one or the other feels the partner has been adulterous or cruel would be able to come to gether again for a sort of "second honeymoon" period of a month to sec if they could work things out. This would not prejudice the origi nal grounds on which they had decided to seek divorce. And they would be en abled to discuss their prob lems together and openly with lawyers or advisers with out any danger of being ac- caused of collusion. Bill May Pau j This much of Abse's bill may pass, if in modified form. But he himself considers that the real fight will rome on another clause which would permit a marriage to be dis solved if the couple has een living apart for seven years. The present law permits only the deserted partner to sue for divorce. In many cases, due to religious con victions, financial reasons or SAVE $ x GOLD p4 N BOIJD jv3J REQUIRES jEsS LESS BOOKS s o PER GIFT! IN this ass 0 L mom gifts j2yfj GOLD " (K Bono at stamps! PIES Bel Air Frozen Fruit 24 Oz. Size FOR DOG FOOD Pooch, Reg. & Liver Tall cans $fl FOR Oom-ieans Bel-air, frozen Kernel Com, Cut & French Beans B FOR TDSSU Truly Fine, Facial Box of 400 ; FOR 1 arganne Coldbrook. Tops in flavor 1-lb. ctn. 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"Last year's Ministry of Health report," said Abse, "indicated that about a third of the illegitimate children born in this country annually - about 37,000 - are born to cohabiting parents who are apparently living In perma nent union but are unmar ried. "It is therefore reasonable to assume that a large pro portion of cohabiting parents would get married If they were not under the disability of being refused a divorce from a previous partner." Children Illegitimate He said statistics Indicated there are between 100,000 and 200,000 illegimaie chil dren of such unions "brought up in an atmosphere of de ceit, Insecurity and guilt." Laborite John Parker, who said he felt It ought to be made harder to get married, thought Abse's figures too low. 'Other statistics show." he id, "that there are at least three million people in this country who were born Illegi timate. About a million of them are either adopted or legitimated by the subsequent marriage of their parents. But that still leaves about two millions persons who are illegitimate." Parker said that of tins . group it was estimated the 800,000 children lived or were living with parents who could not marry because of the present divorce laws. women Oppose Conservative Nicholas Rid ley said he had had letters from various women s organ izations asking him to op pose the bill, from other members it was apparent the w o m e n's organizations are worried that a completely in nocent wife might find her self divorced simply because her husband had left her for seven years. The Solicitor General, Sir Peter Rawlinson, said Abse's bill was a1, matter on which the government was taking no stand because it concerned the social r"d ethical beliefs of members. He called the at tention of the House, how ever, to the fact that dissolu tion of marriage without the . commission of a matrimonial offense was a new principle In British divorce law. Abse told United Press In ternational that the real op position to his bill avoided the "sDotliaht" In Commons and was saving its strength for the committee stage. He said he was optimistic about ihe reconciliation proposals, however, and did not antici pate any trouble when tne bill went up to the House of Lords. "As you Americans prob- , bly know." he said, "there are more divorces among the aristocracy than among com moners. TOYS Inflated Easier Toys, Mr. Tosey, lamb, Rabbit and Chick Ea.-lhopping Center Store Only Bargaining Bill Passed in House Salem - (UPO - Public em- Dlovccs would be allowed to enter Into collective bargain ing agreements with state and local governments under a bill passed Wednesday by the House. Rep. Edward Whelan (D- Portland) said the bill also would allow public employees to join any labor organization of their clioice. ine measure went to the Senate. Whelan said it was only permissive, not mandatory. Rep. Sidney Bazett tti- Grants Pass) said the Oregon Public Employees association opposes the bill. He termed It an encroacn- ment on local governments. The House also passed, 35- 24, and sent to the Senate a bill to reduce the firemen work week from 72 to 56 hours. Mrs. Wright's Caramel Apple Rolls. "kg 49 This week e lecture the large 6-qt. Dutch Oven. Add glamour to your kitchen. I Listerine ....,ti.59c 12 os. btl. 89c , Pink Vigoro Plant feed. 33-U. sack $2.99 Oatmeal Bread 35c 0en joy Breads:?: 389c Teachers Win John Hay Fellowships Salem tlTPl Two Oregon high school teachers are among 90 in the nation to win 1963-64 John Hay fellow ships, the State Department of Education has announced. They are Delmer W. Aebl schnr, music teacher at Sius law High school in Florence, and Raymond L. Chapman, social studies teacher at For est Grove Union High school. TERM REDUCED Portland-fllPD-A 60-day jail term Imposed on Bandon lum berman Wilfred S. Laird, SS, has been reduced to 30 days by Federal Judge John F, Kilkenny. Laird was sentenc ed Jan. 30 after entering guilty plea to a federal in come tax charge. He also was fined 814,000.
