Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1906 — PLAN DIVORCE STRINGENCY. [ARTICLE]

PLAN DIVORCE STRINGENCY.

Conference Wants Two-Year Limit in Place of Residence. Divorce colonies were given a severe jolt by the congress on uniform divorce laws in Washington, which decided bya considerable majority that not less than two years’ residence should be required of a plaintiff who has changed his or her State domicile since the cause of divorce arose. Another resolution reported by the committee on resolutions, which was adopted after a warm discussion, provides : “An innocent and injured party, husband or wife, seeking a divorce should not be compelled to ask for a dissolution of the bonds of matrimony, but should lie allowed, at his or her option, to apply for divorce from bed and board. Therefore divorces a' mensa should be retained where already existing and provided for in States where no such rights exist.” The congress also expressed itself in favor of hearing all divorce cases in open court and not before any delegated representative, holding that publicity would tend to do away with collusion and to decrease the number of suits. Other resolutions adopted provide for the classification of causes for divorce into groups that would be accepted by the several States; declare that when conviction for crime is made a cause for divorce it should involve two years’ continuous imprisonment ; that no decree should be given for insanity arising after marriage, nor for desertion unless persisted in for two years; that defendants in suits should be given full and fair notice, and that anyone named as a co-respondent should in all cases be given an opportunity to intervene.