Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/453

 NOTES AND ABSTRACTS 437

of the next generation ; (3) it means an imposing household. Its disadvantages are these: (i) it destroys paternal training of the young; (2) the quality of offspring deteriorates; (3) the management in the polygamous household devolves on slaves ; (4) when the head of a polygamous family dies, there is complete dis- ruption and no head to succeed. There is small possibility of the development of noted families.

Polyandry seems to offer no advantage to the race, yet it is practiced.

Our study of the origin and growth of marriage leads us to feelings of the profoundest respect and confidence toward monogamy. Its bindings are just as strong on evolutionary grounds as on legal or ecclesiastical. Its prevalence rests on the decree of no prince or pope, but upon inherent superiority. This evolution- ary sanction is not low nor selfish ; it looks to the interests of no man or woman, but to those of the children, i. e., the race. Biology declares as a guide to probable racial suitability of a mate, sexual instinct, ennobled by generations of monogamy ; marriage should be " for love." Moreover, on biological grounds we would hesitate to dissolve a union, suitable and fit in racial respects, on any personal grounds, or imaginary loss of affection.

Thus far evolutionary ethics stand shoulder to shoulder with the law and the church ; but here they part. Holding that unions should be for life, or till the children are trained and sent into the world, and that only for grave reasons should they be dissolved, we have no sympathy for the churchly fanaticism declaring that divorces are always evil and that the divorced should never marry. We claim that divorce is not yet easy enough. Conditions where epilepsy, insanity, etc., are discovered are enough for the marital relations to be immoral. Adultery on the part of the woman is recognized by the church as ground for divorce. This is as far as the church goes. The law goes farther, recognizing most of the biological demands for dissolution of the tie. But this avails little, especially for the woman, who is the most frequent sufferer, so long as the antiquated standards of the clergy control society. The divorced woman is looked upon as disgraced. There is another point where the liberty of the woman is limited, i. e., the problem of support for herself and children. A decree of alimony is of little value save where property can be seized.

Many a woman is living with a brutal husband, bearing children with his vicious traits, because she knows not where to turn for the necessities of life. The church urges her to " save " the soul of the " brute," but any woman who knowingly bears a child to a drunken or criminal husband is herself committing a crime against the state.

We have funds for taking care of the bastard and orphan, but practically none for the support of legitimate children of noble mothers who need protection against vicious fathers.

Many are the ecclesiastical shrieks against the increase in divorces, but one- half now obtained are evening up old scores of ten to twenty years of legal outrage and ecclesiasticism. Over 70 per cent, of divorces are on the ground of cruel treatment. Two-thirds of the divorces are on grounds valid for biological and racial reasons. The increase in divorces is a benefit, not an evil. The propor- tion of divorces to marriages is 12 per cent. Can any other institution of church or state show a record of 88 per cent, success ? There is no need for fear so long as the limit is 20 to 25 per cent. The law or ceremony no more holds people together than varnish holds furniture together. If all marriages were declared off, within forty-eight hours eight-tenths would be remarried, and seven-tenths could not be kept apart by bayonets. Woods Hutchinson, in Contemporary Review, September, 1905. S. E. W. B.

Regulation of Home-Shop Production. The legislation in France which regulates the industries makes no mention of the home shop ; the legislator has not felt it his right to enter the private domicile. Only two conditions give the inspector the right to enter: (i) the use of a motor nfachine, and (2) unsanitary conditions. Farther than this, there are no restrictions on such production.

By the centralization of industry, it is the single laborer, the artisan, not the home shop, which has suffered. The latter is constantly increasing. Its progress