A few days ago we read of a tragedy which was of great social importance, to us. A young man killed his unfaithful wife, when she stated that she had a right to do as she pleased without asking him first. A reporter commenting on the woman's fault said, "They should realize that marriage entails sacrifices of personal liberties on the part of both men and women. Anyone unwilling to do so must remain unwedded." Our colleague forgets that the woman of today marries with the express purpose of acquiring certain liberties. Resentful of certain moral restrictions placed upon them by society and which, as maidens, they could not afford to overstep, women married to do so in safety. For some women, of course not all of them, marriage is a blanket which covers their actions.

Many years ago, Gavrilides, a great pioneer of his period, asked this question "Is marriage an institution that has failed?" Many people today are still asking that very same question. But we think that the question 2should be worded thus: "Is marriage an out-moded institution?"

Marriage is not a tie that has been unsuccessful. Born of a social need, as were all social ties and obligations, it produced, during its acme, fine results. It created the family. It gave a man the sureness of his children's paternity, and to the children the protection of a father. At the same time, the mother's position was more protected and stabilized. She had a safe haven for herself and her offspring in her husband's home. The hearth or fireplace, the finest of man's social creations, whether in highly developed civilizations or those nearly primitive, was a result of marriage ties.

Marriage has always been a written or sometimes unwritten agreement between a man and woman to live and make their home together. If this agreement is to be kept, against all of man's polygamous instincts, certain restrictions and duties must also be accepted by both parties. Therefore the woman, in 3return for the male protection, gives him her obedience and her complete chastity and faithfulness. She is forced to abide by all the conventional laws that help her maintain that faithfulness. That woman after her marriage must not be desired by other males, and by her dress, appearance, and her obedience must show she is the property of her husband. We have seen examples of such women in our mothers and in families retaining the patriarchal aspects of marriage.

Does any of this exist in the modern marriage? A man expecting to find such a wife would be called insane and pre-historic and his search would be in vain because no woman of today would marry him. Any man trying to play such a role after marriage would find himself either reformed or deserted. The married woman of today intends to have more freedom than the single girl.....She dresses more attractively than a single girl, goes where and when she pleases, and is escorted by her husband only at her invitation. Even then her husband is brought along only in order that he may see how desirable she seems to other men, how close they hold her while dancing, and how 4privileged he is to have the right to support her. If a husband were to follow when his wife is led onto some dark balcony for a better look at the moon, he would be called a peasant and an ignorant boor. This modern husband serves as an escort or chaperon just as do the mothers of young girls.....

Marriage, nevertheless, is still represented as a tie. It is rather an untied tie, don't you think? The question that arises is whether or not a man is able to demand certain things of a woman, when he is not able to do anything about it if she refuses. Many have ceased asking anything of their wives. Others, who continued to ask questions which they considered were their privilege to ask, received the same answer as did the young wife-killer. Some of them resign themselves, others separate, and still others commit murder. The ones that do the latter are the foolish ones.

No one can seek contents and results from an institution that is devoid of contents and results. Present marriage ties are merely empty shams which 5must be brought up to date or they will just naturally die and fall by the wayside. Society has outgrown their present form. It needs a new form, molded by the times and people. An attempt to settle the problems of marriage in any other way would be idle.