Show A S J r-I r I Youthful I Marriages 1 I- I YOUNG man contemplating marriage once wrote a friend frien of more mature v rears kears ears for advice on th this this' import important nt step mong other things he lie sought enlightenment I isto ft as to the proper age age for marriage In reply reply- JJR jn g the friend who seemed to ha have ve a philo- philo 4 turn of mind said aid S Sa To 3 a young man I would say not now old lold m man n. n never never Although lightly given this advice is pr precise pre pre- cise which is more than can be said for many other answers answers answers' to this imp important question Always ys there has been more 0 or oj less diS discussion as s to 10 what is ithe the proper age f for r marriage Th The lack of a t answer is found in in the statutes of the various states Some states have h ve no restrictions ions ionson on xi age while others re require re re- quire that thai both parties t to the contract b be 21 l' l lL L old years I Here in Utah the law j gird requires the I f to be 18 and the man nian 21 all of which sounds I Y reasonable This h however wever does des not spare S S 'S 5 j S S S' S J f S 5 S L. L difficulties which make complications A few weeks ago a couple applied for a marriage license They swore they were of legal age They appeared to be every day of It t bu but the girls girl's mother furnished proof that sh she was but 15 years old The fhe case case was a direct contrast to that of the girl who appeared to be 14 and furni furnished hed documentary proof that she was 19 If there is anything a woman is sen sensitive about it is her age She still regards questions ques ques- ques-I ques ions pertaining to it las as impertinent even when they are asked by an 0 official Usually wh when n the county clerk is s insistent upon this point he is told that the next time she will patronize some other county or at least see that her relatives are sent elsewhere for their licenses But aut seriously in n these days of young oung and old flappers age is a ra deceptive and disconcerting element One county clerk will refuse a I marriage license only to find that another i has granted it Generally the license is granted grant grant- I ed on false statements made by the contracting parties As Asit it affects boys and sand girls of tender tender- y ars this is a serious matter Parents of course should be able to control the he situation but they cannot Often the damage is done before before before be be- fore there there is a suspicion m that youthful minds have turned to thoughts of marriage The full responsibility cannot attach to public officials officials off I- I issuing the licenses for the reason on tl at they cannot be expected to determine age at ata ata ata a glance Perhaps if applicants for licenses were required to wait a week or ten days after official publication of ithe the license application of the contracting parties it would be different This no doubt would permit parents to protest if their children sought to evade the law At the same time it would w work rk no hardship on those free to marry |