Show Child Marriage arnage Fast Dying Out In hi North China Changing Economic Economic- and Social Conditions Not Morality Given as CausBy Cause Caus By WILLIAM R. R KUHNS United Press Staff Correspondent PEKING ZING Dec 3 UP Recent UP Recent efforts to revive the marriage code of the republic disclosed that the th existence of oZ the code was generally generall unknown More than the publication publication tion of ot new laws governing m mar marriage mar mar- r- r is required t to td change the old customs of the Chinese ChinG and the num numbe Et of or marriages registered under un un- un- un del der th the regulations of ot 1912 Is negi- negi I gible gibe In Investigation by the authorities show showed d that the custom of f child marriages Is rapidly d dying Ing out in n Peking and andIn in north China Similarly Simi larI the more ancient method of bf betrothing sons and arid daughters at birth or even before birth has disappeared disappeared dis dis- appeared almost completely The question of ot morality apparently is s snot snot not involved Changing economic social conditions together with the infiltration of western ideas concerning the Ind independence of youth routh have made long iong distance marriages impossible More more frequently old-fashioned old parents parents par par- found that the tIm betrothed pair had ideas of their thell own about mar mar- riago e. Most of the population are found to tobe be clinging to the old methods and e ceremonies These are upheld ld by no law and have no official sanc sanction tion lion but must be observed by every Chinese wishing to feel teel properly married Wedding customs var vary widely between the castes which form the population of ot China The minIstry ministry min nun of ot Interior drafted regulations governing all classes classes- of people at atthe atthe atthe the time the republic was launched These have never been seriously promulgated because no adminIstration administration adminis adminIs- has remained long enough in control of ot Peking and most regimes were wele so busy keeping themselves themselves-In ves In Inthe Inthe the saddle that they had no time for questions of ot marriage Matches l are still made by parents parents par par- eats although the exceptions to this rule arc are Increasing Frequently In these troubled days youths of 12 or 01 13 are married to women of 20 or 01 23 an 25 an arrangement usually ef effected of- of f- f by the bridegrooms bridegroom's mother who Is then privileged to use use her law in as a household as as- as Another advantage e of ot this I procedure Is that the wife wIre can help her law in bring bring- tip Up her husband husband hus hiss band In case the lads lad's mother dies With ono one important exception economic equality is the first re requirement requirement re- re between the tho families of the bride and bridegroom The e exception ex e- concerns eon s students returning from universities i abroad They frequently find it a n patriotic anc and ana not unpleasant duty to marry wealthy wives and thereby achieve the independence necessary for anyone anyone- in the Chinese governmental government l service |