Show W When en Children Marry arry J 4 t under the age of 21 years and girls L under 18 years are prohibited from marDE marn mar- mar n DE in in I Utah tah without the consent of their arents rents ants or guardians The matter seems tod to cYd lid d there for little is ever done to uphold eT e dignity of this law when it if if is violated public officials who grant licenses fp minors appear to be immune from prose prose- cution ution t It is not difficult to understand how two children may become possessed of flashing desire to marry Nor is it difficult 1 these days of short dresses young old olden omen en and nd old young men to understand I LW tv a marriage license clerk occasionally ma may r deceived e in the matter of age 55 s there have been youthful marriages in ir ine L Jie e last few years for which there could be S IQ q defense That the principals were not of ci f fake ake te lite would wold seem apparent in the face of an any r t that they might make L Perhaps the of the clerk ends when he takes the age declarations ofte of I te contracting parties under oath The law may hay not require him to make personal invest investigation t or to demand proof and yet it would teem Seem eem that moral responsibility alone would 1 that the official de deny every questionable question- question J able tuble request for marriage licenses r One of the difficulties seems to be a disposition disposition disposition dis- dis position on the part of the various counties Ito to to compete with each other A couple may Ibe be denied a license in one county and get it k 1 in Another As a result the tendency is to toL i L rant ant licenses up upon upen n request Judge Fred R. R Morgan Organ of the juvenile court has has' directed the 41 ij attention of Attorney General Harvey H H. H Cluff to the activities of one county in particular par par- particular and asks for action which will protect juveniles from themselves Marriage is the most serious step in life tife J t despite a t prevailing notion that matrimonial t mistakes may be quickly remedied in the di divorce divorce di- di vorce court Minors are not prepared to comprehend all that the step means and for reason every precaution should be taken t tp 10 prevent them from hastily undertaking Obligations from which they may never es es- es ap ape We Ve believe the public is is s in accord inthe in the he desire to have marriage reflect mature consideration and to this end public officials officials' b Shou should d make every effort to forestall juvenile marriages at |