Show KATHLEEN KA NORRIS Money Decides Marital Course IN TN TN ONE OF THESE articles I Isome 1 some time ago I said that money money money mon mon- monI I ey was the most important consideration consideration consideration con con- where the success success success-or or failure of failure of a marriage was con con- Hundreds of women wrote me in answer and most of ot them were shocked at so material a aview aview aview view and protested that In a true marriage money was but a minor consideration When we were married we had nothing many of these letters from happy wives said I would marry Dick 1 If he hadn't a penny Of said the girls girl's letters Old women grandmothers great grandmothers ers wrote ers wrote me that It was not safe to put such ideas into the heads of idealistic youth Chances with Love LoveIt It is impossible to answer all these letters personally but this might stand as a sort of ot answer to them all What I meant in my article was by no means what they took It to mean It would be unnatural and absurd to suggest 41 h. h 11 f In 1 41 h. h b 6 A AU AU Y u. u I un claims of the man she does not love against the claims of the man she does because the first mentioned mentioned mentioned men men- has a good income and the second none Her chances with love weighing down the scale are infinitely the better Millions of happy American marriages mar mar- perhaps perhaps It would be safe sate to say most American marriages Vt if jf he be hadn't hadt a penny enny start start on a very shaky financial basis Usually the man has a job and the girl her trousseau and wed- wed rift and a f w wed n n 0 0 i ding checks That's all li Ten is 15 50 happy years later they love to look back at the earlier earlier earl earl- ier difficulties the money shortages shortages short short- ages the scares and crises But Butto Butto Butto to survive these crises takes aUthe all aU the character and courage young people have Some of those who haven't enough character and courage muddle through simply because they cant can't separate Others keep putting off oft divorce because it i Is their nature to pro pro- And the and the often find themselves emerging Into better times easier finances older children children chil chil- dren a more developed attitude toward the seriousness of mar mar- Money Question Lurks But under the trouble even though it seemed to be a matter of not loving enough or having no common Interests or being actually actual actual- ly Incompatible the money question question question ques ques- tion was always lurking When there is a money adjustment adjustment adjust adjust- ment nerves get frazzled Lee takes it much too casually and Diana frets Or Diana hasn't the slightest Idea of the value of money money money mon mon- ey and charges dresses and hats as though every charge wasn't goIng going going go- go Ing to be entered on the bills The baby's threatened mastoid turns out to cost Diana wont won't bother with a budget or Lee gets mad whenever she asks him where that 10 went When Lees Lee's mother comes to visIt visIt vis vis- It its it's a question of entertaining and of hearty lunches which doubles doubles doubles doub doub- les bills Diana cant can't ask her to eat a peanut butter sandwich In Inthe Inthe inthe the kitchen When Lee spends four days in bed with flu fiu theres there's the doctor again and WIlson at the theoffice theoffice office gets the commission that Lee might have had it Lee doesn't get his raise and the only thing that Is raised Is' Is the roof when he discovers that young Lee has broken a window downtown to the tune of ot nine dol dole lars High living costs distract Diana she tells Lee that there will have to be a change she cant can't go on And Lee worries and frets in hl his turn turm and h ho hI l for n going to tell her that there are to tobe tobe tobe be changes at the office too Filmore Filmore Filmore Fil- Fil more for tor manager Filmore I Five years younger than Lee and trained by Leel Lee When they separate nobody mentions mentions mentions men men- money Lee says that he hates for tor the children to hear scrapping scrapping scrapping scrap scrap- ping all the time and Diana tells her lawyer that Lees Lee's Insensitiveness Insensitive- Insensitive ness to the strain under which she lives amounts to severe cruelty If It the financial situation were restful and secure rather than subject subject subject sub sub- to every domestic storm that blows none of these things would disturb it Crises like dentist and doctor would have their place Lee would trust Diana and Diana would take pride in holding bolding expenses expenses ex ex- down So dont don't minimize the Importance of money you young husbands and wives Or rather settle it honestly honest honest- ly and fairly and then you can forget forget forget for for- get as completely as you please Ask yourselves If it you are being just about it A few years ago a rapturous engaged young woman was talking to me and to her mother of her new household |