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Show Ka i ll I ecu Norris Says: When a Serviceman Wants a Divorce lloll Hymllcat. WNU llciutiirna. If he comet home ttreet him affectionately, with the usital home meats and jrienilly gatherings, and as toon as you are alone, ask him in so many words, "tf'hat is this ahout a divorce, Joe?' HE'LL GET OVER IT The misery and lomdinr.ss of war do strange things to a man. Many happily married soldiers and sailors who have been away for two or three years somehow decide that the wives they once thought were the loveliest women on earth are no longer satisfactory, F re-quently re-quently they have met some, younger girl while on occupation occupa-tion duty in Europe or the Pacific Pa-cific area. She is flattered by attention, not used to luxuries, so she makes a big hit with the lonely serviceman. Presently he is persuading himself that his wife at home is not so much, compared with this foreign woman. He eventually even-tually gets up norve to ask his wife for a divorce so that he can marry this new love. Miss Norris tells wives ivho receive these heart-breaking letters to try to ignore them, or at least to take them as lightly as possible. A weary serviceman, far away, enduring endur-ing discomfort and abuse, can easily convince himself that he wants a divorce. It isn't that he actually has stopped loving his wife, but that the girl at hand is so siveet, so comforting, comfort-ing, and his icife is so far away. By KATHLEEN NORRIS WHEN your service husband hus-band writes you from some far-away place that he wants a divorce, the best thing to do is to ignore his request. Or, if you want casually to mention it, tell him you wish to wait until he comes home. Then go on with letters as usual. When he comes home greet him affectionately, affec-tionately, with the usual home - cooked meals and friendly gatherings, and as soon as you are alone ask him In so many words, "what is this about a divorce, Joe?" If you keep it simple and friendly you'll get the truth out of him easily. He'll either mumble in embarrassment that gosh, he doesn't know why he wrote that letter, or he'll tell you: there is a girl in Belgium; French, English, Russian perhaps American. She is pretty and sweet and 19 and gee, Is she in love with him! Your part now Is maternal and calm. Is she coming to America, Joe? Well, eventually, of course. And you'll be married here? Well, you see, they haven't gotten that far. Perhaps they are going to send Joe to the Pacific for occupation duty, in which case your argument must be that it would be folly to get a divorce, send for Vera and undertake under-take the maintenance of you, your child, and his new wife, to say nothing noth-ing of her traveling expenses. Ask him to write her that everything must wait until Joe comes back for good. Joy of Getting Home. This reasonable attitude must win, for Joe won't be too anxious, especially espe-cially in the pleasantness of getting home, to break off all his old associations asso-ciations and friendships, as well as his relations with you. After all, it Isn't likely that Vera Is going to offer of-fer him a good job in some other city, and support him until he is self-supporting again. If, on the other hand, he is discharged dis-charged from service, then help him In every way you can to get reestablished, re-established, without dwelling on his proposed change. . Be as cheerful and natural as you can. Remember that thousands of these men come back whole In " body, but sadly twisted In mind, and that only time can cure them. A few months perhaps per-haps even a few weeks of home life, of good meals, of movies and malted milks and swims and contacts con-tacts with old friends, will be all the cure Joe needs. He will suddenly come to his senses, and although he may never apologize, never say that he feels himself a fool to have written writ-ten that letter, he will be only too glad to sink back Into his old normal, nor-mal, happy, American ways. Violet's case Is a little different. Her husband, in the service two years, has only recently ' left America. He came home after about six months and told her he was tired of her, he did not think that theirs was a successful marriage. He stayed home a few days, grew affectionate and kindly again, and went away with the usual wrench of parting from wife and daughter. A few weeks later he wrote her a letter saying that theirs had not "She it oretty and sweet and 19. ..." been a successful marriage and he wished a divorce. Violet was stunned, but she wrote him temperately, temper-ately, saying she was sorry he felt so, and including the usual news of herself and the baby. Kent then began to send her long analytical letters explaining In just what psychological and physiological ways she had failed him. He said he had never in their six years together been really happy. He looked upon the whole -thing as' a failure. There was no other woman; he "would always al-ways send Violet money; but he would stop every cent of allowance right now if she did not at once start for Reno; ; ' . Don't Fay Much Attention,1- ' Instead, Violet -wrote trr-me, and I advised her,- as I advise all women in this.' fix,! to" go"Tsteaily"bn without paying much attention ; to. such, letters. J suggested that she write less often, -but keep, hef occasional letters-pleasant and prdfnary. .. .. IVar is the real trouble, not these difficulties ending, in "logical," and yet without ra 'trjee1 of logic about them!' Perhaps Kent was" being bit--ten from head to foot by tiny ,: penetrating pene-trating gnats. Perhaps his-company had a bad cook.-and he was having indigestion. Perhaps his top sergeant or' young first lieutenant was puffed up with power r- arrogant, -Inexperienced, unreasonable. Perhaps he had blisters on his feet or prickly heat on his neck, Perhaps he's just bitterly homesick,' bitterly lonely,' feeling bitterly that Violet was having hav-ing it pretty soft, in a cool clean fresh house, with good books, clear skies, plenty of ice and watermelon and the right to go to a movie or a dance whenever she wants to. There's a touch of the sadist In us all; lonely, a dreary, barracks .life sometimes brings it out. - ' - |