MARRIAGES IN RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 46, 18 November 1926, Page 11

MARRIAGES IN RUSSIA

LEGISLATION TO LOOSEN THE BONDS STORMY DEBATE AT SESSION OF CENTRAL EXECUTIVE “LEGALISING POLYGAMY” A proposed new law to abolish registration of marriages precipitated a stormy debate at the session of the Central Executive of Soviet Republics, one delegate declaring that it ■ was simply a measure to legalise polygamy. By telegkapu.—press Association. COPYRIGHT. London, November 16. The ‘‘Daily Express” Moscow correspondent says that there is every prospect of a proposal to abolish registration of marriages becoming law, but the proposal, which was made by the v Commissar of Justice, precipitated a stormy debate at the session of the Central Executive of Soviet Republics. The strongest opposition came from the delegates representing the peasantry, one declaring that it was simply a measure to legalise polygamy. He asked the Government ,what machinery it was going to establish to decide when conjugal relations had taken place. There had been 100,000 unregistered marriages last year; what about the illegitimates ? A delegate angrily interjected: “There are no illegitimates in Russia. . In order that the children may be protected, marriage must merely be a matter of consent and desire on the part of two people, nothing more.” M. Krvlenko, State prosecutor, opposed the laxity of the proposed legislation, urging that in State polygamy the woman would invariably be the sufferer.