AMERICAN MARRIAGE MARKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 May 1920, Page 4

AMERICAN MARRIAGE MARKET.

NOVEL SCHEME SUGGESTED

SAN FRANCISCO, April 7

Picture brides from Europe to take tlio place.of the now prohibited slanteyed Oriental picture brides of Japan, is what the women of the Travellers’ Aid Society of the United States ihink would be a fair deal to foreign girls who wish to follow their fiances to the United States and become brides. The idea, of course, is a new one, and if adopted would open up a thriving industry in matrimonial agencies in seaport towns, as the war lias caused a dearth of men in Germany, France, and Belgium, and has alfected Great Britain to theypoint that there are “millions more” women in Britain than there are men. ' With the picture bride habit applicable to European and British women, no man in the United States would need to go without a wile! He could select a photograph at the nearest matrimonial bureau, it it explained, marry it, and send for ids wile by the next steamer, after the recent stylo in vogue among Japanese who eniigiMed to the shores of America, especially on the Pacific Coast. This practice became so excessively abused by the Orientals during recent months that the, United States managed to have it altogether called off by Japan. The idea of having it applied to white people in America has grown out of a Greek girl, who crossed the water to marry her fiance in San Francisco. As the girl could not read she was detained in Ellis Island, New York’s immigration station. An effort to teach her to read was made, but she was ordered to be deported. Her romantic swain was not to be beaten m the girl of liks choice, and he accompanied her on the same outgoing steamer to Greece, where they undoubtedly by this time are married. As his wile she. can enter the United States should the pair decide to return to New Yoik after their expensive adventure. Mrs S: G. Gomez, secretary ol lie Travellers’ Aid Society, in alluding to the interesting subject of uniting male, emigrants to their overseas biidcseleot, said:-“It is only one of many, cases, that of tlie giri from Greece. Girls are continually being turned backat Ellis Island, because they cannot read. Otherwise they may be- splendid women. Their promised husbands have evidently made good, else they could not send for the girls. But because the marriage has not taken place before the woman lands, she is deported if she is illiterate, while Oriental brides, no matter how illiterate, are admitted. They are only picture brides, and have never seen their husbands, yet they can enter the country. The European may have known his betrothed for and he cannot bring her into America 'f she be illiterate.” While this matter was being discussed a return was being , issued in Washington regarding Americans who had gone overseas for their brides. The War Department in Washington made public Cupid’s casualty list of the war between tlie United States and the .European Allies, a conflict contemporaneous with the World’s War! The list'shows that 3709 feminine hearts were captured by American soldiers, sailors and marines. Of this number 2205 of the “ fairest vflowers of France ” were brought home as American brides. England’ lost 1101, and the other brides of American 'fighters were distributed as follows: Luxembourg 92, Belgium -79, Italy 41, Germany 31, Russia 23, Spain 7, Switzerland 5, Poland 5, Greece 4, Holland 3, Roumania 3, Serbia 3, Jugoslavia 2, Czech o-Slovakia 1, Mexico 1, unknown 14.

This is as far as the War Department record goes, representing the foreign brides brought home by members of the American Expeditionary Force, and cared for in hostess houses under the supervision of the Red Cross Society.

V“ It is understood,?’ says the report, “ that a total of approximately 5000 members of the A.E.F. married foreigners.” How many have returned to home and mother is unknown.