Eugenic Marriage.

Taihape Daily Times, 9 March 1918, Page 7

Eugenic Marriage.

FINISHES IN DIVORCE COURT,

A disastrous blow has been hurled at the theory of eugenics by the news from America of the divorce of the first and most prominent of the world's eugenic niarriagds. Waldo Harvard football star known far and wide as the most perfect man of his generation and Dorothy Rice, internationally noted as the perfect woman, were wed in 1912, when the theory of eugenics was receiving considerable attention. The bride was the daughter of a philanthropic millionaire mother, M'rs. Isaac Rice, who decided, when her daughter Dorothy was 10 years of age, that she should become the world's perfect woman. The child was surrounded by an. army of nuTses, physians, governesses, dietitians and educational experts. She was cared for and petted so that every wish should be granted, but her tutors had to see that the girl's mind should be incapable of forming a wish inconsistent with her development as a perfect child, She was never allowed to sec or hear anything sad, ugly, indecent or disagreeable and from her history books were eliminated all stories of war, battles, or bloodshed.

I She was , taken abroad with a proj tecting army of tutors when she grew to womanhood. At the end of her first season outside the walled-up existence she had led in her home, Dorothy Rice, met Waldo Pierce, seemingly by accident. The meeting was in reality designed by the two families. They fell promptly in love with each other. The young counle were at once hailed as the progenitors of a now ro.ee —exponents of the theory that only the perfect man and the perfect woman should be allowed to marry. Scientists, surgeons, legislators, and sociological theorists, etc., witnessed the marriage. Their expectancy was that the children that .should come of it would prove he efficacy of eugenic principles. Alas! there were no children. The wife 'a story in the divorce says that the perfect man flouted any idea of fulfilling a duty towards future generations by contributing perfect children. She said his words were: "I detest brats, and want no more perfect men." She further accused the perfect man of cruelty, even in public and says she was whipped much oftcner than she was kissed. Mr. Pierce contended that the perfec?"woman owned many imperfections of character for which her perfect mid, health, and body did not compensate. He accused her of being jealous and .petulant, distrustful, and .Inexcusably .temperamental. Both husband and wife blamed the intense training of the girl's childhood for the too rapid disillusionment of wedded life.

However, the unhappy unsuccessful exponents of eugenics have each won laurels for themselves in other paths than matrimony. . Waldo Pierce has been long a member of the Ambulance Corps in France, and has been decorated w T ith the Croix de Guerre, and his artistic abilities have found expression i n helping with camouflage. Dorothy Kicc, .who sought consolation in the air early in her matrimonial woes, has organised a corps of women fliers, and is training them at her home. She contends that women will make just as good aerial fighters as men, and her corps will be ready if the need arises.

The world need not blame eugenics for the failure of the marriages. It is merely the ancient trouble—a good woman married to the wrong man—a good man married to the wrong woman.