CHILD MARRIAGE IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

To the Editor: —I read with a great deal of interest the abstract of the report on child marriage in the United States by the Russell Sage Foundation (The Journal, July 4). I have seen three cases at the station hospital at Fort Sill within the last few months, of girls being married to soldiers at 13 years of age and giving birth to children when just 14 years old. These little girls are pathetic beyond description, and the health of all three is badly undermined. One phase of the situation not touched on in this report is the complete lack of religious help in these cases. In the three cases I mention, the marriage ceremony was not performed by army chaplains, I am glad to say, but by the clergyman. No self respecting clergyman should be an accessory to such a crime; only creatures disgracing their cloth, like many