le had had sexual
relations since the woman was a girl of fifteen, and that her
relatives had never known the true state of affairs. The man's
mother finally interfered, and urged her son not to live with his
wife. After much careful work, and with the assistance of a
co-operating priest, a plan was worked out which brought the couple
together and induced them to move away from the region in which the
man's parents lived.

* * * * *

A probation department tells of a case where, although the man was
unwilling to marry, a court marriage was brought about; the man made
his payments promptly and observed the other conditions of his
probation faithfully. The woman, however, was indifferent to any
efforts to bring about a reconciliation. It was finally discovered
that she was immoral. The case culminated in the securing of a
divorce by the man, who was granted the custody of the children.

The same department submits a story where good results were obtained
in subsequently reconciling, after a desertion, a couple whose
marriage had been of the forced description. The probation
department arranged for the couple to live apart in the early stage
of probationary treatment. A careful study was made of each of the
individuals, and in their sincere attachment a basis was discovered
for re-establishment of the home under the supervision of the
probation officer. Five years later the man was found to be at work
at the same position originally obtained for him by the probation
officer, his salary had been increased, the family had grown in
number and were getting on extremely well.

Although the term "forced marriage" has come to have the meaning given
above, unions can be really forced where there has been no sex relation
before marriage. In one unhappy marriage which came finally to a court
of domestic relations, the wife was a weak and timid woman who married
her husband because of her fear that he would carry out his threat and
kill her and himself if she refused him. Another, an Italian girl, was
married at fourteen by her parents against her inclinations to a
well-to-do man, much older than she, who was a lodger in the family. As
she grew to womanhood their incompatibility increased; finally, after
four children had been born, the family was broken up and the children
committed to institutions.