Renewable Marriage

"Until death do us part" is a section of the marriage vow that has long since become subject to amendment. But even divorce will be unnecessary for marital termination--at least in Maryland--if two state legislators can persuade their colleagues to pass a newly proposed law. It calls for making marriage a three-year contract, with an option to renew every three years by the mutual consent of both partners. Any disagreements over alimony, child custody and the like would be settled by a court as they are now.

The bill's sponsors are Mrs. Lena K. Lee, 58, a widowed lawyer who was happily married for 22 years, and Mrs. Hildagardeis Boswell, 37, a divorced law student who was unhappily married for four months. Both women, who are Baltimore Democrats and black, deny any Women's Lib connection and do not expect the bill to gain passage this year. So far, most of the other legislators are treating the bill as a joke (typical crack: "I'd vote for it, but my wife won't let me"). But the two women have already received a variety of serious inquiries about their idea from all over the U.S. as well as five other countries.

"We have to offer something more than the same archaic marriage pattern, the same mind-draining guilt," says Mrs. Boswell. "This bill is particularly aimed at helping youth," adds Mrs. Lee. "Across the country today, young people are living together, Shacking up,' as they call it, and disregarding old-style marriage vows. We're also hearing from many older people who were victimized by the present divorce setup. Personally, I'm for marriage--mine was a success --but marriage is under threat. Let's find out what it takes to adapt or modify it to a new generation's needs." The two plan to keep on reintroducing their bill until it passes--or they are not reelected. Their own renewable contract with the voters is good for four years at a time.

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