MARRIAGE GUIDANCE SIR, —Dr. Edward Griffith's article on this subject is
most timely. From long experience in advising women before and after marriage! can testify to the alarming increase in unsuccessful marriages in recent years. War ,\ conditions have added to the ordinary difficulties to which Dr. Griffith Ifs refers. In my view advice and guidance should, wherever possible, be given before marriage rather than after, on the principle that prevention is better than cure. The natural diffidence and shyness of an unmarried girl to open her heart in such intimate matters can often be overcome by an extremely sympathetic and understanding woman doctor, who is herself a wife and mother.
I should also like to draw attention to the following point. The ex- ceptional proportion of successful and happy marriages among Jews and the fact that their family life is renowned for its peaceful and harmonious relation between parents and children may be ascribed to some extent to their age old custom of letting parents advise and help in choosing the marriage partner. Of course mutual attraction Inuit be the foundation of the marriage. These "arranged" marriages as they are sometimes disparagingly designated, were often remarkably successful because the wisdom and experience of the older generation were able to save the young and infatuated person from marrying in haste and repenting at leisure. I do not wish to imp!si that advice and guidance after marriage are useless. On the contrary, they are of the greatest value and have often turned failures into lasting successes.—! am, Sir, yours obediently,
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