Volume 6, No. 2, June, 1918

was
Page thirty
The Internationalist
EMMA
Marriage and Free Love
GOLDMAN says that love does not necessarily have
anything to do with marriage. But I think that it
often may, and that marriage has a great deal to do
with love. Let us not call marriage a complete failure because
it often fails. One doesn't want to be called a complete
fool because he does a few foolish things. One doesn't
refuse all food because he can't eat cabbage. The fault
is not, I say, in marriage, but in the uses the world has
made of it.
As to men and women's marrying without proper acquaintance
with one another, knowledge of life and sex
that is a different matter. But let us not condemn marriage
for women because hitherto it has made her the slave and
parasite of her husband. There are better possibilities in
this institution, and it is for each couple to draw up its own
agreements on the case. If they wish to stick to the spirit
of the wedding ceremony, and the word, all right. But they
can also refuse to do so.
To be sure, a girl should be instructed in sex life and her
duties as a wife. That she isn't is not the fault of the marraige
institution.
Also, if a woman wishes to "learn the mystery of sex without
the sanction of marriage" that is a matter of her own.
But I believe that this is wise, or, at least, desirable, for only
a few women—women who indeed are "big enough" to understand
fully themselves and their circumstances, and the
consequences of their action. Nor do I agree that a woman's
passion is her most intense craving in general; that lack of
satiating this will undermine her health, stunt her vision, or
break her spirit, as Emma Goldman says. Nor can I see
that the glory of sex experience does the woman any permanent
good. Perhaps it is pleasing—but does it make her
life any broader or greater? Within limits, I mean. To be
sure, she has the experience, and in that, may be superior
to the virgin. But you get my argument. She may be
broader minded after all this—but not unless she was narrow-minded
before.
The sex passion, per se, . never created as a help, by
Nature, it is only its result that benefits the race.
To be sure, love is free, in that it can not be bought. But
once given, it will sacrifice. And ti will endure marriage for
the sake of home and children. In speaking of the love for
children born out of wedlock having better care than others,
of which Emma Goldman speaks, I wish to say that I do
not believe that a woman, shunned by the world because she
has an illegitimate child, will lavish all her love on it that
she is denied the privilege of showing to others; and the
extra pity for it she has because the world does revile it, will
give more intensity to her love. But that is caused by the
treatment of others, not herself. I think, too, that Miss
Goldman confuses the issue. A woman may love a man
enough to allow sex experience and eve*n long for it, and yet
not desire a child. .
And it is, too, for the sake of the child and the home,
that I condone marriage. A legal ceremony that will give
the law a right to care for children, dispose of them if neglected,
is necessary. I think divorces should be made easier.
A woman need not consider herself a parasite on a man
if she helps make his home, and bears his children. Indeed,
she does the biggest share. As long as economic conditions
are as they are, "free love," used in its common sense, is
impossible. And even if mothers were supported by the
State, women would in small degree care for "free love"—
By Marion Miller
and I distinguish this from "free intercourse."
That is where Emma Goldman makes her big mistake. A
man and a woman may have the greatest passionate attachment,
without having any "love" for each other. That is
why our marriages are so often failures. People mistake
physical attraction for love. It would be utter folly for the
couple whose only bond is passion, to marry. But for those
whose attraction is both love and passion, if they are also
wise, marriage will be a blessing.
The only way out is education—education that will teach
us to distinguish between love and passion—education that
will train the young in the sense of values between the two.
]
Of course, doubtless some experience is necessary in this.
but not necessarily sex experience. "Spooning" should be
sufficient—or even a broad, theoretical training along that
line.
And when we get this, I doubt if men and women will
care for what is commonly understood as "free love." They
may still care for "free passion," but I hold that the two are
distinct.
Nature Cures
A book which it is no exaggeration to say that everybody
should read and whose hints they should practice, is "Nature
Cure" or "Philosophy and Practice Based on the Unity of
Disease and Cure," by H. Lindlahr, M. D., a copy of which
has recently been received by THE INTERNATIONALIST.
That the work has met with great favor is evidenced by the
fact that it is now in its eighth edition.
In a word, the book advocates natural living both as a
prophylactic and a cure of disease. Answering the query,
"What are the natural methods of living and of treatment?"
it
says:
"
1 . Return to nature by the regulation of eating, drinking,
breathing, bathing, dressing, working, resting, thinking,
the moral life, sexual and social activities, etc., on a normal
and natural basis.
"2. Elementary remedies, such as water, air, light, earth
cures, magnetism, electricity, etc.
"3. Chemical remedies, such as scientific food selection
and combination, homeopathic medicines, simple herb extracts
and the vito-chemical remedies.
"4. Mechanical remedies, such as corrective gymnastics,
massage, magnetic treatment, osteopathic manipulation and
when indicated, surgery.
"5. Mental and spiritual remedies, such as scientific retion,
normal suggestion, constructive thought, the prayer of
faith, etc."
Such a platform on which to base a system of therapeutics
naturally appeals favorably to liberal, forward-looking people.
An increasing number are coming to rely on natural methods,
supplemented by generous doses of optimistic thinking and
will power, and to these "Nature Cure" by Dr. Lindlahr will
be an especially helpful volume, translating, as it does, an
which THE INTERNATIONALIST can
abstract principle into concrete rules, facts and advice.
"Nature Cure" should be in every home. It is a work
unequivocally recommend.
If its teachings were followel by human being habitually,
disease and the general run of human weaknesses
would be pretty scarce articles.
It is published by the Nature Cure Publishing Co., 525 S.
Ashland Boulevard, Chicago, and costs $2.15.—E. D.