Should a Married Woman be Allowed to Choose?
The effect of marriage on nationality was discussed at a conference of the International Law Association held at Lincoln's Inn and attended by delegates from all parts of the world. Lord Phillimore presided.
Dr. E. J. Schuster, K. C., 1eferred to the Bill submitted to the British Parliament by Sir John Butcher in 1922, providing that a British woman should not lose her original nationality by reason of her marriage with an alien, and that-an alien woman should not acquire British nationality ®y her marriage.
Neither the legal nor the sentimental objections to a change appeared to have any solid" foundation, he said. The objection that it would be likely to endanger the unity of the family could be met by the obvious reply that the unity of the family did not depend on legal technicalities.
He did not think it right that any adult person should automatically have to submit to a change of nationality.
M. Albert lo Grand, a French delegate, said it was desirable that a woman always should be able to choose her nationality, and Frenchwomen had_ secured the passing of.a Bill by the Senate giving them that choice.
The question eventuallly was referred to the Nationality Committee of the association.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.