WOMEN: Love v. Extortion

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"I am firmly convinced," firmly declared Mrs. Roberta West Nicholson, daughter-in-law of Author-Diplomat Meredith Nicholson, "that most actions for breach of promise and seduction have extortion as their chief motive. Surely a suit to recover money as damages for the broken romance cannot soothe a woman if love was genuine."

Last week the widely-shared convictions of handsome young Mrs. Nicholson, ten years married and mother of two, seemed about to become law in Indiana. Her bill, prohibiting all breach of promise, alienation of affections and seduction suits was passed 87-to-7 by the State House of Representatives, of which she is the only woman member. The Senate seemed certain to concur.

The Nicholson bill would also ban, except on court order, the naming of any co-respondent in any suit for divorce.

From Legislators in ten other States have come requests for copies of Mrs. Nicholson's bill.