ÒUnarm, Eros, the long dayÕs task is done, and we are for the Statute-Book,Ó Mr. A. P. Herbert might have paraphrased ÒAnthony and CleopatraÓ to-day (although perhaps in the circumstances the reference to Eros might have been inappropriate). This morning in a surprisingly short time, the Commons accepted all the amendments of the House of Lords to the Marriage Bill, now renamed the Matrimonial Causes Bill, and Mr. HerbertÕs long campaign had come to a triumphant conclusion.
Today the proceedings were unimpressive. The main discussion, of course, centred round the LordsÕ amendment to Clause 1, which reduced the Òwaiting periodÓ from five years to three. Mr. Herbert moved the acceptance of this amendment. In the Lords, he said, a tremendous barrage had been set up against this unfortunate clause, and he had been impressed by it. For the first time a declaration by the State had been put upon the Statute-book that marriage is not a temporary alliance. ÒThis clause,Ó he declared, Òis not a shuffling compromise. It is a valuable addition to our laws.Ó Mr. Herbert concluded a brief and almost diffident speech by pointing out to his Òenemies,Ó particularly those of the Roman Catholic religion, that all the concessions had been made by one side, by the majority to the minority, and he appealed to them to accept the amendments without a division.
Sir Patrick Hannon (C.) said he would respond to Mr. HerbertÕs appeal, but added that Òif any contract is of a supreme character, it is the marriage contract. I wish to make my protest against a bit of bad legislation. This bill is a serious blow at the moral level of our social system.