Milwaukee’s Anti-Alimony Club - 1927

FULL TEXT: Milwaukee’s Alimony club got off to a flying start last night at its organization meeting, following a dinner in the Plankinton hotel.

Louis Wishrod, Chicago organizer of the Illinois Alimony club, after which the Milwaukee organization is patterned, was there. He told of the good work going on in Chicago, and urged them to start a membership campaign. They are going to do it, too, but whether they will solicit divorces court litigants, advertise in the newspapers or have “chasers” stationed at the Circuit court alimony window to interview prospects, is stll undecided.

The membership of the club numbers seven, and two of these. Attys. J. D. Sammarco and A. W. Cutright and the club’s counsel. Dr. H. W. Taylor, 370 Twenty-second street, was the organizer and E. R. Weeks, 778 Mineral street, is secretary.

The other three members, who as yet hold no office, are Mrs. Katherine Maezini, 59, of 1330 Wright street; Mrs. Lillian Strothman, 914 Fifty-second street, and C. R. Allen, 1704 North avenue.

Mrs. Marzini’s predicament is that after having gone through several courts and interviewed numerous judges and attorneys, she can’t find out whether she is divorced. She is not living with her husband, however.

Mrs. Strothman is not divorced. Moreover, she and her husband are living together happily. She is just “interested in the movement,” she says.

The club has no constitution, no by-laws, buts purposes, the same as those of their Illinois brothers, are as follows:

To create public sentiment, to promote legislation and to strive to remedy and prevent some of the causes and evils of separation and divorce.

To secure protection for children, particularly very young children. we have no desire to eliminate alimony in meritorious cases.

To prevent fraud, perjury, blackmail, conspiracy and extortion now practiced in domestic litigation.

To discourage scandalous and obscene testimony not vital to the issue.

To promote reconciliation and discourage separations and divorce for trivial causes.

Recognizing that domestic cases have many ramifications we pledge ourselves to promote social justice in all matters that affect the family life.

They agreed further that they favor alimony! Yes, sir. Favor it! That is – in meritorious cases.

[“Alimony Club Organized; Now The Want Members,” The Milwaukee Sentinel (Wi.), Sep. 13, 1927, p., 2]

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For more revelations of this suppressed history, see The Alimony Racket: Checklist of Posts

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