Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-11
THE NEW UTOPIA
WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAB By
JEROME Z JEROME

IN HAD SPENT an extremely interesting
dfE evening. had dined with some yer,
u ''advanced" friends at the National SO
u cialist Club. We had had an excellen
7sW dinner; the pheasant. stuffed with truf
fes, was q poem. and when say that the A
Chateau LATTE was worth the price we had t.
paw for it do not see what more I can add IL
its favor.
After dinner and over the cigars Il must say
they do know how to stock good cigars at the
National Socialist Club We had q very in
structive discussion about the coming equalit,
of man and the naturalization of capital.
was not able to take much part in the argu-
ment myself, because having been left when a
boy in position which rendered it necessary
for me to earn my own living have never en-
joyed the time and opportunity to study thii
sort of questions.
But listened very atsentively while my
friends explained how. for the thousands Of
centuries during which it had been in existence
and before they came, the world had been 60
ing on all wrong, and how. in the course Of the
next few years or 90, they meant to put il
right.
Equality Of all mankind was their watch.
vord-perfecs equality in all things-equality
In possessions and equality in position and in.
fuence and equality in duties, resulting in
happiness and contentment
The world belonged to all alike and must be
equally divided Each mans labor was the
property not of himself. but Of the state which
Fed and clothed him. and must be applied, not
to his own sggrandlzement, but to the enrich
ment Of the race.
Individual wealth-the social chain by which
the few had enslaved the many, the bandits
pistol. by which a small gang of robbers had
thieved from the whole community tho fruits
of its labors-must be taken from the hands
that too long had held il.
Social distinctions-the barriers BY which
the rising tide of humanity had hitherto been
fretted and restrained-must be forever swept
aside. The human race must press onward to
Its destiny Iwhateyer that might be) not as al
present. a scattered horde, scrambling, each
man for himself, over the broken ground OF
unequal birth and fortuno-the soft sward
where the feet of the pampered may run, the
cruel stones where the feet OF the cursed must
bleed-but an ordered army, marching side by
elde over the level plain of equity and equality.
The great bosom Of our Mother Earth should
nourish all her children, like and like; none
should be hungry, none should have too much.
The strong man should not grasp more than the
weak; the clever should not scheme to seize
more than the simple. The earth was mans
and the fullness thereof; and among all man.
kind il should be portioned out in even
shares. All men were equal by the law OF
nature, and must be made equal by the laws Of
man
With inequality came misery, crime, sin, sell
hshness, dishonesty. arrogance, hypocrisy,
cowardice. In q world in which all men were
equal there would exist no temptation to evil,
and our natural nobility would assert itself.
When all men were equal the world would be
heaven-freed from the degrading despotism
Of God.
We raised our glasses and drank to equality,
sacred equality, and then ordered the waiter
to bring US green Chartreuse and more cigars.
i went home very thoughtful i did not 90
to sleep for long while; lay awake thinking
over this vision OF q new world that had been
presented to me.
How delightful life would be il only the
scheme of my sociaiistic friends could be car
ried out-no more of this struggling and striv-
ing against each OF her, no more jealousy no more
disappointment, no more fear of poverty. The
state would take charge of US from the hour
We were born until We died. and provide for
all our wants. from the cradle to the coffin.
both inclusive. and we need give no thought
even to the matter-no more hard work (three
hours labor q day would be the limit accord
ing 10 our calculations, that the state would re-
qulre from each adult citizen, and nobody
would be allowed to do more-I should not be
allowed TO do more mo poor to pity, no rich
to envy-no one to look down upon US, no one
for Us TO look down upon mot quite so pleasant
this latter reflection)-all our life ordered and
arranged for us-nothing to think about except
the glorious destiny (whateyer that might be-
OF humanity.
Then thought crept away to sport in chaos,
and / slept
When awoke 1 found myself living under a
glass case, in high, cherries room. There
was label over my head; turned and read it.
II ran as follows:
MhN-ASLEEP.
PERIOD, 18th CENTURY.
THIS man was found asleep in hons, in Ion lon
.ccoun; Even by the iandI.y Of N. sss Il an nhi
.ppesr that he had aIreaiy, when discovered been
himj il was decided for scientific purposes. not 10
awake HIM out 20 Just see how long he would sleep
on and he was rlingiy Oruught and deposited
the Museum of CurIositles on February IL. 1900.
Visitors are requested not to squirt water through
An intelligent-looking old gentleman, who
had been arr angling some stuffed hZards in al
adjoining case. came over and took the cover
Of me.
What's the natter" hs asked; anything
No" SAID. ~ always wake up like THU
when feel I've had enough sleep. What cen
This" he said '.is the twenty-ninth con-
fury. You have been asleep just one thousand
years"
''Ah, well, feel all the better for it." re-
Piled, getting down OF the table. There's
nothing like having ones sleep out"
Il take II you are going to do the usual
thing, said the old gentleman TO me as pro-
ceeded to put on my clothes. which hsd been
lying beside me in the case. You'll want me
to walk round the city with you and explain
all the changes to You while you ask question:
and make silly remarks?'
Yes" l replied, Il suppose that's what
ought to do"
Il suppose So" he muttered Come on and
lets get IL over, and he led the way from the
room.
As We went down stairs said: "well, is il
al right now?"
lis what all right" he replied
why, the world" i answered "a few
friends Of mine were arranging, Just before
went TO bed, to take it to pieces and fix il III
again properly. Have they got il all right b,
this timer Is everybody equal now and sin
and sorrow and all that sort Of thing done
away WITH
''Oh. yes" replied my guide; you'll fine
everything all right now. We've been workin,
away pretty hard at things while you've beer
asleep We've just got this earth about per
feet now, i should say Nobody is allowed I,
do nythlng wrong or silly, and a. for equality
tadpoIes ain { IN II with US"
he talked in rather a vulgar manner.
thought: but l did not like to reproye him.
We walked cut into the city II was yer,
cioan and very quiet. The streets, which wer,
designated by numbers, ran out from enc
other az right angles and all presented exactl,
the same appearance. There were no horse
or carriages about; all the traffic was copducte,
BY electric cars. All the people that we me
wore quiet, grave expression, and were a
much like each other to give one the ide,
that they were all members OF the same family
nNRa