The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-04
THE NEW COMMONWEALTH
Laura de Force Gordon Takes
an Active Part in EStab-
fishing 1t.
She Believes Cooperation Is the
Practical Means to Help the
Unemployed.

eyes" said Laura de Force Gordon, the
well-known attorney, who has taken deep
interest in the suffrage movement on this
coast, II have taken an interest in the
movement to establish the Cooperative
Commonwealth in this City, for I believe
that it is one of the means for relieving the
condition of the unemployed. At meet
ing of the Socialistic Labor party last Sum
day night I explained the system of COOP
Grafton and stated that it was the intention
of carrying out the ideas of the promoter
on small scale at first. We will enroll
good mechanics and laborers, then we will
go to merchants and ask them for such
necessities as are required to feed those
who are enrolled. We do not ask this as
charity, for it is un-American for men who
are able and willing to work to live on the
bread of charity. We will take the articles
we receive, place them to the credit of
those who turned them over to us, not as a
contribution, but as a loan or advance
payment for work to be performed in the
future, whenever required. That is, when
ever those who have made the advance are
in need of competent workmen, we will
furnish them and charge the labor against
those who have employed the men. In that
way the members of the Commonwealth
will get food and clothes and those who
furnish the articles will be paid in labor.
"Those who inaugurated the movement
made a mistake in endeavoring to estab-
lish it on too large scale. They rented a
building on Geary street, for which they
were charged $75 month, but the finances
did not come as was expected, and they
were forced to vacate. Now we propose to
start w w ~
secure piece of land near the City, much
of which is now idle. On this we intend to
raise vegetables, part of which can be sold
and part used to feed the laborers; then
we will raise wheat to sell, and, in time,
fruit. | will call upon some of the promi-
nent men of the City and endeavor to have
them take an interest in this movement
for believe that it is practical one for
the relief of the unemployed.
CAT the meeting Sunday night | was
asked if the establishment of the Common
wealth would not displace large number
of workers in order to give work to those
who are now idle. My reply was that the
Commonwealth would no doubt displace
several thousand japanese and Chinese
who are now usurping the place that peo-
pie of our own race should fill. Then an
other asked If such course would not be
cruel, for continued the questioner, have
not these people souls to saver / replied
that l could not deny that these people
have souls to save, but that I did not con-
slider it cruel to seek employment for those
of our own race, and that these should be
given preference over those who do not
care for anything but the dollars they can
secure from the whites.
81 believe that this movement as soon
as it is understood, will meet with the en-
couragement it deserves, and that it will
not be long before the press will be full of
it and advocate it. 1t will be with the
press i'll regard to this matter as it was
with the railroads some years ago. When
the idea of ownership of railroads by the
people was first advocated twas ridicuIed,
but now there is hardly a paper that does
not indorse that idea. We of the Com
monwealth will be patient, and I have
great hopes for its success. Saturday I
went out and received some help, and this
week | hope to do better"
ave have temporary headquarters at
the office of the Labor Commissioner at
215 Sansome street." said Miss Swain, the
secretary of the Commonwealth, "but in
short time we will have good headquar-
tiers of our own. The Commonwealth is
not dead, and it is not going to die. At
the meeting Sunday night l told them
SO, and told them that half dozen men
who could not have their own way were
spreading reports that we were dead as q
corporation, but / made my little voice
heard whether they wanted to hear it or
not, and guess that it will not be long
before they are sorry for what they have
co q