Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-07-19
COMMUNISM IN IOWA.
Continued from first page

none lot several years, DuU mas stOOu
at what it is now. about eighteen
hundred members. AT the beginning
of the year each member receives his
check book. good for what is necessary
to keep him in comfort for twelve
months and he may draw for that
amount on the colony store in any of
the villages. In return he is expected
to do only what he can of the work
to be done on the farms and in the
colony.
The society educates its own
physicians. sending its most promis-
ing young men. as occasion requires
to the best medical schools, to return
later and give their services to the
colonists for their share of the COM
munity goods.
The kitchen house and the kitchen
garden afford the community of labor
in household matters as well as in
business. From twenty to thirty
peol lie have their meals at each
kitchen house, where the young girls
of the families do the work, under
the supervision of the Kitchen boss, "
who prefers this work to that in the
gardens When she has managed a
kitchen until she is tired of it she
NAV ask for a change of work, and
will probably get it, for there is an
effort to have every one>do the work
he finis some pleasure in.
The big barns on the outskirts of the
towns furnish shelter for all the
livestock of the villages. The heaviest
work is done with OK teams, by men
hired from outside the colony. None
of the colony buildings are insured,
for they believe they can meet what
losses come by fire more cheaply than
they can pay premiums on policies.
OF the seven villages Amana proper
is the oldest and largest, with 4OC
people. The rest of the population
is divided about evenly in Homestead,
and East, West. Middle, High, and
South Amana. The wooden mills are
at Amana and Middle Amana and re-
representatives. of the society go far and
wide to buy raw materials for them.
The finished woolens are sent from
one end of the country to the other,
and with their simple trade mark.
"Colony goods have made their
own way by virtue of being all they
claim to be- The most improved
machinery has been put into all
their mills. for, as they explain, that
is the only way they can compete in
the markets.
The central church is in Amana,
and here all the members meet for
communion, which is held only Cn,e
in two years. when the custom OF
fleet washing is observed. The ell
drs among the men and the leaders
of the women perform this mental SER
vice for the others in token of.humili-
ty. Their communion service for
merly was sort of festival where
cakes and chocolate were served to all
who came, but as the world closes in
upon them the curiosity their ways
arouse is distastefnl to the members
and every effort is made to shut out
prying eyes.
In quiet corner, guarded by a
high hedge of arbor vitae. the dead of
Amana are laid side by side to await
the last day as they lived, sharing
all things alike. Each new grave is
made by the side of the last one and
the rows are slowly filed, year after
year 'mother and daughter, father
and son." separated by the years
between their deaths. Simple slabs.
with the names and dates of birth
and death. are the only marks of the
graves. and Christian Metz and Bar
bara Landmann. the two inspired
leaders who saw the new home in
Iowa, are in no way distinguish ed
from their lowfiest followers.
The sky is as blue and the grass as
green. but the true inspirationists
have looked in vain for teacher like
the one who led them here, and have
long since ceased TO expect one. The
most enlightened among them have
felt the changed conditions. and
have understood the dangers which
are closing around them. Now. suit
has been brought against the COM
munity. charging that they have
oversteppe the rights granted in their
charter and have become an economic
organization instead of purely re-
lig;ous and benevolent one. If the
suit is lost it will mean the breaking
up of the community and the loss OF
perhaps millions of dollars. If they
do not lose it, they must appear in
court and fight for their rights. and
in so doing will violate two of their
principles-neye to take oath and
never to offer resistance. Many OF
the colonists themselves believe that
conditions make it impossible foI
them TO carry out the intantions
Of the fathers much longer, in theiI
present situation, and there is a sen.
timent in favor OF disbanding. The
deep religious feeling is more q
Tradition than n reality with this