New-York tribune., 1906-08-12
COOPERATIVE HOME LIFE.

Before considering the plans OF the Sinclair
lists it is interesting TO see what already exists
in the way Of cooperative home life. Practi-
Cally all the features planned are met with here
or there in greater or less detail according as
hOtelkeepers get the notion Of catering to COL
lective comfort A kindergarten for the chill
dren of guests has been started on the roof of
the WaldOrf-AStoria. Such kindergartens are
becoming common in department stores. Not
long ago the New York hotel physician was re-
infOrced with chaplain. whose ministerial SER
vices are available to the guests of a dozen or
SO hOstleries The cooperative valet might be
compared with the travelling hairdresser. Many
large apartment houses are communities with a
common service. not hotels. but series of little
homes with common kitchen and centralized
housekeeping.
The summer resort hotels, on account Of their
isolation, tend to enbody many features that
are separately available in town. Some AdirOn-
dack hOstleries are cooperative colonies except
in name and purpose. What more could be
added to a common table. reading room amuse-
ment hall. kindergarten. chapel for church SER
vice, medical care, dental attendance, carriages,
guides, home raised vegetables poultry and
milk? In the Maine woods and in the Orange
Mountains there are central phalansteries for
eating and recreati>r, with cooperative gar
dens and cottages. "One great family" is a
common note in hotel advertisements. The feat
of tutoring for college is announced by one
Maine hotel. Il Pennsylvania hotel boasts u
chapel after the Gothic order" another tells OF
kitchen house for the free use OF excursion
parties while others emphasize their free
amusements, music, library and what not. Not
having a chapel. Catslxill proprietor engages to
transport his guests TO church on Sundays IAN
experienced physician at the service of guests"
says an Adirondack hotelkeeper Furnished cot
tages are frequently mentioned. 4 nurse for
the children may take the place of the avowed
kindergarten, and there is often a cooperative
Beau Brummel to encourage wallhowers at the
weekly hop. Apparently a human being could
be born. nursed, educated, socially launched
medically attended and be sent to his grave
with the rites at one of these comprehensive es-
tablishments
Upton Sinclair, announcing his plan. said that
he did not dream of organizing any forerunncr
of the socialistic cooperative commonwealth
impossible under present conditions.
What / am making he said lis a simple
business proposition for an association of peoDle
who may possess a moderate income to secure
the benefits of the application OF the machine
process to their domestic affairs. Here
am on my little farm. living as my ancestors
lved-like cave man a feudal baron |
have my little castle and my retainers ana de-
pendents TO attend me. and practise a hun
dred different trades. which include serving
meals. cleaning dishes, washing and ironing
clothes. killing and dressing meat. churning but
ter, baking bread, grinding meal raising chick
ems. cutting wood. preserving fruit heating q
house. decorating rooms. training children and
writing books. These things could be done far
better and at infinitely less cost by corporation
but the capitalistic form of cooperation tends
TO be associated with uncleanness. bad service
and high prices Many people 'abhor boarding
houses and apartment hotels. ana vet shrink
from managing servants"
COMMUNITIES IN THE PAST.
American communism is historically divided in
ihFee parts religious. Fourierite and secular