Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-04

his family, has revived his cooperative
colony. but with many new and even
more unconventional features than
those which made the Dglewood
IN. j. venture so widely known. This
new plan will see the novelist at the
will convey the several families, some
of them formerly jewellers at HelicOn
Hall, in a tour that will last, it is de-
clared. for several years.
The families will have maids and
governesses and a stenographer. They
will have tents galore. They will es-
cape, they say, landlords flats. cramp-
ed cities and all the ills of civilization
and will go back to nature. taking
with them, however. all the good
things of civilization. Battle Creek has
been selected as the rendezvous.
''This will be Helicon Hall on the
hoOf, Utopians on a trek" said Upton
Sinclair when questioned as to his lat
est venture. 1--WE will start the list of
January in southern California and
work our way up the coast probably
| as far as Oregon, taking the whole
summer or the whole year If necessary
| to the job. Then we will cross over
into England and then to the CONT
nent. seeing France, Italy, Belgium.
| Germany-going anywhere and every
! where, in fact as our fancies dictate"
'Why do you not rebuild Helicon
Hall? Do you count that failure|'
| "On the contrary. have always
| counted Helicon Hall a success" said
| Mr.. Sinclair, even though we did not
have time enough to prove 1t to the
| world. That we do not rebuild Is not
because all the people would not be
i glad to return, but because there is no
one who has time to superintend the
work. l cannot give my time, because
7 want to write.
"What we are planning now is
small group of intimate friends. We
expect to be free of most of the prob
lens that perpleXed us at Helicon Hail.
from plumbers and carpenters, steam
heat and taxes. 1t will be a practical
protest against landlords, and Also
needless to say, 1t will be fireproof."
Your children will be cared for CO.
operatively?" Mr.. Sinclair was asked.
i Most certainly" he said That was
one thing at Helicon Hall which every
one agreed was an overwhelming sue
cess The children decided that for
themselves. 1t will be an ideal life
for the children, for we shall be out
of doors all the time, and they will
: have q sort of perpetual panorama.
! with something new to see every day.
Whenever we come to place that we
like we shall camp as long as we wish
We can have great deal more free
| dom of every sort than we could have
at Helicon Hall.
& 1--WE shall never trouble ourselves
. about what other people will think OF
I: the women of our party, who will
wear sensible costumes. That is one
of the reasons why l am never hap
I py in the city because of starched
!: shirts and collars. The last time
tried to wear a flannel shirt in New
I York the hallboy of my mothers apart
: ment house refused to let me in the
!: elevator, and Jack London told me
4 that one of the consequences of his
{: protest against starched linen was tina
y he had to knock down a Pullman ca,
= porter about once month. 1 canno
4 knock down porters, so prefer to liv,
\ IL q tent
do you plan this as permanen
way of living?"
Most assurediy. l do not see VIII.
4 not. do not think that any of us will
ever feel like going back to conven
tional life again. Michael William
Il and I want to go over to Wales an,
q see the summer camp of the Fabian
Socialists and meet Wells and Bernar
Shaw; also we have an invitation t
II Warwick castle, where the Counties
of Warwick. Socialist, has asked u
to come.
'The new colony will be vegetarian
for I had enough of running mea
"A eating establishment at Helicon Hal
"a You have no idea of the trouble wit
cooks and the varying tastes of til
people"
q How many will be in your party !?
= about q dozen people. There are
& couple of other families who are tr,
ing to arrange to join us. but am NJ
certain whether they will go or no
We shall have couple of men to he
with the hard work. though of cours
everybody will do his share of Il
q chores. | know couple of your
poets who I think will enjoy the lar
- The only thing that troubles us is TIL
. we have not got a musician. Perha,
s If you mention that" said Mr.. Sinclai
II laughing. "some one will see 1t al
4 volunteer"