The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-08
GEORGEHERRON,
FREE LOVER, TO
REPRESENT U. S.
Former Iowa Professor Is
Named as Delegate to
MarmOra Conference.
W. A. WHITE, ASSOCIATE
Expelled Educator and AZ
finity Tried to Found
Marriageless Colony.
TO MEET RUSSIAN ENJOYS
Appointment Recalls Storm
Over Plan to Establish Cult
at Metuchcn,. n. j. !

PARIS. Feb. 7.-winiam Allen White
Of Emporia, Kan, and Prof. George
Davis Heron have been appointed the
American delegates TO the Marmora
conference with the Russian factions
George ID. Heron. Socialist. writer.
lecturer. expelled pastor and free love
advocate, recently wrote a book entitled
Woodrow Wilson and the Worlds
Peace He first looned large on the
American horizon when he persuaded his
wife to divorce him and Immediately
thereafter announced that he and Miss
Carrie Rand were living together as
man and wife.
This was the climax Of one OF the most
sensa tional stories that had startled the
country in years; for Heron and his
affinity contemplated a sequel In Free
Love Colony" in Metuchen. y. J., where
all with the same beiefs--and money
could come for rest and love.
Metuchen Citi,enry Objected.
The couple had bought several hundred
acres OF the lands around Metuchen and
intended splitting it up into farms for
the soul mates. but certain hardware Of
the solid citizens persuaded them to
abandon their love promotion scheme
In later years, though. the couple re-
turned to the Jersey town and were cor
daily received
stories OF the day were to the effect
that Miss Rand had bought and paid for
her affinity with $4,000 which she
settled upon Mrs. Heron TO get a di-
vorce from her husband The wife ad-
mitted having been paid.
/ The mother o. Miss Rand. Mrs. f.. d.
Rand. widow of a lumberman who had
grown wealthy, saw possibilities of a
new Messiah in Heron. whom she en-.
do~ed with a chair In Iowa College.
She is said TO have paid 10000 for II.
He wss made professor OF applied
Chrlstlanity-an proceeded TO apply his
version OF 1t until the college expelled
him years later
He was expelled by the Congregational
Church Of Iowa because OF his ffee love
views blooming In his sermons. much TO
the CONSERVATION Of the farmers who
hadn't even heard OF Utah. Their wives
objected too.
/.
Heron held on at the college. how.
ever, for some time. Finally when he
deserted his wife and two children to go
and live in the same house with the
Rands this was more than the good pro-
fessors could stand. 20 they expelled
him, too.
The divorce followed. and the Rands
and Heron came on to New York. where
Miss Rand and the professor pl!ghted
; their troth in the presence OF the Rev
William Thurstton Brown o. the Ply.
mouth Congregational Church OF Roch-
ester. To witnesses there seemed little
need Of the c!ergyman's presence. DR.
Heron. taking his partners hand. said
! 10 tine guests.
! 'My friends. have chosen Mss Rand
to be my comNs nion."
! To which Miss Rand replied:
Ny friends. | have chosen Mr.. Her.
! ron TO be my companion"
; The Rev. DR.. Brown then said.
i announce trot pronounce you mar
and wife
! Throughout the notorety that rol
! lowed the pair when they went shortl,
after their marriage to Metuchen, y. ].
/ where il was rumored they Intended tc
found "lovc colony" Or. Heron in,
sisted that the marriage had been legal
( He said:
! 1--WE were married legally and ever
, convent!onal!y. The only thing IN
which the marriage ceremony differed
from any marriage service was tha
the clergyman used the word announce
! instead of pronounce and that eacl
! OF the friends present was asked e
Z express some chosen sentiment as :
part of the ceremony"
! DR.. Herron's views on matrlmon,
were expressed frequently In the cours.
OF his professorship at Grinnell, la.
and from the lecture platform. He wa!
expelled from the Congregational Churcl
for a denial OF the right OF societ,
to sanction or undo the marriage III
between man and woman, and for i'm
moral and un-Christian" conduct Il
divorcing his first wife.
His View ON Marriage.
+ III speaking OF marriage Or. Hero,
orCe said
!. People who love each other and VIII
therefore ought 10 live with each othe
need no laws to bind them together. TIL
coercive family will pass away with tn
coercive economic system. Even whe,
love exists on the part OF one and no
on the part OF the ether there can be n
possible good In the two being kept to
gether by external law"
Similarly DR., Heron made denial O
the proposed founding of "love colony
at Metuchen. but In the same breath o
denial he made this statement:
"Ons OF our complaints against civili
cation is that II Is destroying both tn
economic and sympathetic basis o.
which the family can alone be built
The only crusade upon which ] have Ell
gagged Ia that of the working class, TO
Its emancipation from a society that
believe to be already rotten TO the hear
and brazen in every feature"
Whether or not 1t was love colony,
the gatherings there OF DR.. Heron
friends soon caused such rumors 10 rul
through the countryside that a storm O
depunciation OF DR.. Heron and hi
Continued on Stzfh Pdga