Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-20
Converts From Communism

sort OF pocket-money-Was 10 Dc
allowed each individual member eecn
week for the ensuing year. Tne
amounts varied from IS TO $40 o week,
and took the form Of credit ct the Local.
store, where one could obtain TOBACCO,
clothes, more food, etc.
Certain contacts with the outside
world are, however, inevitable, and
have been met logically. Take, for ex-
ample, teachers and the schools. The
teachers themselves are all community
members. They are never women
that the community forbids. Picked
men are sent 10 the university at the
expense Of the community; when they
return they teach the whole year round.
For the ordinary nine months they are
paid salary by the State, and this
they turn into the common pool. The
pext three months they teach for Moth
ing, for the community does not recog-
nize holidays other than Sundays. For
nine months the lessons are in English.
During the extra three months every
thing is taught in German.
1 am not sure I would like to be an
Amana boy. No holidays and IL
months school each year no dancing.
and. at first, no games. Now youth Is
rebeling, and games such as base ball
are allowed Equally are the girls re-
belling, and they no longer have to
wear long, dark dresses all day long,
but dancing and tewelry are still for
hidden.
The farm lands and their capital
value are undoubtedly additions to the
wealth of the community-but the
main source of income comes from the
blanket factory. Amana blankets have
quite a market in the Middle West, and
the work put into this factory has in
the past been labor of love as well as
of profit. But in recent years the
members Of the colony have not worked
so hard; they have never even stuck
to an eight-hour day. Certain that they
will never lose their board and lodg-
ing. they have put into both the fac
tory work and the farm work only the
minimum amount of energy required.
The result is that, as the brochure
ON the COLONY BY its leaders admits,
several hundred hired laborers are
employed for the heavier work" In
the wooden factory alone more than 10
outsiders are now employed. With
prices at their present low level this
does not pay, and the colony has at
last to face the facts.
As 1890, and finally 1881, put the
blanket factory and the whole colony
more and more into financial uncer-
tainties, and as the youth Of the VIII
lagos began to discuss with more ear
nestneSs the advantages and disad-
vantages of their mode Of life, the
trustees decided it was time to make
q change in the organization. The
colony owed its foundation and ideals
to religion Communism had been &C
copied only upon arrival in America, as
the best way to stop jealdusies in new
country between rich and poor men,
bers, and to give all an equal start.
The trustees will tell you now that
Comm lnism never has succeeded any
where, and never will succeed for more
than two generations. They will tell
you and tell you from experience, that
to practice Communism, all members
must be enthusiastic about it. 1t is not
a natural form Of life, and unless those
practicing it are all brought up with q
genuine enthusiasm, 1t is likely to be-
come a degenerating influence.
The first settlers we're all enthusi-
aSts, both religious and communistic.
The next generation was less keen,
but still quite steady going. The pres
ent generation has ceased to feel the
spirit of disinterested affection for its
neighborS and remembers only that one
need not work very hard as, somehow,
board and lodging are assured for life,
and if you become sick you will be
cared for. The colonists have lacked
the spark that would make them work
and, like the ancient Greeks. have hired
men to do the harder tasks To stop
this rot the trustees have decided that
from 1882 on they will get rid Of
Communism and turn the whole COL
ony into stock holding company.
Money to be Introduced.
The biggest change will be the in
PRODUCTION of money into the colony.
There is to be no further communal
division of property; every one is to
be free to better himself and to make
money. No longer will there be Sc
curity Of tenure, free board and free
care of the sick. 1t will all have to be
paid for out of the dividends of the
new company, out Of whatever extra
money the colonists may make, and,
until dividends are paid, out OF the
sale of their stock. This means the
younger people will have to wake up,
turn away those outside hirelingS, do
the work themselves and put the
colony back on its feet again.
Already can be noticed quickening
interest among the youth, 1ney are
going to work to better themselves as
well as every one else. They are inter
ested, they are keen. For them 1t makes
all the difference-this difference be-
tween dull, deadening Communism and
vital, active competition VIII they sue
coed in 1892, or will this new wine Of
capitalism break up the old bottles and
make the religious side too weak link
to hold the colony together? This year
will be fateful period to them.
No need to go to Russia to see the
breaking up Of forced Communism.
Here in the State of Iowa, only a few
miles from the Lincoln Highway, Is
proof of how far and no farther en-
thusiastic voluntary Communism can
go. And how even hereditary Com
munism. become in a sense forced, has
completely failed, and how. to save the
whole edifice from falling to pieces.
the old competition and the old uncer-
tainty and insecurity of life has got to
be revived. The story of Annana proves
that Communism cannot last even I'M
der the most favorable circumstances.