A COMMUNIST SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 224, 18 June 1929, Page 11

A COMMUNIST SOCIETY

PRINCIPLES PRACTISED FOR THOUSAND YEARS

Principles of practical Communism have been practised for more than a thousand years by the ancient Swedish community on the little island of Kunoe, in the Bay of Riga. The ancestors of the community are believed to have settled there about the dawn ot the Christian era and are recorded in a document as early as 1341, says a correspond, ent of the “Observer.” The little island, which politically belongs to Estonia, is only 2i miles long, and less than two miles wide, and its population numbers only about 300, who live on 2i farms. Fishing and seal-hunting are the real sources of income. Absolute equality rules the community and no • servants exist. Private property does not exist except for clothing, arms, and similar personal belongings, and nobody can sell his farm, since he is only allowed to live on it, to cultivate his land and to use his horses. The forest and pastures are common property. When a farmer wants to build a bouse or to do something which requires additional workers, he calls upon his neighbours, who work for no pay, but get their meals free. Sums of money received for sales of seal flesh and for assistance rendered to stranded vessels are distributed equally among the islanders, even to the children, women and invalids. The Communistic rule is recorded in a series of unwritten laws and by oral tradition. The highest officials are the president, a secretary, and a judge, elected by general vote, ineluding the women, and for a fixed period. These officials receive no salaries. In case of important questions a Parliament is called together in an open meeting place, usually during summer. Crime is unknown. A remarkable fact about this Communist island is that the people are most conservative and reject all novelties with' the simple remark: “Since the present state of affairs has been ail right for our ancestors it will be all right for us.”