SPIRIT OF COMMUNISM.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 3074, 2 November 1929, Page 3

SPIRIT OF COMMUNISM.

THOUSAND YEARS' REIGN

STRANGE ISLAND PEOPLE

A relief expedition, .taking gifts of food and other necessities of fife from Sweden to the island of Runoe, in the Baltic Sea, where acute suffering and hardship have been experienced through the failure of the harvest, has brought to light and aroused much interest in a community of ancient Swedish origin, which bases its principles on practical communism, and has practised these for over a thousand years, writes W.D.B. in the Melbourne Age. The islanders to-day, who are believed to have settled down there before the dawn of the Christian era, still keep their old doctrines as regards property and venerate the ancient customs from the Viking days. A record in a document dated as far back as 1341 . sets out these laws, which were then recognised by the Swedish Bishop of Curland. Although the island belongs politically to Esthonia, a Swedish vicar is still in residence there. lb is an interesting fact that he is the only person permitted to keep a servant, and to obtain this postj is considered a great honour. There is absolute equality throughout the whole community from the ere die to the grave. Private property does not exist in any shape or form, except for clothing and personal bole Jigngs, which are the only apparent traces of the capitalistic system to he foi.net The farms, belonging as ti.ey do, to the State,_ cannot be sold; th' peasants are only allowed to 'lve or* them, cultivate (the land, and use the horses. Should a farmer require to build a house or similar project he calls upon his neighbours, who gladly assist for no pay whatever, except that they get tiheir meals for nothing while the work is in progress. The total population, numbering some 300 persons, derives its livelihood from farming, fishing and seal hunting. The two last-mentioned supply the principal sources of income, since, owing to the poverty of the soil, agriculture is only moderately developed. CRIME UNHEARD OF. The communism .practised by the islanders assumes even more sensational proportions. When sums of money are received for assistance of fish and seals, and for assistance rendered to stranded vesels, they are distributed evenly, the women and children taking their share, too. The communistic rules are recorded by oral traditions and a series of written laws. The highest officials in the State are elected by general vote for a fixed period of office ,and receive no salaries whatsoever ; they are the president, a secretary, and a judge. Should anjy important question arise a Loanskap or Parliament is called together in the open meeting place where the assembly lasts from dawn till dark. It is a delightfully informal gathering. Anyone may smoke, lie down, or sleep* if he wishes tq, while questions of State are decided. In this strange little community crimes are unheard of, and though ithere is a small prison, with two cells, it has only been used once in the history of the island, and then for 24 hours. A most remarkable fact about this communistio idyll is that the people here are the most conservative in the world, and dejeofc all new ideas or inventions with the simple remark, "Silica our present' state has been quite all rigiht for our ancestors it will be all right for us." If we can take the island of Runoe alter a thousand years' reign of communism as a parallel tb what the world would be after such a period, we shall have *he amusing spectacle of the Conservatives and Communists having an entente cordial, and social strife and progress only in the annals of history.