BACK TO CAPITALISM

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3822, 16 October 1936, Page 8

BACK TO CAPITALISM

AMERICAN COMMUNIST COLONY. San Francisco, July 29. While soap box orators were advocating a trend towards Communism to solve economic ills, the 1500 residents of the most successful Communistic society in America turned about and embraced capitalism. And now, four years after the famed Amana colonies became a corporation and its members independent

individuals, it appears that capitalism has successfully solved the colonies’ problems. The Amana members of descendants of a band of “The Inspirationalists” who came to the United States from Germany early in this country’s history, and settled 30 miles west of lowa City, lowa, early in the nineteenth century. They farm 26,000 acres of rich lowa soil and operate widely-known woollen mills. Until June 1, 1932, they “shared and shared alike,” abstained from worldly pleasures, including most of the luxuries, and devoted themselves to the colony of religion. A lack of efficiency in farming, mills and kitchens, dissatisfaction of younger members who looked longingly at the outside world, and the inroads of the depression into the resources of the society brought the change to a corporate, capitalistic form. Work under the new system was made attractive for the able, and an immediate saving of 60,000 dollars a year formerly paid to outside workers was realised. When the reorganisation took place the society was nearly 500,000 dollars “in the red.” Members began to work at a scale of 10 cents an hour, which has now been increased several times, in addition to dividends on the corporation stock. Each member of the society has one share of voting stock. Other shares of dividend-paying but non-voting stock were distributed among them in proportion to the number of years they had been in the colony. At the end of the four years there had been a saving of from 50 to 75 per cent, in food, which the members now prepare individually, but which was formerly served in community dining rooms. Now automobiles, formerly used only by those whose work required it in the days when luxuries were taboo, have now appeared in front of many homes. A twelfth of an acre garden space has been released to each home or person in the colony, and the homes, formerly unpainted houses owned by the community, are privately owned and are taking on individuality.