COMMUNISM IN AMERICA
By PHILLIP SCHUYLER
Community. Food consisted principally of
vegetables and fruit. Meat, tea and coffee
were served only upon certain occasions.
Certain peculiarities of dress have been
noted, largely among the women. They
adopted the practice of wearing short hair
which it was claimed saved time and
vanity. A short dress and pantalets made
for convenience if- not for beauty.
In 1873 Prof. John W. Mears instigated
active legislative measures against the
Community which culminated in a confer-
ence held at the University of Syracuse
when the Oneida Community was de-
nounced, resolutions demanding the aband-
onment of the plan were passed and legal
measures advised.
On the 26th of August, 1879, the Oneida
Community bowed to the wishes of the
people of New York, and gave up the first
attempt at real Communism in the United
States.
♦
dren was exercised, it being one of the
No new thing to America is Communism
tenets of the- Community that as much
for it was tried and found wanting as far
care should be given to the perpetuation
back as 1847.
of the race as was given to the breeding
The place, Oneida, New York. The
of any stock other than human.
founder, John Humphrey Noyes, an ideal-
If a man or a woman desired a baby he,
istic Bible student. The principle, "that
or she, would apply to the Committee. Case
among true Christians 'mine is thine'
histories were studied in detail and the
should cease to exist in property matters
Committee had the right to reject any and
and that the same unselfish spirit should
all appli'cations if the background of either
prevail and control all human relations."
of the would-be parents was not satisfac-
It was, however, the practice of "Complex
tory, to them. In some cases substitutions
Marriage" which eventually resulted in the
of one or the other parties were made to
dissolution of the Oneida Community as a
insure the superiority of the second gener-
Communistic body in August, 1879.
• ation of the Oneida Community.
Such a radical viewpoint as the outlook
That the idea was sound so far as the
Police Seize Marble
on sex and love by the Community, was
physical perfection of the "controlled"
Game
Cheater
bound to arouse a storm of protest, and
child-bearing was concerned, is borne out
even though their neighbors looked upon
TOLEDO,
0 .-William T. McShane in-
by the records which show that 58 chil-
the Communists with respect and affection,
sisted that police return the magnetic gad-
dren wei-e , born under such Community
the downfall of Communism was certain
get he uses to make pinball machines do his
supervision, children born without the
then even as it is now. But let's turn back
bidding, but police insisted they wouldn't.
benefit of marriage. Of the 58 children 54
the pages of history and try to get a pic-
There, apparently, the matter rested.
were fine healthy children said to be far
ture of the only attempt at pure Commun- • above the average child in intelligence.
The matter reached police hands when
ism ever known in America.
McShane and his wife were ejected from a
Even today students of the Oneida plan
local restaurant where McShane was charm-
Noyes was born in Brattleboro, Vermont,
are amazed, or so they say, by the health,
ing the little steel ball to his consistent
on September 3d, 1811. His father was
physique and intelligence of the descend-
profit. He had concealed an electromagnet
John Noyes, one time tutor in Dartmouth
ents of these children, some of whom are
in his hand, with a pair of wires running
College and Representative in Congress,
still carrying on the great Oneida Plate
up his coat sleeve and to a battery in his
1815-1817. His mother was Polly Hayes,
Factory. Of course, all such ideas of Free
♦
hip pocket.
aunt of Rutherford B. Hayes, President of
Love and Community Children was aband-
the United States.
oned in 1879 and a more conventional way
of living has followed ever since.
John Humphrey Noyes graduated from
NON-ELECTRICALARM
Noyes bitterly resented the attacks on
Dartmouth in 1830; studied law for one
•
BURGLAR
the Community which labelled it a sink
year when he became "converted" at a
hole of sin and a place of shame. He based
protracted revival meeting and turned to
FOR
his belief in the plan on his interpretation
the ministry. He became a member of
GAMES, PH.ONOS, VENDERS
of the Bible and wrote a pamphlet, Bible
"The Brethren," a secret society of stu-
L ow Priced
Communism, to expound his theory.
dents preparing for foreign missionary
Sure Fire Protec-
He said: "Our Communities are families
work. Followed a year and a half at Yale
tion. Stops thefts
as distinctly bounded and separated from
and in 1833 he was licensed to preach by
of cash box con•
promiscuous society as households of the
the New Haven Association.
tents
and
mer•
ordinary type. The tie that binds us to-
His radical doctriue caused the revoca-
c handise. One ma-
gether is as permanent and sacred, to say
tion of his license and he was thereafter
chine collection or
the least, as that of common marriage, for
called a Perfectionist. He married Harriet
stock saved w ill
it is our religion.
A. Holton, a woman of means. He founded
pay for outfitting
"We receive no new members (except by
a Bible school in Putney; in 1843 he en-
your whole route
deception and mistake) who do not give
tered into a "Contract of Partnership" with
-c i g a r et t e,
heart and hand to the family interest for
his followers, which later became The
phono, game or
life and forever.
Putney Corporation or Association of Per-
OPERATOR' S
candy
machines .
PRICE
"Community of property extends just as
fectionists.
See your jobber
far as freedom of love. Every man's care
Things getting a bit too hot for Noyes
or write
and every dollar of the common property
and his followers in Putney, he accepted
are pledged to the maintenance and pro-
an invitation of Jonathan Burt and settled
tection of the women and the education of
near Oneida, Madison County, New York,
119 S. Jefferson St.
Chicago, Ill.
the children of the Community."
in 1847.
Obscenity of any kind, intoxicants, pro-
Here Communism (and 58 children out
Suppliers To All Leading Manufacturer s
fanity and tobacco were banned in the
of wedlock) were born.
The Community at first devoted itself to
fruit raising without success. Then one
Sewall Newhouse invented a steel trap
which met with financial success. Followed
the making of steel chains and more pros-
perity, and, eventually, the Oneida silver
plate and permanent security. It is doubt-
5 Rock-Ola Ten Pins .................................................................... $49.50
ful that the idea would have been aband-
15
Bally Alleys ................................................................................ 39.50
oned from the Communistic standpoint (for
the business still lives and prospers) had
Bang-A-Deers (uncrated) ...................................................... 49.50
it not been for the doctrine of Free Love.
1
Pokerino (6 feet) ........................ ............................. ................. 19.50
The women members who joined the
Community placed themselves at the serv-
15 Bally Bull's Eye .......................................................................... 69.50
ice of the Community. Liberty and license
4 Chicken Sams ............................................................................ 59.50
were frowned upon but any man member
of the Community had the right to enjoy
ONE-THIRD DEPOSIT, BALANCE C. 0. D.
the favors of any and all women members.
He simply had to apply to a Central Com-
mittee and tell them the woman with whom
he wished to spend the night. The Com-
mittee then approached the woman and
1518 Market Street
St. Louis, Mo.
arrangements were made.
Strict supervision for the birth of chil-
E Z
11
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