Feedback on George F. Elmendorf's Idea For Mother's Research Center

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C. K.
Pennsylvania

The idea expressed by Mr. Elmendorf and expanded on by MOTHER is very intriguing to me and my family, but we have some reservations.

[1] Why a 99-year lease on the homestead property? My interest is not only in my immediate family, but in my descendants as well. In 99 years the community will be well developed and hitting its peak . . . and will MOTHER then ask my heirs to leave their home?

[2] Would the $10,000 buy me an interest in the common properties and a vote in their management, or would my participation be limited to the acreage I was allotted?

[3] What type of philosophy would govern the community? Would there be common storehouses for the lean years? How would exploiters and tyrants be prevented from running and ruining the project? Who would decide what commercial enterprises and modern conveniences would be allowed?

[4] What intra-community arrangements would be made so that we could help one another learn to build alternative sources of power, farm without chemicals, raise and broad livestock, etc.?

I know such questions can't be answered at this stage. I'm just trying to point out that I'm not interested in buying into what would became: a socialistic commune, nor do I want simply to lease a piece of mountain land that happens to be near a research center. I would however be very much interested in getting into a self-sufficient lifestyle with the support of know-how from the community as a whole.

H.W.H.
Florida

We've been talking here about the need for a viable alternative community using an already established group (such as MOTHER) as the catalyst and bass of operation. There's also a possibility of similar projects developing in other parts of the country. I.L.S. Labs here in New Mexico is apparently going to establish a total community of 300 or so people sometime in the future. TheMother Earth Catalog gang in California has the potential of doing the same, although I don't know whether they have any plans for such a move or not.

Please pursue this concept further! I really think it could work out. . . and yes, I would be willing to invest my $10,000 in it. I'm sure you'll get arguments that this figure is too high, but it guarantees applicants' commitment to the project, and that, I think, is a good stabilizing factor.

Another important aspect of such a community is a number of restrictions, clearly spelled out: no cars in certain areas, no pesticides, etc. Some people get really uptight at the thought of any rules, but you have to have them!

J. & S.
Now Mexico

The idea proposed by George Elmendorf and MOTHER is as close to what We would like to got into as we could imagine at this time. We've discussed a number of aspects-together and with friends-and some of the ideas we've come up with seem important enough to pass on.

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