118 OVER ON THE ISLAND It all began about forty years ago. A group of poverty-stricken fishermen gathered together to decide on a more profitable plan of living. As prospects were very slim, they decided to co-operate. Under the leadership of Ben Compton their idea of co-operative living grew and spread. To-day, the two prosperous communities of Belle River and Bangor are the result of their enterprise. They are small communities— about seven families each, and are incorporated as a company. They are kept small purposely. Numerous letters come in from people in far-off places asking to be admitted to a share in their plan, and offering to invest different amounts of money—sometimes as much as ten or fifteen thousand dollars. They are all refused. For the company feel that if their idea is to be successful, the group must be kept small, until the difficulties are all ironed out. What happens, I wondered, if some one wishes to leave the group. The company simply buy him out, said a Communist. They give him his share, and he is then free from all obligations. This, I suppose, might happen if a girl wishes to marry outside the group. If a man brings in an "outside" girl, she may become a member, too, but marriage within the group is encouraged. The families are now closely related. It must have been difficult at first. Members had to be taught to live together, and to subordinate their own private desires to the advancement of the group. Gradually, however, they learned to give and to take, and to work together. Gradually, the economic resources of the whole group improved. And with that came satisfaction, contentment with their lot, and perhaps, envy from those less fortunate around them. The Depression hit them, but they did not