Mankind United

Two years ago when his famed Old Age Revolving Pension made amiable old Dr. Francis E. Townsend a figure on the U. S. political scene, the best he promised was $200 a month to every U. S. citizen over 60, a Government spending program of some $20,000,000,000 a year. Last week, good, grey Dr. Townsend was in eclipse but another major-league scheme to end all human woes was rising in the West. This was no less than the International Institute of Universal Research and Administration.

Like many such enterprises in the U. S., I.I.U.R.A. came to light in California. Its most publicized agent is a well-fed, well-dressed 52-year-old Rutgers alumnus named George Gouverneur Ashwell, whose headquarters are at 26 O'Farrell St., San Francisco. Its Bible is an anonymous 313-page book called Mankind United. Principal apparent support of I.I.U.R.A. are sales of Mankind United at $2.50 each, on which agents get a 75-c- commission. Last week Agent Ashwell claimed 18,000,000 followers whom he expects quickly to proselytize 2,000,000 more members. When the group totals 20,000,000, an international advertising campaign will quickly raise the total membership to 200,000,000 which I.I.U.R.A. needs before going into action. Tentative date for the start of the Millennium is Dec. 20.

I.I.U.R.A.'s greatest attraction is as much its mystery as its promises. Its recruiting agents insist that they can give no hint of how the Millennium is actually to be arranged until the event arrives. Agents like Gouverneur Ashwell claim not to know who started I.I.U.R.A. or who is currently running it. According to Mankind United (which I.I.U.R.A.'s members irreverently call "the book"), the organization was started in 1875 by an anonymous group of millionaires who pooled $60,000,000 to fight the "Hidden Rulers of the World." Purpose of the Hidden Rulers was and is to massacre 400,000,000 intelligent, right-thinking members of the globe's population, install a new social order in which all but the 40,000 Rulers will be reduced to the status of slaves. The last World War, a preliminary, was arranged by the Hidden Rulers to try out their machinery. The next and final World War, originally scheduled for this October, has been postponed because of mysterious steps taken by I.I.U.R.A.

Main steps taken in the open by I.I.U.R.A. have so far consisted of sales of "the book" by Agent Ashwell. A dignified, voluble, onetime architect who came to California as a district manager for Johns-Manville Corp., lost his job in 1931, Agent Ashwell happened into an I.I.U.R.A. lecture three years ago, was instantly captivated by the idea. He set up a bureau, helped promote Mankind United, now lectures six nights a week to goggle-eyed San Franciscans, including many a onetime Townsendite. As envisioned by Author Ashwell, if each buyer of Mankind United promptly sells four copies to other buyers, the organization will end its semi-final membership drive in 14 weeks.

When the final membership drive ends, the Ashwell theory is that the coordinated buying power of I.I.U.R.A.'s 200,000,000 members will make it possible for every-one in the world to work four hours a day, four days a week, eight months a year, and earn minimum pay of $3,000 a year, advancing to $30,000 by rapid salary raises. War and illiteracy will be extinct. Every family will have a $25,000 house. Pensions of $3,000 a year for oldsters will start at once. But none of I.I.U.R.A.'s benefits will be in cash. It will abolish money, substitute a new Utopian medium of exchange.

First major news about I.I.U.R.A. was published by the San Francisco Chronicle whose feature writer Harry Lerner joined the organization. Said Mr. Ashwell last week: "What can you expect from the paid minion of a newspaper--all newspapers are controlled by the Hidden Rulers. . . ."

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