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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, May 15, 1968
Free Farm' begun in Atchison for peaceful, loving people
By Mike Walker Kansan Staff Reporter
A group of "free men" (no longer called hippies) will start a self supporting "free farm" next winter in Atchison, where residents will work for the benefit of all.
The farm will be a place "where any one can come to enjoy peace," said the freemen, who came to Atchison at the invitation of an Atchison girl who was in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco last summer.
"It is the only path left for the human race."
Surprisingly enough, the citizens of Atchison have accepted the freeman and are, for the most part, tolerant of their presence.
After a period of mutual distrust, when town drunks chased freemen through alleys and Dicky, a freeman, was found beaten up on the railroad tracks, relations have smoothed between the two groups.
A rumor circulated that the American Legion Post had started a petition to force the city council to evict the freemen, but Floyd Rhunke, commander of the post, said, "I am ashamed that anyone would even start a rumor of this sort. These people live across the street from my business and have conducted themselves in an orderly manner. I can see no reason for anyone to object to them."
"They are not bothering anybody, we ought to leave them alone," said George Manglesdorf, owner of a seed store in Atchison.
DICKY Beaten by the town drunk.
"They are not bothering anybody, we ought to leave them alone."
This seems to be the belief of the majority of townspeople, although back fence gossip by some ladies indicates there are some who don't approve.
Freeman do not beg for food from the bakery, as one rumor had it.
Paul Clebba, a freeman who once had hair down to his shoulders, has sworn it off and works in a factory on the night shift. John, a long-haired freeman who reads from the Bible, has a job painting a tavern that is soon to open downtown.
The freemen base their philosophy on Revelations, chapter II, where a woman gave birth to the free men. Clebba says he is not a U.S. citizen, but rather an American. "The Bible says man cannot serve both God and man," he said.
"The big countries realize there will be no war between them because it would be the end of mankind."
★ ★ ★
Clebba says he has chosen to serve God. He is wanted for draft evasion and is on parole for a narcotics charge. He said he recognizes neither the war in Vietnam nor the draft.
"The big countries realize there will be no war between them because it would be the end of mankind. War is a business, an excuse for government to unload goods and create jobs." Clebba said.
Clebba said he feels an age of mental and spiritual uplift is coming.
"It is the only path left for the human race." Clebba would like to see spiritual and religious leaders run the nation instead of politicians.
John said politicians are like ants, "they hide their work under the surface, but underneath their work is rotten."
When talking of his and Cleb-
FREE MAN AND FRIEND
John, the organizer of the "free farm" being started near Atchison, talks with Lindy, the girl who visited Haight-Ashbury last summer and invited her friends to come visit Kansas.
ba's narcotics charge, John's face flushed with anger.
"These guys came in and wanted to buy some grass, so I sold it to them."
"These guys came in and wanted to buy some grass, so I sold it to them. Then they came back later and busted the place. They didn't have any search warrant or anything, they just came right in and took the stuff from us," John said.
FLOYD RHUNKE "I can see no reason for anyone to object to them."
Let's Go On A SANDY'S Picnic
Come on over and get all the food from Sandy's. What an easy way to have a good picnic—no food to fix, no dishes to wash! Sandy's does everything! And there's a nice park and picnic area right next door too!
2120 W. 9th
"When a person takes drugs, the effect is like taking someone and shaking them to wake them up. What seems real is not: drugs help to find reality," John said.
John wants to start the free farm because he likes the peace and tranquility of the country. But he will, on occasion, go back to San Francisco because it is a "good place to learn." He wants to be on the free farm when the revolution, he says is coming, takes place.
Photos by Mike Walker
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