The evening world. Newspaper, August 5, 1922, Page 8

cer oie ete oe A'Cupids Court’22 S388heH UpicS COUNT: coo: LON HE Started in Jest, It Develops in Earnest and Puts Hammonton, N. J., ‘‘On the Map”’ in 3 Now Lover Co-operative Union, Devised by Editor Delker and Storekeeper Conley as Mail Order **Marriage Market,’’ Will Mate Writers of Hundreds of Daily Letters, Chosen by Mixed Jury of Seven By J. B. Calvo. Gopsright, 1922 (New York Evening World) by Press Publishing Any LL my life 1 have looked for love—and IN iove has passed me } by.” That sentence, taken from one of 2,006 let- received ters already by the Lovers’ Co-operative Union, in Hammonton, N. J., epitomizes the reasons why the Lovers’ Co-operative Union, which started as a jest, to-day fw a serious undertaking in which half a dozen earnest men and women have dedicated themselves to the task of bringing love to the thousands and thoysands of men and women in the United States who have searched for it in vain. ‘ Thomas B. Delker, editor of the South Jersey News, published in Hammonton, is correspondent for a number of newspapers, and one day several weeks ago he suggested to his friend, Lewis S. Conley, proprietor of a cigar store, that they concoct a plan of holding a “love lotter: ask- ing lonely men and women to send in their names, to be placed in a ballot box and drawn out in couples, the pairs to be mated. “| planned this only as a jest that might make a feature story I could send to my papers,” Delker candidly admitted to-day. “I asked Conley to let me use his name as organizer and sent the story out, thinking that would be the end of it. Then they begun to arrive,” he ended, pointing to huge piles of letters. ‘The letters, which continue to ar- rive at the rate of 200 in each mail, soon made Delker and Conley realize thet their jest had got out of hand—that they were caught in a net of their own weaving. For the letters took the project seriously. The letters touched a degree of pathos of which neither Delker nor Conley had any thought. They voiced a lonely appeal that Delker and Conley could not deny or ignore, for there was in them a poignant and a wistful note that was not to be lightly put aside. So the Lovers’ Co-operative Union graduated from the field of jest into the field of sincere undertaking, and to-day Delker and Conley are awed and amazed at the enormous job they have shouldered, but determined to eee it through, Both realize that it is a job too big for just two men and they have taken others, who believe in them and in the letters, into the enterprise. Hammonton, J, has ceased to be merely a way station be- tween Philadelphia and Atlantic City and has become a definite spot upon the map. Briefly, the Lovers’ Co-gpe: tive Union propo: to bring lonely couples together, object matrimony! The union differs from a matrimonial ageney in that there is nothing commercial about it, and in that it is etriv- ing to apply common sense and intelligence to its task. Lonely men and lonely women are invited to send in applications to the Lewis S. Conley, Delker’s associate in the “Love Lot- tery,” which proved an unexpected “boomerang.” THE EVENING WORLD, SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1922. Pr) Love’s Atlas Lovers’ Co-operative Union, They Will be a classification of Catholics, ready have come in, asking for ques then ¥ sent a questionnaire. The Protestants, Jews, &c tionnaires, to eateh the spirit of th dient eis decidedly to the point. When the first several thousand Lovers’ Co-operative Union. It is al It asks, of course, for the full name, auestionnaires have been properly in the spirit, the elusive something tecedents, height, #touy Delker and Conley will go the letters that grips and that lifted pletion, dolor ofieye over them with care, When they this project out of the realm of jc ant, and then embraces are agresd that the questionnaire of a into serious being. These two t vory ‘pertinent inet certain woman conforms to the ques- sand letters are straight from ie from religion, occupat ind tionnaire filled out by @ certain man, hun hearts of men and wom al statue, ‘If not in good health, from what ailment are you suffering?” is a question it asks, “Have you any special talents, such as music, painting, elo- cution?” “Do you prefer to live in a city, a small town, a suburban home or a farm?” “Educational qualifications?” “What is your idea as to build, appearance, tastes, education, financial position, &e., of your desired mate “Tell in det: of your own per- sonality.” Mrs, ‘Judge” len Long Rodgers, of “Cupid’s Court,” vote will decide ties when the “jury” of six dis- whose agrees. T could swing. If e wife with that ick I think I'd woman of my ties, to 1 “T am quite without means, and 1 extracts were tak oh! so lonely, and if a goo { dom to-day from 5 ps 500 of the 500 fully 4 irths were sincere, It is that man gave me re would en- leavor to ving fo al jn thes edt the Union into a © make up the lack of not law having any means.” s letter was ! Co from New York City—t Bronx. “I am a little cranky and not so good looking,” wrote anoth New a they York girl, from Brooklyn, “but I won f the republl wid. a prize at cooking school, and I yearn |! why t really should be @ ten the woman will be sont a copy so to get awa these lonely people together, You j of that man's questionnaire, together SEAS DDBOnE GS ms how often it is that you | with the references he has supplied. Proposal came into i Pe nn Dope Noles The woman will be expected to look that love would flow f ; : chee ea ieee yet muss them without a wor: n gratitude. 1 “Every time I ! up the references and, if otherwise pleased, to begin a correspondence with the man. If Delker and Conley have picked wisely, the correspond- ence, it is hoped, will blossom into mutual affection and in marriage, If the correspondence proves unsuccess- ful to this end, either the man or me one, as es, with wh t congenial, if both every night when’l say my pr y would be mo: only knew! Phere isn't any that 1 may agency, and the matrimonial ageucius and a mother are mostly not to be trusted, and a ure after the money they can get out of it rather than with any pray to God to let me meet s sovernmental who will care for n make him a good wi to his children, T am writing neere questionnaire, because, perhar woman, or both, may apply again to may be God's way of answering my ‘hat a why there inns ue wets the union and another effort will be prayers,” wrote a girl from Indiana. for the Lovers’ Co-operative Union, ‘made to find a suitable mate. live on a farm mi , and I know of no better way in which town and seldom see any men,” one | CAN be of service to my countr If Delker and Conley are unable to agree as to the adaptability of a man and a woman to each other, the mat- ter then is to be submitted to a court —a new kind of Domestic Relations Court. For this court Delker and Conley have selected seven of their friends, in whom they have oconfi- and to world than in a serious effort to bring lonely folk togetl That's why I'm doing it’ _Delker, who is really the brains of the unton in {ts present stage, hus been owner and editor of the South Jersey News for twenty-two years, and when Woodrow Wilson was a fa sand tor in Jersey politics he fought Wil from Missourl. "I little girl wr know I would be a good w farmer, and I'm not so bad looking, only I meet so few men.” And so they come, 200 in a mail, adding to the 2,000 already received, ‘The letters have come from cit dence and who have confidence in towns, villages and farms, from near ok oe ee n a littie Paver hae : 0 » he has among his them and thelr plan, ‘These will in- und from as far away as Canada and t cherished possessions letters clude @ maareied iin audve iomreied Georgia. Of course, not all of them from the ex-President in thanks and woman, a widow and a widower, and sre se pathetic ne cothert) Core ae ee ee ee inhis tome tai eae 5 high standing in his co ; a bachelor and u spinster. The aeed, are quaintly humorous. Take fo Harmmont ; 1 Lape Pa i mmonton de ) under seventh 1s to be a woman, who will these, for example: nd the sudden fame that has come preside as Judge and cast a deciding “Lam @ widow ict sixty-two, UE “to. tf there lee nos: ln elke! ou'll have to find a yo man and in Conley that 3 well for th vote in event the ju y of six should The seven have been decided upon and have signified thetr willingness and thelr enthusiasm to serve, but for the present they pre- fer to remain unnamed, until the union actually has started upon its - eer. Only one name has been dis- for me. M of the men of my aterpri Delker is Thomas B, Delker, who planned the “Love Lottery” aM POW 4 in cold storage.” Teh aneulcte soap ee en : ; ; jed daughters and a son who {s in finds his hands full, as he demonstrates by holding two pack- “Lam thirty \-fledged Amer- the automobile business in Hammon- ages of the missives from yearning, would-be wooers- iean, willing to take a chance fail to agree ix, f Conley also is fifty-two, and he, Avie 8 a widower, although he hag “T am ren. Acquaint me Neither Delker nor Conley, who now No dead one or give much of their time to the union, thought with fifty, And by no means the least of the i some food fellow. questions 1s thi ys—not has any t 5 closed—that of tho woman who will some of whom have come far down widowers who find life empty alone; one with chips on his shoulders —p Sate nara taraat i See “Give two references, one (if preside as Juc She is Mrs, Helen the lane of Life, without meeting nearly all are sincere. for me, Iam full of life myself and eee een te Mowarde foe nen possible) from a pastor or priest.” Jone Rodg wife of a prominent Love, and who are willing to over- “Tama Saw! h girl, past the chick- Want a friend equally BO. ther than the ction ata lane It is planned, when t ques- Hammonton business man. come a natural retice ppeal en age, and I have never been mar- = “I want 4 nice, clean man. 7 well done if they are able to bring tionnaires ret to fy them in That is the plan, it js simple, but to such a source as the 1 Co- ried, but 1 believe that I would make was really a man, Lam ss into just a few lives. A . number of Virst, those that not so simple inds, for it will operative Union for aid. Some aro some Jewish man a good wife,” writes * 1 e him t aaah ante megane Peles viously are lesirabie will be involve @ mass of detail and organ- from widows who find it lonesome one who, after signing her name, ap- own two apartments and have nselves from among thrown away at oF nd given no teation and w so much so that alone; some are from maids pended: “J am so ashamed!" heen sucee n running them, but the answ u naires, Each che nw “ crious Delker und Conley have given up thelr whose twilight dreams still are of ‘I am thirty-five yeurs of age, I the real estate agents charge me a0 Si) ; vee nes will 1 0 to intention of ho a first drawing, some man who may bring them life's hope honorable, 1 have had the bene- h for collecting my rents ‘d } tr . ee 30, 40 to 4¢ then or court, on Aug, 16, a8 they fir complement; some from young fit of refining influences and am a to marry 1 cay e wno t 1 Stat will be ela pinsters, planned, and now are busy preparing girls who are not thrown into contact good sewife, Once I was courted, Ye my property f e ei i widows, wit it ible the questionnare mailing and for with boys they can consider it he died and then for some years { have been ve fi n " Y classificstic for their proper \cation when they as husbands; some are fro 1 had no thought of going with an- business have acc 1 ‘ ne i ¥ “ a : anen py city, suburban town untry return bachelors who still dream of other man, But, surely, somewhere 00 t it is all tied ditt r 1 to bring love to One m 1 the letters that al- and hor on there 1 oman who would like a ¢ a4 . now bt ven \l | \