Open forum, vol. 2, no. 18 (May, 1925)

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Facts are the Skeleton of Truth

~ THE OPEN FORUM

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, MAY 2, 1925

The Issue In This Campaign

By J. H. Ryckman

We find ourselves on the eve of the most important

municipal election in the history of Los Angeles.

It is important not only because a new city charter

is to be tried out and unprecedented vice conditions

prevail and a great harbor is to be developed, but

because we have reached a critical point in the ex-

periment this city hag been working out with great

success in municipal ownership of water, light, heat

and power.

The next mayor of this city will be either Mayor

Gryer or Judge Bledsoe. Both are able, honest and

incorruptible, if judged by the records they have

made as citizens and public officers. Let us assume

that either will equally well try out the new charter,

hold crime in check and honestly administer the har-

bor. But what about the remaining problem-light,

power and water?

That is the supreme issue in this campaign. Here

two warring philosophies meet face to face-out and

out public ownership, operation and control of public

utilities, as for example, the post office and the Pana-

ma Canal by the United States, and water, light and

power by the City of Los Angeles, or private owner-

ship, operation and control by private enterprise

under government supervision. These two principles

are forever in irrepressible conflict. They cannot sur-

vive side by side. They are now hanging in the

balance in the United States. Which is to triumph?

Los Angeles igs the key city in the struggle. The

eyes of the world are turned toward us because

here municipal, ownership, operation and control of

certain public utilities hag been an outstanding, suc-

cess. By a gigantic engineering feat thought out

by William Mulholland and his

efficient staff, now all supporting Mayor Cryer, water

has been brought 250 miles over gorges and canyons

and rugged mountains, without which this beautiful

city of 1,200,000 people could not have been. Then

in spite of seemingly insuperable obstacles inter-

posed by the forces now back of Judge Bledsoe, a

modicum of heat, light and power has come to be

Owned by the city, likewise scoring a great success

and placing Los Angeles in the front rank among the

sreat cities of the world in municipal enterprise.

The last audit of the books of our Bureau of Power

and Light show a net profit for the year ending June

30, 1924, of $3,051,806, out of gross receipts of $9,-

802,092

and accomplished

" after deducting therefrom the items of opera-

ting expense, maintenance cost, depreciation and

Interest on bonds. Murthermore, we enjoy the lowest

rates of any large city in the United States.

Is Log Angeles, the cynosure of the eyes of the

world, to he longer heralded as a fine exemplifica-

tion of the principle of public ownership vs. private

Ownership? Not if Judge Bledsoe and Harry Chand-

Com, theySouthern Pacific and the Chamber of

Tce can help it. It is often asked by the

ee sticated why Judge Bldesoe should resign a

He position On the Federal Bench worth a minimum

of $7500 per year life to become mayor of

Angeles for four years at $10,000 per. The answer

fl ane pidge Bledsoe ig the only man in this city

Ing the ghost of a Mayor Cryer.

i elected he j four and

0 whom will

millions. If

one

for Los

is easy,

chance to beat

8 taken care of

the Snemies of public

Serve he wil] be worth

defeated he will be put

or more power

Make $7509

Derplexea bec

anc rung for

for

ownership

uncomputed

on the legal

corporations at a that

look like 30 don't

auUSe a federal judge resigns just now

mayor of Los Angeles.

years,

he

staff of

will

be

salary

cents. Please

| charge '

itn Vee "ge that there is a nationwide conspiracy

Al a : : :

W and fo} some time past to discredit the

principle

this cent Of public Ownership of public utilities in

cuntry and that' Harry Chandler and the well

known men back of him are part of that conspiracy

and that Judge Bledsoe has been chosen by them

as the most eligible person with whom to attempt the

first breach in the ramparts of public ownership.

All our natural resources, coal, iron, copper, oil, lum-

ber, land, much water power have passed into the

hands of private ownership. Some Giant Power, like

Muscle Shoals, the Colorado, the Columbia remains.

The fight at Washington recently over Muscle

Shoals disclosed the contending forces and the lines

of contest. On one side the General Hlectric, the

Southern California HMdison and their allied interests

seeking to have Muscle Shoals turned over to them,

and if it had not been for the heroic fight made by

Senator Norris, backed by Senators Johnson, Howell,

Couzens, Ladd, Frazier, LaFollette, Shipstead and

the rest, the effort might have succeeded. When

Congress meets again the effort may succeed. Cool-

idge and his cabinet are opposed to public ownership

and are now lending all possible aid to discrediting

the principle.

Recently there was issued at Washington a broad-

side by the Smithsonian Institution attacking the

Hydro-Electric Power System of Ontario. This

broadside, sponsored by our government and circu-

lated in cooperation with the Nation's Business,

organ of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce with which

the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce is affiliated,

with the New England Bureau of Public Service In-

formation and the Illinois Committee of Public Utility

Information-all agents of power companies-is a

tissue of lies, exaggeration, misrepresentations, false

and misleading inference, unfounded and

gross perversion of facts. The Canadian Government

has felt impelled to publish a refutation of this foul

attack upon a governmental department of a friendly

people. This refutation is by Sir Adam Beck, head

of the Hydro-Hlectric Power Commission of Ontario

and well known Southern California. Sir

Adam Beck cannot understand how our government

criticism

here in

can be guilty of such a gross breach of international

amity as to lend itself to such a milignant and men-

dacious attack upon the beneficent

ever undertaken by a great people for the promotion

of their own welfare and happiness.

most enterprise

The Smithsonian

Institution is an agency of our

government, endowed by an WBnglishman named

Smithson to promote science. Its members are the

President and his Cabinet, the vice-president and the

Chief Justice. Sir Adam Beck is so old-fashioned

that he cannot understand how our government can

sanction and circulate

false and exaggerated state-

ments concerning a branch of the Government of

a.friendly neighboring state. A close-up of the

men at Washington would enlighten him. They are

all sincere and honest men, but like Judge Bledsoe

and Harry Chandler, they think public ownership is

a kind of bolshevism, just as the Tories of Canada

who fought Hydro-Hlectric for Ontario called it bol-

and bolshevism makes the blood of stand-

patters run cold, Catch one of them in an alley after

night-fall and shout Soviet at him and he will drop

dead,

shevism

Sir Adam Beck shows the Ontario Giant Power

project represents an investment of $250,000,000, sup-

plying over 880 municipalities with

energy at from 1/5 tol/10 of the

this country by government-regulated public utili-

Notwithstanding these low rates the Power

Commission has collected about $7,000,000 in excess

of and the cities retailing to consumers about

$15,500,000 in excess of cost to them. Thus the con-

sumers are freed for all time from the necessity of

paying profits to private capitalists. Can the plund-

er-bund of the United States permit such a splendid

hydro-electric

rates charged in

ties.

cost

demonstration of public ownership in Canada to poi-

son. the minds of the American people and inoculate

them with bolshevism? Banish the thought. Shall

Los Angeles be a party to socializing the Colorado

river with another example of successful public own-

ership? Let the voters answer.

Mayor Cryer stands 4-square for the Swing-John-

son Bill, which means a 605 feet high dam at Boulder,

built, operated and controlled by the United States

to furnish at cost as in Canada water and Giant

Power to all the people so situated to be served. It

means also an all-American canal which will bring

under cultivation 500,000 acres in California now

without water. Judge Bledsoe says he favors "Boulder

Dam or some similiar project to be carried out pref-

erably under government ownership or supervision."

Ah, there's the rub. We don't want "supervision."

The Edison Co. is now offering to build a high dam

at Boulder under "Government supervision.' The

Hdison Co. knows the "government''-it's Coolidge,

Dawes and Weeks and Wilbur-all deadly enemies

of public ownership.

Who are behind Cryer? Dr. Haynes and Mullhol-

land and Scattergood and Mathews and all the men

who have made public ownership a success in Los

Angeles. Who are behind Judge Bledsoe? The Times,

the Express, the Southern Pacific, the Santa Fe, the

Edison Co., and all the forces of reaction that car-

ried to defeat the Water and Power Act at the polls

in 1922 and 1924-an act sponsored by such public-

spirited citizens as Dr. John R. Haynes, William

Kent and Rudolph Spreckels-a Dill designed ``to

conserve, develop and control the waters of the state

for the use and benefit of the people" and declared

by Gifford Pinchot to be the best public ownership

bill ever drawn.

To defeat this bill the power companies expended

more than $500,000 as their agents admitted when in-

vestigated. Much of this fund found its way into

the pockets of the very men and women who are

now supporting Judge Bledsoe. A bill of particulars

will be furnished on request. Futhermore, the

Chandler syndicate owns 800,000 acres of land in

Mexico, only 160,000 of which is under water now

from the canal which serves Imperial valley leaving

the Colorado three miles this side the Mexican line

and running some 60 miles thro Mexico before re-

entering the United States to serve Imperial Valley

farmers. The Swing-Johnson bill proposes to super-

sede this canal with an all-American canal. The

Chandler interests want water for their 540,000 acres

now arid. We want it for a like area in Imperial

Valley. That's the difference. Ask Judge Bledsoe

about it.

The issue is clear. It means public ownership for

service at cost vs. private ownership for profit at all

the traffic will bear. It means maintaining the prin-

ciple of public ownership or yielding it up to the

plunderbund. The former means Cryer for mayor;

the latter means Bledsoe.

- SR scvereniemshans

The order of Cleveland's Public Safety Direetor

in dispersing a communist meeting last Tuesday

held to protest political persecution of communists in

Poland will be contested by the American Civil Lib-

erties Union which today wired its Cleveland attorn-

eys to act in the matter.

According to the information received by the Civil

Liberties Union the meeting was dispersed by the

police when an attempt was made to take a collec-

tion to defray expenses. The meeting was under the

auspices of a branch of the International Red Aid

which had held a similar meeting the day before but

was unmolested by the police.

"Director

warranted,"

Liberties

Barry's action looks to us wholly un-

Roger N. Baldwin, director of the Civil

Union. States, "The communists had a

legal right to hold this meeting and to take up a

collection, Police interference with the meeting was

apparently based on some regulation concerning the

public collection of funds, So far as we know this is

the first radical meeting broken up on such a pre-

text, Whether or not we shall take the matter into

the courts depends upon advice from our Cleve-

land attorneys."

Federated Press

hail its hin whibed e ind " a opera

TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?

By R. W.

It is known to all who are familiar with the stofy

of the American Revolution that Thomas Paine be-

gan his famous series of articles, published under the

title, "The Crisis" with the phrase which became

proverbial, "These are the times that try men's

souls." That was in 1776. Six years later, when

he published the last of the series, he wrote, "7'he

limes that try men's souls are over." How could

he have believed it then? How much less would he

voice such shallow optimism today?

"To whom shall we go?" in the more critical and

more troublous times that are upon us now? Shall

we hark back to our American Revolutionary fath-

ers? And if we do what is the word they have to

say; is it that of the "patriots" or the "rebels" of

our time? Or shall we hie us to the politicians for

counsel and guidance, those who made "manhood

suffrage' their slogan and believed apparently that

the people needed but the ballot in order to settle

all our social problems satisfactorily? - Shall we

"appeal to reason," as even the radicals of a quarter

of a century ago professed to do in strong confidence

that the people only needed to be told the truth in

order to follow it? Or shall we put our trust in

Minltoy and saliriism, `and `heroism'? Or; as

some would have us do, shall we trust that the

strong men of our civilization, our financial over-

lords, will themselves grant the people the relief

that must come to them, and will lead the way into

the better social order that is to be? "To whom shall

we go?" That is the question many earnest folks

are asking most eagerly just now, as they seek for

some way out of the present world mess.

The papers which follow, compact as they are,

cover the main lines of my thinking on these lines

in recent years, thinking which [I have tried to set

out more for the stimulus of other men's thought

than for the insistence upon my own reasoning and

solution, All that is asked for them is a very care-

ful reading, and a willingness to face the issues which

are discussed here without any of that hysteria

which commonly takes the place of reasoning when

we are dealing with social situations in America,

and, if possible, with a fair measure of freedom from

committment to this or that party program or pan-

acea. The first thing that is required of all of us

is that we shall face the facts as courageously and

candidly aS we may.

R. W.

The Appeal To Revolution

It is curious how timid Americans are about the

use of that word, revolution. One might easily imagine

that they had never heard the word until now, and

had never had any experience of the thing itself.

Yet we have talked and written for generations

about the American revolution as if it were the

biggest thing that ever happened. We are immensely

proud of "the revolutionary fathers,' and commonly

capitalize every word of it, that their honor may have

its full importance. And the utmost of American

respectability and the guarantee of American cou-

servatism is to be one of "The Sons of The American

Revolution," or to belong to that other inner frater-

nity of American worthies, the "D.A.R." that is, the

"Daughters of the American Revolution."

The Declaration of Independence affirms plainly or

quite definitely implies these four things, which are

therefore entitled to be regarded as good 100 per cent

American doctrine. (1) The right of revolution.

(2) The right of violent revolution. (3) The right

of such revolution ``"whenever' government fails to

accomplish its true ends, if remedy is not otherwise

to be had. (4) The "whenever" of such failure to be

measured not by political or institutional standards,

but by the issue as to whether government does actu-

ally promote the security, the prosperity, and the

happiness of the people. In other words govern-

ments are to be tried out not by the form they hap-

pen to take, whether monarchy, oligarchy, republi-

canism, or democracy, but on vital and economic

grounds, do they supply the common people with the

reasonable comforts of everyday life? If they do

not, and there is no other effective way of being rid

of them, the people have the right to repudiate them,

and if need be to put them away, even by force.

In his First Inaugural Address Abraham Lincoln

re-afirmed this right of the people to "alter or

abolish" their government when it fails to meet the

real ends for which governments ought to exist, the

actual everyday welfare of the people. Lincoln also

contemplated the possibility of violence having to be

used, and did not shrink from it. Woodrow Wilson,

sixty years later, in quite unequivocal terms main-

tained the same right of revolution, and admitted

that our historic origins make it impossible for us

to deny that right. If this is not good American

doctrine there is no doctrine which can bring to its

suport better endorsement, or more of justification in

the actual conduct of American affairs in the great

crises of our national life.

But, it will be said, the right of revolution is only

a majority right. And where the ballot prevails gov-

ernment can be altered or abolished in that way, and

no other way belongs to the people until they have

exhausted that appeal.

Well, let us see whether these positions, reasonable

as they seem, are actually in accord with the facts.

The American people of 1776 were certainly not a

majority within the government of which they were

a part. "Each of the American colonies was at that

time under the government of Great Britain, and so

acknowledged its loyalty to the English throne. The

revolt that was carried out successfully was a minor-

ity movement if we have regard to the subjects of

that throne as a whole.

Moreover it is altogether likely that they were a

minority in the colonies themselves when the revolt

against Britain began. It is a matter of history that

there were at one time twenty five thousand Ameri-

can colonists fighting under the English colors

against the revolt, and that the total of those who

thus fought to put down the revolt was greater than

the total number of Americans that George Wash-

ington ever had under his command at any one time.

The war was really a civil war. The conservatives

on this side of the sea were not for the American rev-

ultion, and the progressives on the other side of the

sea were for it. One Hundred Thousand Americans

left the United States, that is the territory after-

wards organized as such, and made new homes in

Canada and elsewhere under the British flag, rather

than submit to the new government which was born

of the revolution. It is open to question whether

at any time previous to the actual declaration of

independence a majority of the colonists would have

supported independence if the matter had been sub-

mitted to a referendum. But the right of the colo-

nists to be free did not depend upon a majority vote.

Certainly the right of Massachusetts to be free did

not depend upon whether a majority in South Caro-

lina would have sustained that right.

But suppose we come closer to our own times, and '

test the issue as to whether actual human rights de-

pend upon the consent of a legal majority in every

case. The black slaves were not a majority at any

time previous to 1860 in the United States as a whole.

In some states, as in South Carolina, they were

in the majority; in Kentucky they were not. Was

their right to freedom any less in Kentucky than it

was in South Carolina? Was it any less in the

Union as a whole than it was in the blackest belt of

the south? Had John Brown succeeded in leading a

thousand, or ten thousand out to freedom would their

right to freedom have been any the less than that

of ten times or a hundred times that number? Are

human rights majority rights, after all?

However the blacks did not have the ballot. Well,

suppose the ballot had been their's. Would it have

been incumbent upon them to wait for their rights

until a majority of all the voters in the United States,

black and white, had granted them freedom through

the ballot? Or even until a majority of the blacks

themselves had been converted to such an exercise of

their franchise? Would there have been no right of

revolt on' the side of freedom until the majority had

effected political organization and exercised political

action so as to command that result? And let us

go one step farther. What if they had waited until

they had the majority, had voted so, and a white

fascisti had refused them freedom then? What then?

But what about the ballot?

===,

Gallagher Goes Free |

Attorney Leo Gallagher who was arrested in the

police raid upon the open air meetings at the Dlazg

on Washington's birthday was released by Judge

Pope from all proceedings against him when hig Cage

came up before that judge on April 22nd. A pre.

vious trial before a jury, on April 6, had resulted

in a disagreement of the jury, some of them appar.

ently being carried away by the utterly Outragenys

attack of the Prosecuting Attorney upon Mr. Gallo.

gher and the American Civil Liberties' Union, which

the prosecutor insisted upon dragging into the cage,

It is an easy thing these days to wave the red flag

in front of a jury in any case where radicals oy

their friends are involved, and so to stampede their

judgment as to incline the weak-minded among then

to a verdict of guilty whether there is any evidence

to support such a verdict or not. Judge Pope dig.

missed the case after hearing the two chief Witnesses

for the prosecution, without waiting for further testi.

mony, or calling any witnesses for the defense,

Back of this prosecution of Attorney Gallagher

there is an issue of more than incidental and Der:

sonal importance. We recited recently in these C0!:

umns several instances in which attorneys have

been disbarred from further practice in United States

courts because they have been fair enough and

brave enough to dare defend radicals who were on

trial under extreme class-war laws. The most COn

Spicuous instance is that of Attorney Elmer Smith, of

Centralia, Washington, who has suffered this in-

justice at the hands of the legal higher-ups because

he has stood in the way of the higher-ups of the

lumber trust. A similar animus has been manifest

in the attacks upon Attorney Gallagher, who has

been twice arrested now under circumstances that

gave not the slightest justification for such arrest

merely because his courageous and unselfish service

to working-class men who were unwarrantably seized

upon by the police has stood in the way of such

official tyranny being recognized with conviction

in the courts. For similar reasons Roger Baldwin

of New York was arrested by the police of Patter

son, New Jersey, and convicted before a Patterson

judge who has sentenced him to six months in jail,

although Baldwin's only real offense was that he had

dared to defend striking workingmen in the exercise

of their legal rights of assemblage and free speech.

This also is the reason why prosecuting attorneys

are allowed to villify the American Civil Liberties'

Union before California juries, not. because the

American Civil Liberties' Union sponsors radicalism,

as such, for it does not, but because it insists upon

a fair deal for the radical and everybody else. The

dismissal of the case against Attorney Gallagher is

a very welcome emphasis of the fact that there isa

limit to the extent to which our courts can be used

for punishing men who still own their own souls,

and dare speak up for the rights of their fellows

under the most adverse circumstances.

ee ee

ABOUT ROGER BALDWIN

Endorsement of the action taken by Roger N.

Baldwin in the Paterson silk strike last October re

sulting in his sentence of six months for "unlawiul

assembly." and a statement to the effect that "Judge

Deianey convicted the entire American Civil Liber -

ties Union when he sentenced its director," was made

today by John Haynes Holmes on behalf of the Ex

ecutive Committee of the Union.

The statement, which is being sent to the membels

of the Civil Liberties Union, was made by Joli

Haynes Holmes, chairman, Dr, Henry Linville, Wo!

COLULE sPitkiny Be awe Huebsch, Joseph Schlossbers,

Norman Thomas, Robert Morss Lovett, Arthur Gar

field Hays, James Weldon Johnson and John Nevil

Sayre.

"Mr. Baldwin took full responsibility for arrangile

the meeting as our representative," the Union's state

ment declares. "The executive committee authorized

and endorsed what he did and it is therefore the

Civil Liberties Union which was on trial. It is WU

fortunate that we all could not have been tried with

him, and if he has to serve sentence that we all cal

not go to jail too.

"We hope, however, to get a ruling from the Su

reme Court of New Jersey which will settle once am!

for all the issue of police rule in Paterson which '

raised every time there is an industrial strugel

there. Paterson is almost unique among industrial

communities in this form of police dictatorshiP,

backed up by the local officials and the courts. W(R)

regard ourselves as commissioned to stop it, if we

can, and we propose to fight this case with that el)

in view." fs

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SAY SO

We want letters.

Lots of them.

From lots of people.

On lots of subjects.

BUT NOT LOTS OF WORDS.

Make them "Century Letters,"

that is letters of not more than

One Hundred words.

Write on subjects of general

interest.

Typewrite your letters,

if possible. If you are

interested in anything worth-

while, say so. But say it in

as few sentences as you can.

Sign your name. It will not be

used if you do not wish it

published, provided you say so. j

Let's make "SAY SO" the best

page of this paper. Mind you,

| be brief. And again, BE BRIEF.

oO:

A GALAXY OF LETTERS

By Ke GiG;

* * *

Altadena Dec, 13-(To the Editor of the Times):

In your editorial today in regard to Gloria Gould's

indictment of modern society and its foolish foibles

you justify its existence because once in a while it

dances for charity, that the poor Orphans may have

a Christmas dinner and that it also knits sox and

.sweaters for the soldiers. Surely it is a terrible in-

dictment of our present social system that the poor

victims of it should be dependent on such a pre-

carious method for their daily bread.

The State takes our money and squanders it in de-

vious ways-even to the extent of 93 per cent in

recent years- without our consent. The preserva-

tion of the human being is the least of its concern,

although Aristotle said over 2000 years ago that the

function of government is to see first that men live

and, second, that men live well-free from worry.

It can be done, why not try?

If, as you say, working women go to the movies

to see the "simulacra of society and its palatial set-

tings," are they helped or made happy by such ex-

hibitions of the vulgar rich? Noi noteatall: 21cent

seems only to make them envious and discontented;

or more probably disgusted. At least it will set them

to wondering why it is that there are such discrep-

ancies in life and where it comes from and if "God

'8 in His heaven," what is the matter with the world,

that the wicked and unscrupulous succeed and the

s00d and the faithful remain forever on the ground

floor of life.

So I consider your reasoning false and your just-

ification of the present social order a great delusion.

* * * *

April 12, 1925.

American Catholic Weekly,

New York City, New York.

Dear Sirg:

ara think that it is "weak minded and immoral'

to bring unwanted children into this `vale of

t "

ae and that the Catholic church cannot interfere

With "natural law."

Natural law ig indifferent to human welfare so it

are i human beings to do every thing in their

advanta Manage these natural laws to the greatest

ee a Ay the human race. If a human being

all the ee but the church says women must have

of Ginih he the Lord sends, it is nothing short

the "line: to bring them into the world to endure

88 and arrows of outrageous fortune."

Can you ex

"ouraging on}

wh

ig

Plain the object of the church in en-

at life m vy Rumbers regardless of conditions or

ing a aa It is a serious business, this creat-

before i Soul-and woman should consider long

` Ting a soul into the world to face life as

it ig toda

y, and . i

interfere the state or church has no right to

TO CERTAIN COLLECTORS OF FUNDS FOR

ORPHANS HOMES

Pasadena, Oalif.

April 14, 1925

- I feel that my refusal to contribute to the Orphans

Home needs an explanation, so I will enclose a

clipping of a letter that I wrote recently along those

lines.

In the first place, the State takes our money in

taxes and squanders as high as 85% for destructive

purposes. We should insist that these figures be

reversed (15% would be quite enough for destruc-

tion) and begin to build up a society founded on

justice and not on charity. Children, and all the

handicapped, must be taken care of by the State, and

not left to the whims of a few.

The method we use for raising money by all the

different drives is not the right way. It may be one

way of getting indifferent people to think of the

other fellow, but it is too precarious; human wel-

fare must rest on firmer foundations. In the mean-

time, I am glad to see you young society people tak-

ing an interest in your less fortunate brothers and

sisters; but I hope the day will come when you will

take up the fight for fundamental justice in earnest,

and never be satisfied with palliatives.

I dare say you will find plenty of charitable peo-

ple in Pasadena, and will raise your fund easily

where there are so many palaces for God and hovels

for human beings. Surely there will be just as

many who will want food, clothes, and shelter for

children; but as long as we have child slavery, un-

employment, political prisoners, unjust laws, war,

poverty in a land bursting with abundance my sur-

plus must go to help correct these fundamental evils,

and bring about the abolition of their causes.

% * * *

It is with feelings of sorrow and unspeakable bit-

terness of soul that I record my impressions of my

visit yesterday to our City Council and Board of

Supervisors, in company with Mads Howe and others,

in behalf of 55,000 unemployed. We had to wait

and wait and he shunted from one commission to

another while they talked and talked about repair-

ing roads and bridges and even vaccinating dogs,

but the woes of human beings were the very least

"business" they cared to consider. Why should these

disturbing conditions be brought to the notice of

the dispensers of our taxes? Did they ever hear that

the business of government is to see that all is

well with the governed?

Considering our widespread and much vaunted

progress of civilization and brotherhood of mankind,

why is this greatest of all problems left unsolved?

Where is the religious sentiment supposed to be

housed in our hosts of new churches? Truly life

itself no longer counts in the economy of nations.

Let us have big expensive churches to be used four

or six hours out of 168, while the son of man sleeps

on newspapers in the Midnight Mission; and no one

knows a remedy for this horror!

Sunday I heard Clinton N. Howard, Chairman of

the World Peace Commission, use more words against

war than I ever heard propounded by the most ard-

ent war resister, but he spoiled it all by admitting

the right of the state to take the only son of a widow

and drive her to death in an insane asylum!

Monday I heard Judge Bledsoe speak of uphold-

ing the "Majesty of the Law." So far as I have been

able to witness its workings in Los Angeles, and even

in his own court, I could find nothing majestic about

it; in fact instead of being inspired by any majesty

in its performance, I am incensed to the very roots

of my being. We cannot respect anything or any

person that does not merit respect,-not even our

country, not even our government, not even our

flag, when it stands for war, imperialism, or in-

justice.

oH.

About Prohibition

To the Editor of the Open Forum:

In reply to Upton Sinclair, in issue of April 11:

Because the use of alcohol sometimes (not ``often'')

"makes the individual a dangerous criminal or luna-

tic" is not a valid reason for depriving a whole nation

of the liberty to drink what it likes. It should be

safer, saner, cheaper to restrain the criminals and

lunatics.

Are we true friends of the working classes if we

exult over their being prevented from getting some-

thing they want, the value of which to them is for

them alone to appraise? Freedom of the individual

to select his diet at his own cost is more important

than saving a few morons from their appetites; and

the crimes that were due to alcoholism in pre-prohi-

bition days would be a small price to pay now for

freedom from the espionage, assault and invasion of |

the dry agents. Moreover we still have the crimes!

It should be pointed out that to say that "society

has the same right to prohibit the use of alcohol

as it has to prohibit burglary" is virtually to admit

the right of society to prohibit the carrying of I. W.

W. cards. .

The future generations that alcohol may now be

destroying can well be spared. Those that survive

its ravages will be all the more virile.

Finally, I do not think that we are true internation-

alists if we desire this nation to "win out" over

other nations.

Clarence Lee Swartz.

iH

100 per cent American and

1000 per cent Human

Los Angeles, Calif.

. April 20, 1925.

The Open Forum:

I had a friend, who upon the appearance in the

U. S. of the phrase "One hundred per cent Ameri-

can," at once said, "Nationalism is the devil."

He meant: the devil would be to pay if Interna-

tionalism, now in process of practical growth, should

be assailed by an American political party.

In face of the recorded history of the U. S., it seems

incredible that any such fatuous backward movement

could be set on foot!

The Declaration of Independence, as out of a clear

sky, was notification to the world of the arrival of

an one hundred per cent political America; with the

implication that all other peoples should prepare to

do likewise. That this invitation was involved in the

Declaration of the American Fathers is proved by the

instantaneous response it met from around the World.

The conscious seeds had been planted of a confrater-

nity of free nations. Inevitably the leaven worked.

Five generations later it had reached maturity,

when in the World War appeared the Wilson Four-

teen Points. Instantly again came the World re-

sponse. Countries and cities renamed streets and

buildings after the formulator of the far-reaching

World utterance.

At Versailles, not great enough to carry to em-

bodiment his World-acclaimed principles, the World

was left to fall back into the shallows of the old

divisive politics.

But the declaration of 1776 had taken a hand-grip

upon World democracy, supplemented in the Fourteen

Points.

Let the student of modern U. S. and World facts

not turn tail or take cover under a sorry Shiboleth

of "one hundred per cent American", that would think

to defeat the aim of the Fathers toward the World

end and aim.

Face to face, toe to toe, the little American must be

met with the World human goal.

FRED K. GILLETTE.

FH -_____-_

Sold !

Editor, Open Forum:

A few years ago, during the Harding regime, the

Congress refused to allow the Government to sub-

sidize American shipping companies, and the Liber-

als and Progressives rejoiced. It was a victory for

the people; people's money should not be turned

over to private corporations.

Now we hear that the U. S. Shipping Board "sold"

to the Robert Dollar Company seven great liners,

each costing the tax-payers over $7,000,000, for less

than $6,000,000. In other words, it sold them one

ship at the loss of over $1,000,000 and threw in the

other six for good measure.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if I'd read tomorrow

morning that they had sold the Capitol and White

House.

L.A.

wp

Boston University objects to being called a "Babbitt

University" and won't let its reserve officers training

corps be attacked in the school paper The Bean Pot.

Consequently, Henriette Perkins, editor, finds that

freedom of the press is not in her school and is

removed from office.

SSS 7th 550 coe eee

THE OPEN FORUM

Published every Saturday at 506 Tajo Building,

First and Broadway

Los Angeles, California, by The Southern California

Branch of The American Civil Liberties Union.

Phone: TUcker 6836.

MANAGING EDITORS

Robert Whitaker Clinton J. Taft "

LITERARY EDITOR

Esther Yarnell

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

J H. Ryckman

Doremus Scudder

Ethelwyn Mills

Upton Sinclair Kate Crane Gartz

Fanny Bixby Spencer

Leo Gallagher

Subscription Rates-One Dollar a Year, Five Cents

per Copy. In bundles of ten or more to one address,

Two Cents Each.

Advertising Rates on Request.

Entered as second-class matter Dec. 13, 1924, at

the post office at Los Angeles, California, under the

Act of March 3, 1879.

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1925

COMING EVENTS

KOK KR OR Kk wo

Los Angeles Open Forum, Music-Art Hall. 233

South Broadway, Sunday evening at 7-30 o'clock.

es

EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT-OPEN DISCUSSION

At Eight O'clock

A Free Education is Offered at

' EDUCATIONAL CENTER

By Industrial Workers of the World

INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD

224 South Spring Street, Room 218

a

`Free Workers Forum meets Monday Nights at

8:15 o'clock at 420 N. Soto St., (one block north of

Brooklyn Ave.).

----r------_

I.-B. W. A. FORUM

At the Brotherhood Hall, 508 Hast 5th St.

Sunday Afternoon Meeting 2:30 P.M.

All are Invited to Attend

John X. Kelly and J. HKads How, Committee

fo

PROLETARIAN FORUM

Every Sunday at 8 P. M.

ODD FELLOWS HALL

220% South Main Street

Questions and Discussion Freely Invited

Admission Free

a aa

Cantrell Will Speak

EK. A. Cantrell, the well-known lecturer, will speak

for the Pasadena Open Forum, in Carpenter's Hall,

Pasadena, on Friday evening, May 1, 1925, at 8 p. m.

Subject-``Radical America."

An Appreciation

The success which is attending the publication of

The Open Forum is a matter of congratulation to its

well-wishers,

How prompt its appearance every Friday morn-

ing! How pithy and pungent the meat it serves its

hungry readers! What a wealth of friends it has, as

indicated by the variety contributing to its peppy

columns. Not only that but notice who they are!

Long life and a bright future to these emissaries of

a better day! Yes, indeed! So say we all but-how

about sending in a bunch of subscriptions or a newsy

little ad? Such encouragements are invaluable and

never forgotton by earnest, over-worked men like our

two faithful editors. Let's really show them how

much we care! Remember it costs only a dollar.

MARY A. HATCH.

FH -

There is a kind of "good" which is the worst ene-

my of the best.

But He Wont

It seems a shame that there will never be

anything done with former Secretary Fall or

any of the other highbinders who gyped the

government in the oil deal. It has been an-

nounced that Fall will refuse to testify at the

hearing of the Teapot Dome case next week

in Cheyenne on the ground that his own testi-

mony may incriminate him.

, Of course, there is no use getting overly ex-

cited over this little steal in which Fall secured

but $100,000, a ridiculously low price, in my

opinion, for what he did. During the Wilson

administration the war grafters looted the coun-

try of millions and millions and no one thought

anything about it. Then along came this gang

of simple souls and got sums ranging from $100,-

000 to half a million, and the country became

greatly agitated.

If I were only a state legislator I wouldn't sell

out at the price some of these fellows did. There

is no use being a crook unless you are going

to be a good one. No one has any respect for

a petty thief, while a high-powered million-dol-

lar looter is the subject of envious eyes.

But in my belief, regardless of the sums Sse-

cured, there will never be any convictions and

the government won't get back any of its oil

leases. Had Fall stolen $10 there might have

- been a chance of convicting him, but under

the present charge he hasn't as much of a

chance of going to jail as I have.

On second thought, taking this comparison

into consideration, perhaps he will go to jail.

-Douglas Churchill in Daily News.

What Ails The World

"What ails the world mainly, at least in the

political sense, is that its governments are too

strong," declares H. L. Mencken, in an editorial in

the current issue of "The American Mercury." "The

American people profess to esteem liberty very high-

ly. They believe that the republic was actually

founded for the sole purpose of giving it to them.

Yet it must be obvious that their hold upon it is

always precarious, and that their government tries

to take it away from them whenever possible-

not completely, perhaps, but always substantially.

`Tg it a fact of no significance that robbing the

government is everywhere regarded as a crime of

less magnitude than robbing an individual, or even

a corporation? When a private citizen is robbed

a worthy man is deprived of the fruits of his in-

dustry and thrift; when the government is robbed

the worst that happens is that certain rogues and

loafers have less money to play with than they had

before.

"The average man, when he pays taxes, certainly

does not believe that he is making a prudent and

productive investment of his money; on the contrary,

he feels that he is being mulcted in an excessive

amount for services that, in the main, are useless

to him, and that, in substantial part, are downright

inimical to him.

"Two gangs thus stand confronted; on the one

hand the gang of drones and exploiters constituting

the government, and on the other hand the body of

prehensile and enterprising citizens.

"The difference between the two gangs-of profes-

sionals and of amateurs-is that the former has law

on its side, and so enjoys an unfair advantage. The

government gang is well nigh immune to punish-

ment. : :

"Government, today, is growing too strong to be

safe. There are no longer any citizens in the world;

there are only subjects."

2

The steel trust and its walled feudal domain: at

Gary is described in the leading article in The In-

dustrial Pioneer for April, published at 1001 W. Mad-

ison St., Chicago. The author is John A. Gahan, who

contributed a brief account of the slave conditions

in Gary to The Federated Press several weeks ago.

Federated Press.

"Beauty And The Bolshevik,' which could not be

given when announced before, will be given at the

Co-operative Center, 2706 Brooklyn Ave., `Sunday,

May 38rd to Friday May 8th. Six Nights-Time, 7:30

p.m.-Admission, 35c; Children, 20c.

Los Angeles

OPEN FORUM

MUSIC ART HALL

233 South Broadway

SUNDAY NIGHTS, 7-30 O'CLOCK

Program for May

May 3-"CREATIVE CONDUCT AND LIFR, by

JAMES FISHER, former San Francisco editor, j,

has been a close student of affairs and may he y

pended upon to give a vigorous, interesting addrey

Music by SAMUEL JELIKOVSKY, tenor, and Mr

S. MIDDLEMAN, violinist.

May 10-DEBATE on the question, "RESOLYq)

THAT CONGRESS BY A TWO-THIRDS. yor

SHOULD HAVE POWER TO REENACT Lay

MAKING VALID ACTS DECLARED. UNCONST,

TUTIONAL BY THE SUPREME COURT." Affirm,

tive, University of Redlands, Mr. Andrus,. Mr. Orto,

Negative, University of Southern California, Mr. No

Lewis, Mr. William Barber, both students of th

University of Southern California, who have returnej

from an extensive trip among the colleges debating

this question. Music by HOWARD GRIFFIN, violip.

ist, accompanied by MISS CLAUDE WILLIAMS

the piano.

May 17-"THE ECONOMIC FOUNDATIONS OF TH

MODERN ECONOMIC WORLD" by EDWARD CAN?

RELL. Our audience is well acquainted with thy

lecturer who has twice before appeared on the Foru

platform. He knows how to handle his subject wel,

Music by J. M. FIX, a violinist of the old schoo

He made his own instrument and will play pie

that were popular a hundred years ago.

May 24-"FREUD AND' PSYCHOANALYSIS" by

PROF. ARTHUR BRIGGS of the Los Angeles Lay

School. Everyone should be familiar with the Freut.

ian philosophy whether he takes any stock in it o

not. Dean Briggs is ably qualified to make this,

most interesting evening.

COHN, phenomenal boy pianist.

May 31-"THE PRICE OF LIBERTY" by ROBERT

WHITAKER." During the days when America wa

carried away with the World War there was muti

talk of liberty, from "Liberty Bonds" to "Liberty

Steaks." Of recent years liberty and democrat

both seem to be at a discount. What is liberty'

What is the movement of the world today, towail

liberty, or away from it? Are we ever going ti

get liberty, and when, and how? All who know I

Whitaker know that what he has to say on thes

lines will be outright, and interesting. Nobody i

asked to agree with him, but everybody is welcome

to hear him.

EXPIRATION NOTICE

Dear Friend: If you find this paragraph encircle

with a blue pencil mark it means that your sil:

scription to "The Open Forum" expires next week

We hope that you have found it indispensable, ant

will therefore immediately fill out the blank belov

`and send it in to us, together with the money fi!

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Bnelosed* find: $00" 1 ae for which continue 1)

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