Open forum, vol. 2, no. 16 (April, 1925)

OPEN FORUM

The first urge of all life is self-expression.

-_-_

Vol. 2.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, APRIL 18, 1925

No. 16

What next--for Peace?

By Alice Anderson

To the internationally-minded, the focal point in

the news is the adverse fate of the Geneva Protocol.

England has regretfully concluded that it is impos-

sible for her to sign this best plan so far projected

to outlaw war. Her reason is not the philosophical

one that, after all, the Protocol's ultimate resource

is use of the very tool it seeks to nullify-force.

Quite otherwise. England could not bring herself to

sign because certain hypothetical cases of recourse

to the terms of the Protocol would automatically in-

dicate an evolutionary step as yet unthinkable-noth-

ing less than the practical dissolution of the British

Empire, because in such cases, each separate colony,

eg. Australia or Canada would stand in exactly the

same relation to the League of Nations as England

herself. Those who are equipped to pass judgment

think that England's failure to sign renders the

Geneva Protocol a dead letter, and that consequently

the present League of Nations' blood runs perilously

thin.

Although the United States of America could not

be invited to sign the Protocol, now that it has

failed this country is looked to for the next sug-

gestion. A second "arms limitation" conference will

probably be called at Washington and the vague

ideas that have been brewing for a World Court may

be formulated. But the World Court will be licked

before half the expenses of the Conference are paid

because Senator Borah will consider no more "`if's"

about war but will insist on talking Peace and only

Peace.

Why wouldn't it be the fitting time to bring on the

long-predicted United States of the World? And

why not organize with Secretaries of Peace for each

nation? (We do not have Justices of Town Brawls).

With Secretaries of Peace and the establishment of a

new psychology, the international executive council

Would turn its attention to a positive program of

universal service in place of expensively passing the

buck around and around within the circles of the

Present prevailing war-advertising policies of our

War Offices. Our statesmen of the international

council would necessarily be expert economists. It

would be their sublime function to estimate real

world demand and control production to meet it

adequately, eliminating waste through ignorance,

Poverty. and vandalism and at the same time insur-

me true conservation. Such a program would mean

internationalization of natural resources at once and

development of Super-power under international

Supervision very soon. Briefly, it would make the

World safe for the interdependence that is already

the condition of our era.

To say that a United States of the World with an

economic welfare program is a beautiful dream but

we aren't ready for it, is reminiscent of the year 1910

i California when wise Professors of Political

Economy (some of them) said "Of course woman

Should have the vote, but she isn't ready for it!"

The ballot is a great disappointment to woman. It

'S trying, at least, to study up and vote carefully,

_ only to fing that some amendment means neither

mee a translation of it into English would imply

`or what the mass-meeting speaker said it meant.

But on the Whole, woman is willing to share this

hardship with man.

Suflrage may not be responsible, but certain it is

nee oe list of notable advances in woman's

eae ts date from about the same time as the

values t oe for example, an interest in food

eta that in fancy cookery; clothing and

terion q Pee rather than mere dressmaking; in-

can ot instead of cozy corners; positive

crutch: *gime in exchange for the patent medicine

health a ce finally A fine enthusiasm for public

to at ot hygiene together with a willingness

drawal a oe ae against the old-fashioned with-

into exclusiveness even to the point of

th

A Real Message

In another column we are publishing an article

on "THE BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT" by "THE IN-

TERNATIONALS" of Costa Mesa, California, that is

by Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Spencer, who are doing a

remarkable work of publicity on behalf of a warless

world. There will be many who will not agree

with this criticism of The Boy Scouts, and herein

lies much of the danger of the movement, that

so many fine folks are buncoed by it.

There is no more serious world menace just now

than the Prussianizing of the American school-boy

and school-girl, And in this work, however well

intended the organization may seem to many, what-

ever virtues it may have in an incidental way. the

Boy Scout Movement as a whole is in our deliberate

opinion, an opinion not lightly or carelessly formed,

one of the most mischievous agencies in America

today. It stands too well with all the fearsome folks

who are always stampeding into hysterias about

"the next war' and the necessity of "preparedness"

for it; it stands too well with the munition-makers,

battle-ship-builders, and other blood-suckers of war-

profiteering; it stands too well with the whole swash-

buckling, spur-clanking martinets and autocrats of

the army and navy to have any right to any stand-

ing whatsoever with those who want to mb ke

something besides cannon-fodder of the boys and

girls. :

We have on hand an abundant supply of leaflets

reproducing in convenient form for popular distri-

bution this article by the Spencers, and we will

be glad to send them, in any reasonable quantity,

without charge, to whoever will send for them and

give us assurance of effective use of them.

a

Spring-time

In Washinston

Dullness unutterable has descended upon Wash-

ington since the Senate adjourned. Nobody is left

in town who has an idea. Coolidge sets the fashion

by having nothing to say, and saying nothing.

Vaguely wondering what Cal is up to, and when the

axe will next fall, and where, cabinet chiefs and their

subordinates go dully about their routine tasks.

A few groups, like the union printers and the vet-

erans' associations, protest the dismissal of veteran

and war-veteran printers from the government shop.

They raise scarcely a yawn from the White House.

It is springtime in Washington. Coolidge rules.

ostracizing others-all for the sake of ``niceness'" On

further consideration, it seems that this widened in-

terest must rather have been responsible for suffrage,

at least in the sense of being its guarantor. Cer-

tainly the same tide bore all these manifest improve-

ments together on its crest because the deep waves

within it had lifted them to the top. Women were

ready for free activity.

And now, we the people, everywhere, are just

exactly ready for a United States of the World and

an international program of economic welfare. There

is nothing new about the proposal. It has been

dreamed out piece-meal through the ages and hard-

headedly synthesized by our contemporaries, but all

its parts are old stuff-as old as the inventions per-

ennially heralded by the Literary Digest as ushers-in

of new eras-and the same thing has happened to

them-career stopped just outside the patent office-

bought up by going concerns with overstock of still

older stuff. And so the United States of the World

will not be organized in 1925 because, in spite of

Human Geography and The Fourth of July, "m-y"

is generally conceded to be vastly more important

than "`o-u-r." .

The Boy Scout

Movement

A Blessing or a Menace?

By The Internationals

The causes of war are manifold, but the practice

of war depends upon the willingness of people to

use this method in deciding human differences.

Militarism is the method of war reduced to a

science.

Its first principle is the voluntary or enforced

subjection of one person's will to the will of another

higher in authority in a scheme of discipline and

tactics.

Militarism reacts as a cause of war for three rea-

sons: f

1. Through its traditions it maintains that war is

good.

2. By its trappings it makes war appear glorious.

3. When people become skilled in any line they

naturally wish to apply their skill.

THEREFORE MILITARISM IS A CONSTANT

MENACE TO WORLD PEACE.

The Boy Scout movement was founded by General

Baden-Powell, a British army officer. ;

In England it is recognized as a practical unit of

national military preparedness.

In America its sponsors claim that the movement

`neither promotes nor discourages military training.

The Scout movement is neither military nor anti-

military."

(Boy Scout Handbook, page 12)

This equivocal statement is belied by other state-

ments found in the official literature of the organ-

ization.

"On the other hand it does teach valuable informa-

tion which a soldier must have.'-(Handbook for

Scoutmasters, page 543. Bold ours.)

By a special act of congress the Boy Scouts are

permitted to wear, `uniforms similar to those worn

by the U. S. army, navy and marine corps." (Boy

Scout handbook, page 31.)

The military morale of the organization is clearly

expressed in the following precept. "He (a Boy

Scout) should so learn to discipline and control

himself that he will have no thought but to obey

the orders of his officers.'"' (Boy Scout handbook,

page 16. Italic ours.)

A careful study of the Boy Scout program shows

that the only variation from militarism lies in the

substitution of woodcraft for the use of guns.

However, after a boy has been schooled in army

camp life, in military drill and discipline, in war

maneuvers through games, etc., all that is necessary

is to put a gun in his hands to make him a fully

trained soldier.

THUS THE BOY SCOUT -MOVEMENT is a

KINDERGARTEN for WAR.

To Every Father and Mother.

Do you want your boy to be a soldier?

Do you want America to be a military nation?

Do you want another world war?

Consider these questions thoughtfully and seriously

before you are persuaded to enroll your boy in the

Boy Scout movement, under the promise that he will

be made strong, manly and virtuous by the training.

------__-_-_

The non-industrial and parasitic classes are often

the most active. They are the most wonderfully

successful in creating the belief that they are the

most important of all the social elements.

-Lester F. Ward.

Aide aid TERR ala.

Craese Labor Party is

Powerful Factor

By Jack Armitage

SHANGHAI, China.-(FP)-The Chinese J.iabor

party (Kuomintang) seems likely to dominate in large

part the Pekin unity conference. Peace in the orient

depends largely upon the outcome of the Pekin

conference. In preparation for this the Kuomintang

has been strengthened in every way.

The prolonged illness, followed by the death of

Sun Yat Sen has been responsible for the postpone-

ment of the conference. Sun's successor has not

yet been chosen, though it is likely that the mantle

will descend upon Leu Chung Koi, an ex-governor

of Canton, who is chairman of the Kuomintang com-

mittee of control,

The Kuomintang has insisted that it be a con-

ference representative of every opinion in China.

The Chinese Labor party has no foolish notions

regarding the position of the oriental workers. Asia's

teeming millions of workers are the proletariat of

the world, and its efforts are bent upon the re-

unification of China as the first step in the better-

ment of the economic status of the Chinese worker.

,.The control of the Kuomintang igs vested in a com-

mittee elected by its members. It is usually assumed

that the Kuomintang is controlled by politicians and

militarists at Canton, to whom the term Bolshevik is

applied. As a matter of fact, Kuomintang has its

headquarters at Pekin, and the committee of control

is drawn from widely scattered provinces, in all

of which radical influence is steadily gaining ground.

The party has a big following and receives a strong

support from overseas Chinese, particularly in Amer-

ica and Australia.

The delegates to the Pekin conference are now

assembled to put forth a workable reunification.

The delegates represent industry, commerce, edu-

cation, student organizations, provincial associations,

labor unions, and agriculture. Tag Quan and Wu

Pei Fu will attend as representatives of the military

parties, and the political parties having representa-

tion will be the Anfui, Chihli and Kuomintang.

Most foreign financiers hold that their interests

demand the disunion of China. It is true that an

outcry is raised every time foreign property suffers

the slightest damage at the hands of contending mil-

itary factions, but while many of these factions re-

ceive foreign support, and are supplied with muni-

tions of war in direct contravention to the arms

agreement, such outcries must be looked on as

camouflage. -

Chang Tso Lin, the Manchurian leader, has de-

clared he will give unqualified support to the Kuo-

mintang. This will not only strengthen the hand

of labor delegates, but neutralize the attempts of:

foreign finance to bring about disruption. At the

outbreak of hostilities last August, it was freely

asserted that Chang would endeavor to replace the

Manchus on the throne of China.

tH

Our Foreign Policy

Senate leaders have charged that there is today

no American foreign policy. They say there is

merely Calvin Coolidge, who has never had any

taste nor aptitude for world politics or economics.

Strong men come down from New York to spend a

Sunday with him, and push him into a _ position

toward some British or French or Japanese pro-

posal. Other strong men run down from Pittsburgh,

or come from Chicago or Palm Beach, with different

ideas. He listens, and then Dwight Morrow, of

Morgan and Co., who gave Coolidge his own electric

hobby-horse to ride, gives his old classmate the final

suggestion. In cabinet meeting on Tuesday or Fri-

day the president broaches his plan,' perhaps, and

Hoover offers amendments based on his own knowl-

edge, gathered by his thousand agents throughout

the world. Coolidge seldom changes his decision to

suit Hoover.

There is one cabinet member, however, to whom

Coolidge turns with confidence. Andrew Mellon is

Coolidge's idea of a great American-he is immense-

ly rich, is in control of great numbers of corpora-

tions and some big banks, and never deviates from

his game of piling up more money for the interests

in which his fortune ig involved. Coolidge will not

accept a suggestion from Britain or Japan or any

other country until Mellon has pronounced it sound.

British Labor

CLEVELAND-(FP)-Aggressive methods are

winning in the fight of British trade unions against

the employers, asserts A. B. Swales, chairman Brit-

ish Trade Union congress (the British A. F. of L.)

in a special aritcle to appear in the April issue

of the Locomotive Engineers' Journal.

"We are no longer standing with our backs against

the wall, resisting stubbornly the attempts of the

employers to drive down our wages further and still

further,' Swales writes, "but have turned the corner

and have embarked on a campaign of attack, win-

ning advances in nearly every industry. We intend

to continue our offensive until the full objective of

our program has been secured.'

The major step in the offensive has been the

consolidation of unions into powerful weapons of

labor on a national scale, Swales shows. ` Our gen-

eral council is now engaged upon the task imposed

upon it by the 1924 congress of framing a scheme

whereby the consolidation and unifying of the unions

can be carried a further stage. The number of

separate unions catering for the particular trade

or group of trades and crafts can be reduced by

the amalgamation of existing organizations, along

with a parallel movement, which seeks to overcome

the difficulty faced by unions who are not able to

amalgamate for a variety of reasons but can be

brought together in federations, representing the

whole body of unions concerned with a particular

branch of industry."

Since 1920 the number of separate unions has

decreased more than 15 per cent. Unskilled workers,

formerly organized only locally or in districts here

and there are now enrolled in three huge unions.

Swales reports. The National Union of General

Workers, the Workers' Union, and the Transport

and General Workers' Union have a combined mem-

bership of over 1,000,000 and are considering amal-

gamation into a single organization.

-In the building trades the consolidation has been

carried so far that no strike can be declared with-

out the consent of the executive of the National

Federation of Building Trades operatives, on which

all the crafts are represented. `Both nationally and

locally the workers of the industry speak and fight

as one,' Swales declares. The same is true in the

foundry trades.

In amalgamation or federation as a second best

he concludes, "lies the greatest possibility for the

British workers."

Federated Press.

Thrift

These past few days have been unhappy oneg for

both Coolidge and Mellon, and grimly humorus for

Hoover. Hconomy as preached by Coolidge and en-

dorsed by Mellon has begun to hurt business. Patri-

otic standpat citizens have reduced their purchases.

The court crier, speaking over the radio from Wash-

ington, has explained that the Coolidge gospel of

economy did not contemplate that Bill Smith would

fail to buy a spring hat as usual this year, or that

Mrs. Bill would forego that new calico dress

marked down to 98 cents. After all, the factories

can't make profits unless they run, and they can't

run unless someone buys new hats and dresses.

So, to the propaganda-dazed audience at the receiv-

ing end of the radio the administration gives its

permission to go ahead and spend money again.

In this difficult time the Chamber of Gommerce

of the United

and "associate memberships" and subscriptions to

its magazine, which is devoted to fighting public

ownership and trade unionism and a higher standard

of living for the workers, has taken a firm stand. It

wants the government to repeal the federal inheri-

tance tax law. It has prepared a referendum pro-

posal to its membership, which will come back

with an overwhelming majority, proposing that the

federal government should drop this tax, now and

forever, and "co-ordinate" federal and state taxes

so as to relieve the poor rich and their estates.

Henry Ford once hated by Wall Street as a dan-

gerous radical, is preaching the same doctrine.

-_--__-__

The want of a sense of humor ig the first qualifi-

cation of a dupe.

States, rolling up millions in dues

Vanderbilt Again

The old pirate who founded the Vanderbilt {op.

tune in America, the first Cornelius Vanderbilt of

fame, had achieved a fortune of approximately Ten

Million Dollars by 1860, an enormous and almost

unparalled amount of money at that time. He digg

seventeen years later worth One Hundred and Ten

Millions it is said, mainly the outcome of hig lootings

of the people during the period of the Civil War and

"Reconstruction Days."

The present Cornelius Vanderbilt, the third of

that name, and the great-grandson of the old buccan.

eer whose story is briefly given above, is now a

formidable competitor with William Randolph Hearst

for the position of the chief corrupter of American

public opinion. We had occasion recently to deal

with the imbecilities of his Los Angeles paper, The

Illustrated Daily News, with respect to the presence

of the Big Fleet in Southern California waters.

Someone sends us the editorial in his San Fran:

cisco paper, The Illustrated Daily Herald, under

date of April 6, 1925. Notice the date, please, the

eight anniversary of the beginning of our war with

Imperial Prussia, "to make the world safe for dem:

ocracy." Prussia at its worst never published in

its daily press anything more idotically and viciously

imperialistic than comes from the pen of this gcion

and namesake of the old pirate of Hoboken. Can

there be any connection between the big winnings

which the elder Vanderbilt made out of our war

between the States and the evident enthusiasm of

this young fool for a war here in the Pacific?

The editorial in the San Francisco paper ig too

long to quote as a whole. But here are some of its

more salient utterances, with the big type which

the Vanderbilt paper employs faithfully followed in

our reproduction. e

* % ok * * ok

The great war just passed was a LAND WAR,

fought by the army on foreign goil, reinforced by

the navy and the army transport service. The

NEXT WAR-and that war may NOT BE SO VERY

FAR DISTANT, if we are to believe reports seeping

out of Tokyo and Washington-will be a SHA WAR.

It will be fought AT SEA, by vessels of the navy.

Wars to come MAY BE fought in the air-that is'

for the future to decide.

foday, 145 vessels of WAR, lie in the bay, aboard

which close to 50,000 men are quartered. THERE

IS A REASON WHY THIS FLEET LIES IN San

Francisco waters TODAY. That reason will be

forthcoming before so many months pass by. In

1914 another great armada lay in the waters of

Portsmouth harbor, Great Britain. One month later

the world was embarked on its greatest war-making .

venture. That is not Synonymous; it is simply ex

emplary.

Should trouble eventually occur in the Pacific-

and there is NO REASON WHY THAT TROUBLE

SHOULD NOT OCCUR, it is a probable certainty

that the nations bordering the south Pacific, feeling

as they do at present, and the nations bordering the

northeast Pacific, British Columbia, in particular,

would be drawn into the conflict on the side of the

nation whose fleet lies with us today.

Citizens of San Francisco and the bay cities

SHOULD NOT FAIL to realize that the visit of this

monster fleet here bears a SIGNIFICANCE that

cannot be too STRONGLY impressed upon them. -

The months that are to come will reveal just at

what this article is driving. Prophecy is sometimes

"the bunk." But this is NOT prophecy.

Our welcome to our fleet should be truly a Sal

Franciscan welcome. It should be the kind of 2

welcome we give to all who come within our gates.

Citizens of these cities should get behind their mayo!

and his committee and lend every iota of suppot!

that they can toward making San Francisco and the

bay cities a place to be remembered by the mel

of the fleet, when more SERIOUS WORK IS AT -

HAND.

cnsieiaatilnaisiereccesee ee a eens

TAKE ANOTHER, PLEASE

)

After a loud and prolonged exhibition in a Holy

Roller meeting, the preacher called for testimonials.

A devout young lady of color arose and shouted het

story.

R i '

"Las' night, Ah was in de arms ob de debbil,

tonight, Ah is in de arms ob de Lod."

A hushed but excited voice from the back of th?

room interrupted her: "Got a date fo' tomorrov ,

night, sister?"

`

rd

H

S,

el

ee) D(A

SAY SO

faleenets

ee (]

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.

Let's make "SAY SO" the best

page of this paper. Mind you,

be brief. And again, BE BRIEF.

(2 ecm

April t) li925;

Arthur Brisbane, Editor,

Washington, D. C.

Dear Sir:

So you still believe in the nations squandering

98% or thereabout of our income for destruction.

It is too bad, because you are so sensible about

many things and yet, you forget that we went to

war to outlaw war and the only way to outlaw it,

is to outlaw it. Force is outlawed between men

and it can be outlawed between nations.

It is for men like yourself, to teach the masses

the better, nobler, juster, way for nations to treat

each other. We can never make friends by the use

of the gun. Austria's ultimatum to Serbia was the

match that kindled the war, but it is not likely that

they would run such a risk again. Germany, accord-

ing to this morning's paper is willing and anxious

to arbitrate with France-but France !

Those war weary and devastated countries can

never again be induced to participate in such a

holocaust. They have all learned that it did not

pay; and you in your daily column, encourage more

of it! Alas-if you do not know better, what can

We expect of the man in the street?

Sincerely,

KATH-CRANE GARTZ

% * *

April 8, 1925.

Los Angeles Kxaminer,

So. Broadway, Los Angeles, Calif.

Dear Sirs:

You speak of the man-made tornado as "the worst

of all" and yet your only solution for the direst of

all evils, is more of it. Did you ever hear that we

yen to war to end war; well then, how do you and

Brisbane dare to talk of war, day in and day out?

Are you satisfied with the squandering of Dil-

lions of the peoples' money and millions of lives

to settle the war question forever; or are we never

to believe in the government's promises again?

Sincerely,

KATEH-CRANE GARTZ

* * *

ata ; April 11, 1925.

Kditor Open Forum. :

Dear Comrades:

` aime pubions of Them" is bound to cause

a eer es the Ded so often peddled by

ae ae nap sanetitutions.

ache ee ore PROMOS population of the

Banat oe i ; Sr mares for Brazil. These

aes ak the uite different Portuguese lan-

' - you let it pass you might as well count

the I se

celk ors cent i i

lig] ander 8 and Scandina vVians amongst the Mneg-

Sd. Speaking people.

Kindly deduct from

Yours for the cause,

ALFRED G. SANFTLEBEN

April 8, 1925.

Hditors The Open Forum,

Los Angeles, Cal.

Gentlemen:

Your `A Plain Talk with Liberals' prompts these

remarks. Why. should one support the so-called Lib-

erals. Could you with the best intention in the world

formulate a workable program from what La Fol-

lette was talking about during the campaign? Why

the man was actually pleading for LAND MONOP-

OLY, he was deploring the deflation of LAND VAL-

UES. If the poor man did not know that deflated

land values mean INFLATED wages he ought to at

least have the decency to retire from political life.

Take Leland Old's article in a late issue of your

paper, about the large earnings of corporations.

Those large sums represent industry. But at that

they look like small change compared to the mil-

lions that landlords rake in without employing a

single man.

What do you mean by "Capitalism"? No man

ever made a clean cut statement as to what the

word meant. There are aS many brands of social-

ism as there are socialists.

No one can take the liberals seriously so long

as they do not take themselves seriously.

I defy you to name one single identifying prin-

ciple that the Nation sticks to editorially. Oh, yes,

you will say, "Free Trade." You are wrong. I have

a letter in my files from Villard in which he re-

pudiates Single Tax. Now if free trade does not

mean free production it means nothing to laborers;

it then merely means free exchange AFTER land-

lords have taken their toll.

No socialist in England ever mentions the Duke

of Westminister who has an income of 500,000

pounds a year and does not employ a single man

in productive labor; the d fools are too busy

annoying manufacturers and other useful and har-

rassed people.

The world has seen socialism at work in Russia

and it appears does not like it. But we must give

communists credit for being consistent. MacDonald

and. the other muddleheads, should, either acknowl-

edge themselves as believers in communism or they

should quit calling themselves socialists.

Yours truly,

H. W. NOREN

a * * *

In the issue of April 15, W. A. H. in condemning

the spending of millions to commemorate Confed-

erate leaders and the Confederate army, says:

"They fought to keep human beings in slavery."

That is unfair to the rank and file of that army,

the great majority of whom were compelled to

fight, just as our boys and the German boys were

compelled to fight in the world war, and as to

the volunteers, most of them were influenced by

war propaganda.

Abraham Lincoln once said: "Tell the people the

truth and the country is safe." I believe that-if

the causes that led to that conflict had been known

all over the land, north, south and west, there would

never have been any Civil War, and both chattel

Slavery and the protective tariff would have been

abolished without bloodshed.

Let us heed the lesson.

Expose as far as we can the true causes of all

modern wars and the motives of those who pro-

moted them and thus fortify the minds .of men,

women and children-especially the children-

against the lies that will be fired at them when

the war mongers are ready for another slaughter.

W. F. WITHERS

38611 Verdugo Road

* * * *

A call to celebrate the first of May, International

Labor day, is broadcasted by Joseph Schlossberg,

general secretary-treasurer, Amalgamated Clothing

Workers union. His call reads in part: `The First

of May is the only day in the year when the workers

in all lands,,irrespective of language race or calling,

dedicate themselves to the ennobling ideal of the one-

ness of labor. Divisions in the ranks of labor, harm-

ful and painful as they may be, are temporary set-

backs. Hiventually the unity of labor will triumph."

1

Most persons consider their own property as of

vastly more importance than the lives of others.

Labor and Life

Insurance

WASHINGTON.-Some time this summer Pres.

Green of the American Federation of Labor will

call together the executives of all affiliated national

and international unions, to discuss life insurance

for their members.

Shall the big international unions, each of itself,

establish a life insurance company? Shall a group

co-operate? Shall the federation have any hand?

How shall the control be kept in the hands of the

labor movement, so that the accumulation of money

in the insurance enterprise shall not make conserva-

tive profit-hunters out of the men in charge?

The El Paso convention last November endorsed

the report of the executive council, suggesting that

life insurance was a venture in which organized

labor should at once engage, in defense of the vital

interests of its members. The committee report

read: "Your committee is favorably impressed with

the proposal (by the executive council) that or-

ganized labor should engage in a joint insurance

enterprise, owned and controlled by organized labor,

based upon the American experience table of mor-

tality and safeguarded so as to protect fully the

rights and interests of every member insured."

How many millions of dollars are annually con-

tributed to life insurance companies in this country

by members of organized labor is not definitely

known. At least $4,000,000 a year is paid out by

trade unions ag death benefits to the families of

deceased members. Many of these death benefit

schemes are unsound, and are being changed to.a

basis that makes them more or less self-sustaining

life insurance enterprises. The Maintenance of

Way Brotherhood, for example, is to abolish its

present costly scheme of "free" death benefits of

from $50 to $200 at its September convention, and

adopt a plan involving payments by the insured

for the policy carried in his name. :

The Electrical Workers' brotherhood not only

maintains a death benefit system, paid by the mem-

bers with their union dues, on a sound basis, but

it has established a life insurance company which

is soliciting regular life insurance from its own mem-

bership additional to the compulsory death benefit

plan. It is soliciting this voluntary insurance by

mail, and is steadily building up an enterprise which

will in time strongly supplement the labor bank

as a bulwark of conservatve trade unionism.

Green showed during debate in the El Paso con-

vention he had not been convinced that organized

labor could safely enter the life insurance business

just now. When the conference meets, at his eall,

it will find him extremely cautious in committing

the federation to the guardianship of money for its

individual members. The special committee will

bring forward a detailed program based on the

"need to keep in labor's hands the profits on this

vast business, and to keep the control of billions

of investments out of hands hostile to every aspira-

tion of the labor movement.-Federated Press.

Bauder a fe a us

April 6, 1925.

I am reminded that this is the anniversary of

the entrance of the United States into the World

War eight years ago. It is something I would

rather forget. More and more as the years pass,

we find that the American people-and all the

people of the world-were tricked by their military

and political representatives into an unnecessary,

inconclusive and historically indefensible orgy of

wholesale murder whose unhealthy consequences

will continue for generations. There is another

anniversary today in which I am more interested

and in which we may all take great pride. It was

just a year ago today that the world flyers hopped

off from Seattle on their memorable world engird-

ling flight. By this flight a definite contribution

was made to world progress, the world was drawn

closer together, and we made one step more to-

ward real world fellowship and brotherhood.

Seattle Union-Record.

4} --

We are in about this condition; one quarter of

the community is awake, alive; another quarter pre-

tends to be awake, and the other half is afraid of

everybody that is awake. There seems to be some

feeling that people are not to be trusted with the

whole truth, either in politics or religion.

-Wendell Phippips.

RE ESE ON Se

SEY Fes eae SPAT TRI SPS A ES

SO Set Sie Se Set AR co ORC SE

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

Upton Sinclair Kate Crane Gartz J H. Ryckman

Fanny Bixby Spencer Doremus Scudder

Leo Gallagher Ethelwyn Mills

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

the post office at Los Angeles, California, under the

Act of March 3, 1879.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1925

COMING EVENTS

KOKI I KS oe ook

Los Angeles Open Forum, Music-Art Hall. 233

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

Soe

EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT-OPEN DISCUSSION

At Eight O'clock

A Free Education is Offered at

EDUCATIONAL CENTER

By Industrial Workers of the World

Saturday, April 18th, Archie Sinclair, I. W. W.

Speaker will address the Forum, Room 218, 224 So.

Spring St. Time 8 P. M.

INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD

224 South Spring Street, Room 218

ae

Free Workers Forum meets Monday Nights at

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

Brooklyn Ave.).

April 20-`Nature and Her Healing Art," by Dr.

Gustave Haas, President of the California Natur-

opathic Association and pioneer of Naturopathic

work.

April 27-``The Fundamental Conception of Law," by

S. G. Pandit.

i as

I. B. W. A. FORUM

At the Brotherhood Hall, 515 San Julian St:

Sunday Afternoon Meeting 2:30 P.M.

All are Invited to Attend

Geo. McCarthy and J. Eads How, Committee

PROLETARIAN FORUM

Every Sunday at 8 P. M.

ODD FELLOWS HALL

220144 South Main Street

Questions and Discussion Freely Invited

Admission Free

as

Picnic With The Cosman Club

The Church of The New Social Order has ad-

journed its Sunday morning services for the sum-

mer, that the people may have full enjoyment of

their Sundays for out-of-door life. Occasional ser-

vices will be held, as per notices that will be found

in these. columns. Keep yourself ready for them as

they are going to be worth while.

Meanwhile the Cosman Club, which may be de-

scribed as the week-day end of the Church of The

New Social Order will for the present continue its

Wednesday night meetings at the Levins', 151 North

Carondelet Street, studying American history.

Next, Sunday, April 19th, the Cosman Club will

hold a picnic and a fellowship dinner out at Ex-

position Park. The picnic will be held in the south-

west section of the park, by the big pepper trees.

Get there early, say about half past ten in the fore-

noon. Bring your friends. No lecture, but just a

good time getting acquainted with each other, and

lots of good talk, between individuals and in groups.

Bring a well-filled lunch basket with you or if you

can't do that bring some fruit, cake or anything

else that will help in the common meal.

The F. O. R. Meets

Again

RUSSIA is to be the subject of the next Fellowship

Supper of the F. O. R. to be held at The Blue Tri-

angle, Monday evening, April 20. The address is

631 South Spring Street. Time, 6 P.M. A good

supper served for Fifty Cents per plate. Reserva-

tions must be made in advance, but anybody is

welcome. Please phone your name, and the number

of seats you wish reserved to Miss Mills, 560-448, or

to this office, TUcker 6836.

The subject of the evening is in line with the

general program of The Fellowship of Reconciliation

programs of recent months, built on the general idea

of "A Pacific World Around the Pacific Sea," and

dealing with the various peoples and nationalities

around the Pacific Ocean. We have thus far dis-

cussed the Japanese, the Filipinos, the people of

India, and will deal this month with the Russian

Situation. Discussion is carried on in a broad, free

Catholic-minded way. The speakers for this ccca-

sion are Dr. N. Kavinoky of Los Angeles, a son of

Russia, and Dr. Doremus Scudder, who has worked

in Russia. This is an exceptional Opportunity to

meet an interesting group, and hear a first rate, high

grade discussion of one of the real live issues of

the day. Remember to phone in your meal reserva-

tions as indicated above.

SZ

aS

A DANGEROUS ARGUMENT

There is an argument very popular in America,

even in trade union circles, which goes like this:

American workers are better off than British work-

ers. British workers have their own labor party-

American workers have not. Therefore, the Ameri-

can tactics are better.

If that is a good argument we can match it. Brit-

ish workers are proportionately much better organ-

ized than American. There are actually more trade

unionists in Great Britain than in the United States,

though the total population is smaller. But the

American workers are better off. Therefore trade

unionism is a bad thing.

No labor man will accept this argument for a

minute when it is applied to trade unionism. Why

then accept it so unhesitatingly with regard to

political action?

Of course, the truth of the matter is that Ameri-

can workers are better off because of the vastly

greater natural wealth of America, its freedom from

some of the cramping traditions and practices of

landlordism and feudalism, its escape from the most

terrible effects of the war, and a number of other

factors. That British workers are as well off as

they are is to a large measure due to the fact that

they are so well organized, primarily on the econ-

omic field, and secondarily on the political field.

Such organizations cannot make up altogether for

pressure of population upon resurces, the decline

of foreign trade, the biological consequences of gen-

`erations of underfed and underpaid workers which

weigh so heavily on British labor. On the other

hand, proper organization would put American work-

ers in a far better position than they are. And

proper organization must take account of the politic-

al-From "The Citizen," "Labor's Official Paper,"

ios Angeles, April 3, 1925.

-__-_4____

Roger Baldwin Convicted

New Jersey raked up a statute of 1798 re-enacting

the old English common law to convict Roger Bald-

win, director American Civil Liberties Union, of un-

lawful assemblage. Baldwin held a meeting of

striking silk workers barred from their regular hall

on the city hall steps at Paterson, N. J. Police start-

ed a riot with their clubs, the union charges and

Baldwin with seven others, silk workers, was arrest-

ed. After much consideration the judge pronounced

them guilty and will sentence them up to a years'

imprisonment. The Civil Liberties Union wil] appeal

the case to the last court, it announces.

Federated Press.

--_ 2

Denmark, a stagnant peasant nation in 1885, is now

a highly organized body of 205,000 scientific farmers,

all selling on a co-operative basis, as the U. 0x00A7S. de-

partment of agriculture discovered when it sent one

of its experts to the Scandinavian country. There

are more than 5,000 coops doing a business of $300,-

000,000 a year, exclusive of the Danish Co-operative

bank, which did a $2,000,000,000 business in 1920.

Los Angeles F

OPEN FORUM

MUSIC ART HALL

233 South Broadway

SUNDAY NIGHTS, 7-30 O0x00B0CLOCK

Program for April

APRIL 19-`"WHAT ARE THE VITAL ISSUES jy

THE PRESENT MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGN. by AT?y

J. H. RYCKMAN. This is regarded as the most jp.

portant campaign that has occurred in Los Angele

in many years. Tremendous interests are at stake, i

What are they? What does Bledsoe really repre

sent? What are Cryer and the other candidatg

standing for? Music by MAX AMSTERDAM, one of (c)

the first violinists of the Philharmonic Orchestra,

APRIL 26-"THE WORLD COURT?" by MR. BRR. |

NARD BRENNAN of the University of Southem.

California Law School. Mr. Brennan has pre

sented this subject to many groups thruout California -

and the Northwest. He hag given it careful study,

and will give both the pros and cons of the arg.

ment. Music by BERWYN B. RISKE, baritone, ani

FRANK K. LUNDY, students of the U. S. C.

a cr.

RACE PREJUDICE

NEW YORK. Use of the Department of Labor's

privilege of free mailing (franking) for the purpose

of spreading vicious anti-Negro propaganda has

aroused the National Association for the Advance.

ment of Colored People into vigorous protest and a

demand for the dismissal of the department agent

involved.

W. A. Plecker, the culprit, is a Virginian, and has

been using his government franking privileges to

distribute free of charge a pamphlet entitled

`Hugenics in Relation to the New Family and the

Law on Racial Integrity of which he is a co-author

and which describes our black fellow citizens as

members of a lower race who must be treated as in-

feriors.

"Dr. Plecker is an avowed anti-Negro propagan-

dist,' says the Association in its protest to U. 0x00A7.

Secretary of Labor Davis. "What he has to say is

insulting to all colored American citizens, but when

as an official of the United States Department of

Labor he sends this matter out under government

frank and at the expense of the common tax payers,

his actions become a public outrage."

LATER: Plecker has heen dismissed.

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