Open forum, vol. 2, no. 48 (November, 1925)

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THE OPEN FORUM

Liberalism is often another name for indifference.

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Vol. iM

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, NOVEMBER 28, 1925

The Governor and Sinclair

covernor Richardson, in a personal letter to the

editor of The Open Forum, remarks that he notices

t we are devoting nearly all of our space to the

"While you publish a letter from

Upton Sinclair, four from Kate Crane Gartz, and

resolutions, still you do not publish my letter to Sin-

clair, Would it not be only fair to your readers to let

them know what I have said in the matter."

tha

Whitney case.

The Governor here assumes that our readers have

had no access to his letter, when as a matter of fact

it was broadcast in the daily press, and there is prob-

ably hardly a reader of this paper who has not seen

it, If the press that supports the Governor will give

equal space to the protests of Sinclair, and Mrs.

Gartz, and others who must depend for their publicity

largely upon such very limited papers as our's to get

a hearing we will gladly give the Governor a whole

issue of our paper in which to set forth his views.

We have stacks of stuff on hand from our own side

for which we have been able to find no room as yet.

Nevertheless, we give in this issue the Governor's

letter to Sinclair, and Sinclair's recent reply.

4 * * *

COPY OF A CIRCULAR LETTER SENT TO US BY

THE GOVERNOR

Governor Friend Wm. Richardson announced in a

letter to Upton Sinclair that he would uphold the law

regardless of popular clamor and that persons object

ing to the crimnial syndicalism law should appeal to

the legislature or apply the initiative.

calls attention to the fact that Miss Charlotte A.

Whitney, owing to her wealth and influence, has kept

out of prison for nearly six years, while offenders

without influence have been serving terms in prison.

The Governor points out that he was not responsible

for the passage of this law, but will support it as

vigorously as he will the laws against treason, mur-

der and other crimes.

This letter is as follows:

+ * * *

Upton Sinclair,

Pasadena, California.

Dear Sir:

Ihave your letter asking a pardon for Miss Char-

lotte A, Whitney, who was arrested on November 28,

1919, and convicted of criminal syndicalism by a jury

mM the superior court of Alameda County, on Feb-

ae a 1920. This verdict was upheld by the state

frie ie the state supreme court, and recently

iors nited States supreme court. Her powerful

aoe and wealth have kept her out of prison for

xX years. Other violators of this law, who

have ew

lacked this influence, have been serving their

ems in prison,

sae i ers have written and telegraphed me re-

letters of i case. The tenor of your letter and the

Dopular ae others is that I should respond to

showing of noah release this woman without any

for. a nate pastelal or even an application from her

ered by an Applications for pardons are consid-

sented in ae orderly manner, based on facts pre-

een si en documents. The humblest prisoner

Tichest ang ae opportunity to be heard as the

ost powerful offender.

en oe set aside the verdict of a jury which

nullity the - eehanory and found her guilty, and to

convicted oo ae courts. You say she was

but Ba deniet peerely holding a political opinion,"

convicted of Ws of the supreme court shows she was

ie riminal syndicalism as defined by the

You, Say:

Criminal] syndi

Tade without

"riminal Syndi

"I know your views concerning the

calism law." This is a loose statement

Investigation of facts. The act defining

calism and prescribing penalties for its

The Governor |

violation was passed by the legislature of 1919, by

unanimous vote in the senate and with only nine noes

in the assembly, and approved by Governor Wm. D.

Stephens. It was considered so important that it was

adopted as an emergency measure as "`necessary to

the immediate preservation of the public peace and

safety" and became effective April 30, 1919.

During my term as governor, two attempts have

been made to repeal the law, one at the legislative

session of 1923 and one at the 1925 session. Both

attempts failed in the legislature and the bills did not

reach the governor. Officially, I have never had occa-

sion to act upon or comment upon this law. Under

these circumstances, I ask that you correct your

statement.

While I had no part in the passage of this law, still

I have taken an oath to support the constitution and

the laws of the state. It is my duty to stand for the

enforcement of all the laws. The law penalizing

criminal syndicalism is just as solemn and binding as

the laws against murder, robbery, treason, arson and

other crimes. Those who object to the criminal syndi-

calism law should appeal to the legislature or take

the matter direct to the people by initiative. To ask

me to nullify the law is to ask me to violate my oath

and set myself against the will of the people as ex-

pressed through the legislature.

While I am governor I propose to stand staunchly

for the laws of the state, and to support the constitu-

tion. Those who have been convicted, after fair trials

by juries, sustained by decisions of courts, cannot

expect to escape punishment of their crimes by ap-

pealing to me. It is my duty to stand up for the

laws and to protect society, and I will not issue par-

dons merely because of popular clamor.

Yours sincerely,

FRIEND WM. RICHARDSON,

Governor.

* * * *

November 20, 1925.

Governor F. W. Richardson,

Sacramento, California.

Dear Sir:

You gave out from your office to the press of this

entire state, a letter in which you stated that I had

done you an injustice in attributing to you approval

of and responsibility for the criminal syndicalism

law. I wrote then to ask you if you would not help

me to get the matter straight by stating to me what

is your attitude to the law, and especially as to the

question of its repeal-an issue which the case of

Miss Whitney has brought to public attention. You

have not given me this information, and I write once

more to ask you for it. Surely, the people of Cali-

fornia have a right to know the attitude of their

Governor upon a vital question as vital and immedi-

ate as this.

I note that your office is continually giving to the

press letters from people who oppose the pardon of

Miss Whitney. I have yet to see in the newspapers

that your office has given out a single one of the let-

ters you have received appealing for the pardon of

Miss Whitney. Surely you must have received many

such letters. It would be interesting to know which

kind of letter has been most plentiful. If your office

gives out only one kind, it would mean, in effect,

that your office is carrying on propaganda in favor of

the syndicalism law. If that continues, I shall natur-

ally feel justified in my impression that you approve

this law. I hope that you will not continue to leave

me in darkness upon this subject.

Sincerely,

UPTON SINCLAIR.

No. 48

Thanksgiving

Far be it from me to be glad

That mine exceeds another's good;

That I have better clothes and food,

Or less of wreck and loss have had.

Good God! how pitiful the cad

Who deems such pharisaic mood

May pass with heaven for gratitude:

How can religion make men mad!

The only thankfulness I crave

Is, that I may appreciate

Whatever be my present state;

Whoever gave me not, or gave;

Enough to seek such equity

That all the world may richer be.

A Thankssiving Item

Perhaps we ought to be thankful that the thick-

heads of the California plunderbund, from the Gov-

ernor up or down, have so little sense with respect

to the tactics of the Whitney case that they are with-

holding release for her long enough for us to get

under way a real movement for real freedom of utter-_

ance in California, not only for women of Miss Whit-

ney's kind and class but for the I. W. W. and every-

body else in this commonwealth, which has hitherto

belonged so easily to the brigands of business and

their boot-lickers. Only the stubbornness of the

slave-oligarchy of the South enabled us to get rid, of

chattel-slavery, and the stubbornness of our own

oligarchy now may serve the ends of freedom and

decency after all. Also let us be thankful that Miss

Whitney is not interested in her class, or herself, but

in human rights and human liberties for all.

The Colored Brother

is not News

In the City of Washington a group of high-minded

colored folk maintain a society which they call the

Correspondence club. It meets each week to listen

to letters written by members to the city's daily

papers regarding omissions of reference to members

of the Negro race in news and other items. Recently

a daily paper carried, in a single issue, news regard-

ing a piece of banditry, the appearance of a book

and of a new musical composition. Negroes were

the central figures in all three, but that fact was

mentioned only in the case of the crime. One-third

of the dwellers in the capital city are Negroes, but

they exist largely, so far as the daily papers are con-

cerned, as criminals. Few except the criminals

among them enter the news columns, and the play-

img-up of that element while the doings of others are

treated with silence, leaves the suggestion in the

non-reflective public mind that their race is one of

criminal tendency. One of the members of the

Correspondence club said, significantly enough,

"These white overlords of ours seem to be uncon-

scious of the fact that we read their papers every

day, work in their offices and homes, and know all

they do and say and feel, while they never read our

papers, never come into our homes except to make

arrests, and know nothing of our innermost lives.

Under the circumstances, their tone of all-knowledge

is ridiculous." H. G. Wells attended a meeting of

this club when last in this country and joined in the

discussions. He studied the color line somewhat

while here and went away convinced that the Negro

is rapidly rising in culture and intelligence, and also

becoming increasingly sensitive to slights and in-

sults. More clubs like this one in the national

capital might make that clear to the hit-or-miss

psychologists who guard the portals of our news-

papers.-The Christian Century.

Innovations

I have often had a curiosity to. see how those un-

printable words we so often see spelled with a dash

would look in print, so I got a typewriter and fetched

it home. I was shy about opening it for several days.

My first investigation of its mechanical wonders

would be a ceremony. I wanted to be alone with it;

let it tell me its story without disturbance of any

kind. I had much the same kind of experience a few

years ago when I began to delve into the mysteries

of a Ford and try to make it go for me. Calvin

Coolidge never knew the thrill of owning and manag-

ing a Ford, even though he did try to take Henry

and his whole works under his wing. But that's

another story. Cal may know all about a typewriter,

but I doubt it. Innovations are not in his line. He

pitches hay just like Papa, and Papa learned it from

Grandpa, and what better authority is there than

that. If he should go back further than that he

might find where someone did it differently and that

would be disconcerting, and how can one keep cool

and be disconcerted at the same time? Answer me

that. But to my story.

Now it happens, although I am going on a hundred

years old, that I had never looked a typewriter-that

is of the mechanical variety-square in the face, and

when at last I screwed up courage to lift the cover

of my prized possession I was nonplused at the

hodgepodge arrangement of the alphabet on the key-

board. How's this? The ancient and divine orderly

arrangement of the American alphabet has been tam-

pered with. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

was put in McGuffie's spelling book that way in the

beginning, is now ard ever more shall be, world

without end, Amen. No wonder they say that base

men are trying to tear down the bulwarks of our

constitutional liberties and things like that. Dawes is

right. Where was J. P. Morgan when this thing was

done? This was not done in a corner. Now that

this has been allowed we have precedent for changes

in our churches and management of government 'n

everything, and no telling where 'twill end.

Truth to tell, I was quite het up to think that this

violation of the sacrosanct, orderly arrangement of

our hitherto one hundred per cent alphabet had been

going on for years unbeknownest to me. But even

one who has been in cold storage with Coolidge could

not long resist the petting invitation of a well set-up

and beautiful to look upon typewriter with splotches

of red coquettishly revealed here and there-sym-

bolic, that red, of what may yet be done with the

typewriter.

And so I put a piece of paper in a place that

looked as though it had been fixed for that purpose

and began to pick out the letters and gently strike

the keys and soon I had a row of letters and figures

and signs clear across the page, and it was straight,

something I had never been able to accomplish be-

fore in my life. In a remarkably short time words

stood out in clear bold type, then mysteriously worded

sentences. Ideas began to hatch and stretch them-

selves across the page, and now and then a random

thought got as far as first base. But it worked and

worked for me. I no longer care for the Divinely

established ABC order of things. I am FREE.

Bie AS

"Oilgarchy"

The types sometimes tell more than the editors

intend. Note, for instance, this from the Los An-

geles Times of November 20, 1925, reporting what

President Coolidge told the business world of Amer-

ica in his recent address before the New York Cham-

ber of Commerce. .

`When government comes unduly under

the influence of business, the tendency is to

develop an administration which becomes

narrow and selfish in its outlook and results

in an oligarchy."

Of course, that last word was intended to be

"oligarchy." But it is better as it stands, `"oilgarchy."

And that word gives just the right touch to the whole

passage as an apt confession of the character of the

present administration, not only at Washington, but

in London, and Paris, and Berlin, and wherever Big

Business rules the day, as it does now all over the

capitalist world. `"Oilgarchy."' Pass the word along,

and give Mr. Coolidge credit for it, as it belongs to

him quite as much as the reputation that made him

president.

German Peace

Joined in the International Union of Peace Societics,

the National Council of German Peace Societies,

and the International League of Youth.

Honorary Presidents: Harry Viscount of Kessler and

Prof. Fr. W. Foerster. President: Rudolf Kues-

termeier.

Dear Sir:

e

Whilst the majority of German students are still

persisting in their ancient ideals of imperialism and

militarism, the German Students' Peace Association

is perpetually fighting its hard struggle for peace and

international understanding.

In many things, we have already been very success-

ful. The number of our local groups has increased

to more than twenty, meetings and conferences have

been arranged everywhere and, since a year now we

have even a little journal for our members and

friends, between them more and more also being pro-

fessors and teachers.

Unfortunately, the very intensive activity of all our

_members will never bring us greater results, because

we are always suffering from a heavy pecuniary em-

barrassment. Our student members have scarcely

the means for their studies. The other. German

Peace Societies have their own trouble and diffi-

culties, and among our German capitalists we have

never found friends and patrons till now.

During the whole of the next year we shall espe-

cially work for the Franco-German Reconciliation-

our French friends doing equally in their own coun-

try-because it.is evident that world peace will never

be established and secured if these two nations re-

main in their present hostility.

And now we suppose that it must be possible for

the American pacifists to help the German Students'

Peace Association by sending money. America is a

very rich land and many of its people and its organi-

zations are very rich, too-well, does it not seem to

be necessary that all the soldiers of peace help on

another in the different countries?

Any gift to our hands will be used as well as ever

imaginable, and we thank all our helpful friends in

advance.

Very sincerely yours,

R. W. KUSTERMEIER, President.

Bank-bills and checks to be sent to Mr. Rudolf

Kuestermeier, 33 Goethestrasse, Freiburg-Baden, Ger-

many.

"Let Them Smolder!"

NEVADA FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY

Reno, Nevada

Incorporated 1911

Il. A. KELSEY, Resident Agent

Real Estate - = Insurance

Mayfield, Calif., Nov, 12th, 1925,

Mr Upton Sinclair,

| with many others wonder why you cannot let

Governor Richardson: do his duty in the Whitney

case, You know as weil as the rest of the law abiding

citizens that she got what she deserves, To be a

member of that Il. W. W. ought to put her and the

rest of that type in San Quinton for the rest of their

days,

`The doctoring they preach is un American, While

in Humboldt Co a few years ago | happened to be

with a crowd of workers and they were singing a

song to Hell with the American Constitution, to H

with the American Government, To H with the Amer-

ican FLAG, Had chalk writing Il. W. W. ow every

thing that would show up to the public, ow

Refusing to pardon Miss Whitney was the greatest

act of justice | have heard of a governor doing for

many long years,

Let them smolder in San Quinton the whole bunch

untill they learn to respect the laws of the country

they live in,

There

with them,

There is a right and a wrong and there is a limit,

dA. KEESEY,

is many more that should be smoldering

Ds

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

ia

( ( Sa SD AOD remem []

( 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.

(ee 0-0 ) D-DD ED

ARE WE CIVILIZED?

By J. SCHAFFER |

On one of our thoroughfares in a City of Angel,

an inspiring sight that makes the spirit rise, al

armored automobile standing along the curb, i

police officers in uniform, with loaded gatling gun

on each side. Another officer also carrying an alt

matic rapid firing gun, ready to fire upon hum

beings, if any one were enticed, perhaps by hunge

to: grab a. little. of +the yellow metal. Thot

sands of insects, resembling human beings, swalll

ing back and forth, not paying any attention to thi

horrible sight. Men hired and ready to shoot, il

order to protect metal that a stupid civilization "

has invented to subdue and enslave humanity. hh.

broad daylight men, armed to the teeth to protett

the exploiters that rob, cheat, lie, illegally, morally,

economically, of course, and insects by the thot

sands, looking at such a sight, and remaining i

different. And by their silence approve and cal

such sights civilization.

This is not a dream or a fancy. I witnessed this

sight on one of our main thoroughfares, whl

preachers in pulpits, editors in their editorial salt |

tums, glorify, approve, and sanction, and also bles

the exploiters, while millions are starving for the

want of food and shelter.

If this is civilization, the sooner it perishes, like

other civilizations that preceded it, the better ! a

be for.mankind. To me such a sight is revoltilf

and I for one, not only condemn but have the grett

est contempt for the millions of two-legged 10"

entities that tolerate such an arrangement. (al tt

hope that some day the human race may becot

civilized? Perhaps. I, personally, have very it |

hope for the stupidity of the masses is 80 cojossll |

that language fails to express my contempt for tH

ignorance and stupidity of our so-called evil :

and the indifference of the masses to rise out!

their condition is beyond any rational man to fathol: |

November 16, 1925. |

Governor Friend Richardson,

Sacramento, Calif.

Dear Sir:

t ther

You will see by the enclosed clipping ee it |

are some laws that are legal which are no

The Criminal Syndicalism law is one of ther, 4 |

you as Governor, have been given the powel, '

lege and duty to veto and to pardon where the

justices are as flagrant as in the case of AM

Whitney.

not a |

e othe!' :

pu

We hope you will exercise these powe!:

in the case of Anita Whitney but in all th

arrested under this stupid legislation, which `

the state of California as much as it hurts the

dividual victims of its blindness.

Sincerely,

K. a

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kK. c. G. on Russia

November 12, 1925.

Dear Sir:

nd response to my "intolerance" almost

your ki | ,

de me ashamed and yet, somehow, I feel quite

ee when I think of the terrific abuse you heap

ju

`on Russia day after day.

course I have friends in Russia, working with

rk out a system of society where-

in all humanity will be able to participate in life as

is birthright and not just something to be handed

to them from those to whom they have previously

finded: its 51901, OL, COUDES, I `am intolerant toward

those who don't and won't understand because of

their indifference (not yours) generally toward new

ideas, and fear of any other system than the present

one wherein people are free to starve. And here we

must have the Community Chest drive, to get back

a little of the surplus.

the State should be our Community Chest, they

take our money in taxes and use it for all kinds of

al necessities, of which I approve, but when

it comes to the human element, it stops. Now why

not add one or two per cent to our tax budget and

not have to go out and beg, or drive, or force? It

would save time and money and humiliation.

Of

them, trying to wo

As for Russia again, I cannot admit that "pro-

Russian stuff is propaganda." And if you use the

word tyranny, in regard to Czarism and Bolshevism,

you must, or should admit that the Czar tyrannized

over the masses for the benefit of the few, and Bol-

shevism tyrannizes over the few for the benefit of

the masses, and admit that it is only a temporary

method to save the rev :.t against impossible con-

ditions.

They do-not "eliminate intelligence,' they have

hundreds more schools and colleges and every one

has a chance at education, who never had it before.

Yes, they destroy property rights-even Lloyd George

is contemplating doing that since he finally realizes

the injustice of one man's holding thousands, yea

millions, of acres of land out of use, while millions

of men are hungry. So in that, Russia has set a

good example. :

As for the church, I believe Lenin said, it was the

opium of the people, and of course I am inclined to

feel that way myself. Nothing hurts me more than

to see great empty Cathedrals all over Europe with

the ubiquitous broken human beings at their portals.

I always wonder, where is God.

Russia is not "interfering all over the world," it

ls merely working out a system-Sovietism, wherein

all men are represented by their occupation rather

than by their precincts. Not so reprehensible, I

should say. And if the world had let them alone

Instead of forcing them to raise a Red Army to com-

bat 18 different nations on as many fronts, they could

have demonstrated their humanistic theories without

the terrorism they were forced to use.

So please realize, I am not the one who is de-

celved by "pro-Russia propaganda," there are mil-

lions like me who are not satisfied with a capitalistic

World and want to see the whole world as one great

Ply of human beings-not fighting each other

ee but co-operating to make it a fit habita-

or all "God's creatures."

ie ee patriotism, that would force you to go

a me Se Nehter innocent human beings, to de-

e, ie country's honor, I say there is no honor

ae ine that way. The other fellow has

ee a to defend and he defends it gallantly

nrg . ae up (or goes to jail) for refusing to

aie: ret ce te settle governmental disputes

Mine te erritoriality or any material cause.. The

ae Re to do is to "ground arms" as we prom-

SYS who went "over there:"

Sincerely,

November 16, 1925.

King Vidor,

Hollywood, Catie,

Dear Sip;

As you ask for

: criticism of your play "The Big

Parade," this is mi 4 ne i

ne,

T can

ins: See why you portrayed war in all its

~*8S just to tell a love story with the usual

happy ending. You had a great opportunity to make

it an anti-war play and missed it.

._I thought of course when the hero was lying in his

mother's arms he was going to say, "War is Hell.

Never let it be again." Instead of which he simply

said, "I love a girl," which, although love is the

greatest thing in the world, was a weak climax to

all the horrors men had suffered needlessly.

The people in the audience, and especially chil-

dren, applauded in the wrong places, they seemed to

love to see the enemy destroyed, instead of hating

war for what it really is.

I did not like to see revenge for the death of

"Slim portrayed. "He had just said, "Don't let it

get you, kid,' and it got him the next moment. Of

course he stopped before the fatal plunge, but his

remorse at even the thought of killing a beautiful

German boy was not enough. I just feel you had the

supreme chance and did not make the most of it.

Let us have "No more Parades."

A PACIFIST.

* * *

R. W. HENDERSON

Attorney at Law

112 Morgan Bldg.

Bakersfield, California

November 19th, 1925.

C. K. McClatchy,

Editor Sacramento Bee,

Sacramento, Cal.

Dear Sir:

In the Fresno Bee of November 18th, 1925, I read

the following charge against the Industrial Workers

of the World, made by you in your correspondence

with the Editor of the Nation:

"T hate any organization that teaches men

to be vandal Ishmaelites; that not only

preaches but constantly practices assault,

sabotage, arson and promiscuous destruction

of property as its principal argument. ....

"And that such is the practically uninter-

rupted offense' of the I. W. W. is no mere

bald statement but an incontrovertible fact

repeatedly proved in California courts."

Now, sir, in the name of fairness,.I am challenging

you publicly to admit or deny the following state-

ments, and if you deny them, to offer proof: (1) I

challenge you to show that evidence has been pre-

sented in any court in California that any member

of the I. W. W. has ever committed an overt act of

injury to property or person in this state since the

6th day of October, 1917; (2) I challenge you to show

corroboration of the testimony of paid and profes-

sional witnesses that the I. W. W. has ever com-

mitted any acts destructive of property in this state;

(3) I challenge you to show that you or the Los An-

geles Times or any of your other fellow-denouncers

of the I. W. W. ever printed a word of protest

against the raid upon the I. W. W. hall in San Pedro

on June 14th, 1924, when children were scalded

with steaming coffee and six men were tarred and

feathered.

Yours truly,

R. W. HENDERSON.

* * *

San Jose, Calif., November 7, 1925.

To Governor Friend W. Richardson,

Sacramento, California.

It was the sense of the meeting of the 73rd Semi-

Annual of the College Park Association of Friends

(Quakers) meeting November 7, 1925, that it petition

your honor to recommend to the next session of the

State Legislature the repeal of the act known as the

Criminal Syndicalist law.

This law we believe not only violates the constitu-

tional guarantees for freedom of speech, and is con-

trary to the spirit if not the letter of our common

law, which does convict those who are not guilty

of any overt act but it also tends to drive under-

ground opinions which would be less harmful if

brozght out in the open where they can meet with

argument.

This law, as interpreted by the courts, condemns

not only those whose only guilt is having an opinion,

but even those who associate with persons having

so-called illegal opinions. ;

The Society of Friends in accordance with its

ancient and well known position will not cease to

oppose any opinions which recommend the use of

force in the settlement of industrial or international

problems but we believe that ideas can only be met

with ideas.

It was the sense of this meeting that the present

law only tends to confirm the opinion of those who

do not believe that justice can be attained through

political methods. We accordingly request your

honor to bring to the attention of the legislature the

injustice and un-American character and un-Christian

results of the present Criminal Syndicalist law.

WILLIAM JAMES,

Clerk of the Meeting.

It was further suggested that copies of this com-

munication be sent to the Senator and Representa-

tives from this district.

IF THERE WAS JUSTICE THERE WOULD BE NO

NEED OF CHARITY

The newspapers have been publishing the story of

divorce proceedings instituted against a very rich

man. He "made" his money, it is said, out of a chain

of 5 and 10 cent stores. Now his second, younger

wife is sueing for a share in the millions which Mr.

Kresge legally owns. According to a pre-nuptial

agreement, Mrs. Kresge maintains she is entitled to

$2,500,000 worth of the Kresge stock.

Several years ago, this same rich man was one of

the leaders in a "drive" in Detroit, the purpose of

which was to raise funds to build a home for delin-

quent girls. Mr. Kresge approached Mr. Couzens for

a liberal contribution for this home. Mr. Couzens

' refused, saying Mr. Kresge could contribute the en-

tire $50,000 himself, and the discussion became

heated, waxing personal toward the end.

The Senator from Michigan charged the rich 5 and

10 cent store man, with being one of the causes for

the need of these homes. Said Mr. Couzens, "If you,

Mr. Kresge, and many men like you would pay your

employees a living wage, there would be fewer fallen

women in our cities."

Mr. Couzens might have added, too, if Mr. Kresge

was not so greedy for big profits, he might not be

able to so generously(?) dispense charity. Much of

these big profits belonged really not to Kresge, but

women and girls who worked in his stores, it is said,

for 6, 8 or 10 dollars a week.

MARY F. SHIELDS.

`*Friend'' of Labor Now Jailbird

By L. P. RINDAL

Los Angeles, Calif., Nov. 17, 1925.

Officialdom of the A. F. of L. have wonderful

"friends." Before, and during the last election, big

Joe Fitzpatrick was one of them. After he took

his seat as a councilman he became so violently

pa(y)triotic that he, with Councilman Charles E.

Downs (contractor), landed in jail charged with

bribery, as told in the Daily Worker on August 28.

Both are now ex-City Fathers. They are under sen-

tence from 1 to 14 years in San Quentin. These two

parasites-Fitzpatrick, an expert rider on workers'

backs, and the other, Downs, a former "slave-driver"

-have been handed out EXACTLY the same punish-

ment for crooked work as the I. W. W. received for

the crime of having honest opinions.

The question is: How can these two ana other

just ordinary jailbirds be transformed into "singing

jailbirds'?-an honorable title bestowed upon the

Reds by Upton Sinclair.

-_-_-_-

The imprisonment of Anita Whitney may be legal.

taking the word legal in its narrowest sense, but it

is a gross and shocking violation of those great prin

ciples to which all laws ought to conform. As

Macaulay says: `"To punish a man because we infer

from the nature of some doctrine he holds, or from

the conduct of those who hold the same doctrine

with him, that he will commit a crime is persecution,

and is-in every case-foolish and wicked."-EHssay

on Hallam.

ne TN tas eho ee Pee ee

4

Tee nace a ee ern en

/

THE OPEN FORUM

Published every Saturday at 506 Tajo Building,

`Two Governors Los Angeles

OPEN FORUM

MUSIC ART HALL

233 South Broadway

SUNDAY NIGHTS, 7-30 O'CLocK

Three thousand miles and several ages of human

progress separate the governors of California and

New York.

First and Broadway

Los Angeles, California, by The Southern California

Branch of The American Civil Liberties Union.

Bhohe: (FUcher-a3s6, Governor Richardson of California declines to par-

don Charlotte Anita Whitney, who was sentenced to

jail because of her political belief, and says:

MANAGING EDITORS

Robert Whitaker Clinton J. Taft

Program for November

"While I had no part in the passage of this law,

still I have taken an oath to support the constitution

and the lawe of the state. The law penalizing crim-

inal syndicalism is just as solemn and binding as are

the laws against murder, robbery, treason, arson and

other crimes."

LITERARY EDITOR November 29. "WOMAN IN NEW RUSSIA" |

ANNA PORTER of San Jose, Calif. She rae

returned from Russia after spending some time then

observing conditions. It is expected that She wil

throw much light upon a question that has often

puzzled people here in the United States, DR }

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Kate Crane Gartz J H. Ryeckman

Doremus Scudder

Upton Sinclair

Fanny Bixby Spencer Governor Smith of New York pardoned Jim Larkin,

Leo Gallagher Ethelwyn Mills

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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, NOVEMBER 28,

COMING EVENTS

RO, OR OK KR IK ILI

1925

Los Angeles Open Forum, Music-Art Hall, 233

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

a

I. B. W. A. FORUM

convicted of a similar offense, and doing so, said:

"Political progress results from the clash of con-

flicting opinions. The public assertion of an erron-

eous doctrine is perhaps the surest way to disclose

the error and make it evident to the electorate. And

it is a distinct disservice to the state to impose, for

the utterance of a misguided opinion, such extreme

punishment as may tend to deter, in proper cases,

that full and free discussion of political issues which

is a fundamental of democracy."

The first governor talks of the constitution.

The second understands its spirit and obeys.

The Opportunity of

the Hour _

Ray E. Chase, A. B., (formerly at the

head of the Biology Dept., Manual Arts

High School, L. A.) offers Three Popular

Courses of twenty lectures each on the

following subjects:

1. Elementary Biology, 7:15 P. M., Mon., Wed., Fri.

NAHUM KAVINORY, the head of the Intematioy

Polytechnical University, will open the discussion !

MUSIC at 7:30 by the boy pianist who hag delight

us before, MASTER BERNARD COHN,

-- 2

RESOLUTION

el |

|

The International Brotherhood Welfare Associatio) |

in convention assembled in Denver, Colorado, Novem. |

ber 10-11-12-13, 1925, goes on record as approving ani

concurring in the efforts being made to keep Mig

Charlotte Anita Whitney from serving the senteng

|

of one to fourteen years in the penitentiary ag de

cided by the courts of California; and for the releay

of all class war and political prisoners now und

sentence and serving terms in the prisons of th

country.

j Peoples

At the Brotherhood Hall, 420 Stanford Ave. 2. Introduction to Psychology, 8:45 P.M., Mon., j }

Sunday Afternoon Meeting 2:30 P.M. Wed., Fri. fi

Other meetings every Thursday at 7:30 p. m. Classes will commence Wednesday, Dec. 9r National Bank

All are Invited to Attend A limited number of reservations now open.

R. L. Burch and J. Eads Howe, Committee. RATES MOST REASONABLE

a For further information write to Bar 1k

NEGRO FORUM-Sundays, at 4:30 P. M., Masonic

` ee oe eee CLARENCE ALPERT 0x00B0

a enue. : en

eos el ee ee, 506 Tajo Building )

eee ee feet een ae

FREE WORKERS FORUM

(Third Year)

Meets Monday Nights 8:15 O'clock at 420 N. Soto St.

(One block No. of Brooklyn Ave.)

Nov. 30-"The Economic Factors in the Sociologic

Family," by John Rebac.

This is the second lecture by Mr. Rebac

on the family. The economic relations to

the family is open for many arguments and

discussions.

Questions and General Discussion

a

CONSCIENCE AND WOMEN!

The economists tell us that our civilization

would be destroyed by another world war.

The clergy tell us that to avert such a catas-

trophe we must awaken man's conscience.

But has man a conscience? Sometimes we

doubt it, and look to the women. Lady Cyn-

thia Mosely is a Socialist candidate for Par-

liament; Lady Warwick gives her estate for a

Labor College. These ladies belong to the

ruling class, and are motivated by conscience.

@ 400 So. Hill St.

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If you find this paragraph encirclel

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Sund i t 10:30 o'clock in the No doubt there are other women who hold year

Meets every Sunday morning a :30 o'clock in : ; Ft

ower, an ; ` piesa

Columbia Building (4th floor), 313 W. 3rd St. p ? d would like to use it to save the subscription to the paper for_____ months |

race, if they knew how. .

November 29.-Robert Whitaker, speaker. Sub- : Neee er

ject, "T : ise." Kate: Crane-Gartz is the sister `of an' ex. (oo! ee ee

ject, "The Folly of the Wise. a S e sister of an ex- |

ambassador, and heir of one of America's Address. -

PROGRESSIVE CLUB

Meets first and third Tuesdays, for supper and pro-

gram, at Stillwell's Cafe, 426 South Spring Street,

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ee pe aeons

PROLETARIAN FORUM

Every Saturday, 8:00 P. M.

great fortunes. Her second volume of letters

reveals an American "great lady," using her

power for the masses. A beautiful woman,

in a home of luxury, scorns that luxury, and

spends all her time challenging the social

order and defending the social rebels.

Two years ago we published a book of Mrs.

FREE VIOLIN LESSONS

To Talented Children of Parents who

are unable to pay |

MAX AMSTERDAM

; sit :

' nes Spin ; Prominent Violin Teacher and Soloist e

224 South Spring Street, Second Floor Roe ae he aun Provocateur." 2406 Temple, Sts 2 8 DRexel 906! |

ow, Ih answer to demands fr : *

Proletarian Science Study Class, every Wednesday, ea h Nectod ath om all OVER: the Reasonable Rates to Beginners .

8:00 p. m. Jack Beller, "Ideas of Modern Biology." 2 We aye collecte e recent letters.

They are straight-forward, daring, full of a

te as ; : i

soul's nobility. They will make a startling J]; . in Union

: : : : inotyping and press work done

Se ae SI RA 2 rc hei. Christmas gift for your friends. aes ; ae

_ Headquarters, Room 418 Bryson Bldg., corner 2nd LETTERS OF PROTEST Shops. The make-up is our |

and Spring Streets. R. W. Anderson, Secretary, City ;

Central Committee, Phone VErmont 6811. C. C. C.

meets second and fourth Mondays. Branch Central

meets every Tuesday evening at Headquarters.

aR

"Labor is capital. Labor has the same right to

protect itself by trade unions, etc., as any other form

of capital might claim for itself."-Cardinal Manning.

By Kate Crane-Gartz

Paper bound 50 cents; cloth bound $1.00.

Ready December 15th.

Published by Mary Craig Sinclair

Pasadena, California

YE LITTLE OLD BOOK SHOP

"Positive Outcome of Philosophy

304 West First Street

"Martyrdom of Men'"-Reade

Volney's "Ruins of Empires"

"__Dietzgen