Open forum, vol. 2, no. 12 (March, 1925)

THE OPEN FORUM

QR

No man is old until he quits asking questions.

Vol. 2.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, MARCH 21, 1925

No. 12

FIELD FINDINGS

`*The field is the world."'

Not only did the CITY CLUB of Los Angeles give

Scott Nearing a good hearing but in their issue of

the CITY CLUB BULLETIN for March 7 they gave

an excellent resume of the address. As there will

be many readers of THE OPEN FORUM interested

in this condensed account of Nearing's argument on

"THE ECONOMIC BREAKDOWN OF HUROPE" we

are giving it in another column, with this very will-

ing credit to the BULLETIN, mentioned above.

ee ee

American publicity on behalf of preparedness turns

continually to the Japanese as the "villian" of the

international drama. For example, in a recent morn-

ing paper this inquiry is addressed to Mr. Weeks,

Secretary of War. "Mr. Weeks, you know that

enemy flyers could not injure us. But do the Japa-

nese know it? Perhaps they don't." "The Japanese."

What is this ever present representation of the

Japanese aS our enemies, or prospective enemies,

but an attack upon them in advance? For example.

Suppose you pick out a bank in this town, and you

say; "Some banks are solvent. Some are not. Is

the-Bank solvent?" How long would that sort of

thing be allowed in the commercial world. Or put it

like this, "Some ministers are decent men. -Some

ministers are not. Ig the Rev. Dr. a decent

man?" Put in the name of any prominent minister

in Los Angeles, and try that, as repeated publicity.

You won't have to wait long for results. Can a

nation be libelled without redress.

r----"-

"A bright little 12-year-old chap" rode to his

father's office in New York City the other day in a

limousine and received a gift of a Ten Million Dol-

lar property. "Bright little 12-year-old chap," in-

deed! Go to it boys!

Listen, now, to Herbert Hoover: "Jt is not the

individualism of other countries for which I would

. Speak, but the individualism of America. Our indi-

vidualism differs from all others because it embraces

these great ideals: that while we built our society

upon the attainment of the individual, we shall safe-

guard to every individual an equality of opportun-

ity to take that position in the community to which

his intelligence, character, and ambition entitle him;

that we keep the social solution free from frozen

strata of classes; that we shall stimulate effort of

each individual to achievement; that through an en-

larging sense of responsibility and understanding we

shall assist him to this attainment; while he in turn

must stand up to the emery wheel of competition."

(The italics, as well as the words, are Hoover's.)

There you have it, boys. Let every "bright little

chap" of twelve climb into the limousine.

---- i n-_-_-_-

Folks who are strong on "spirituality," "faith,"

"fellowship," and all that sort of thing as sufficient

unto the present situation may do well to study a

little the following item, from a recent daily paper.

Comment On our part seems superfluous.

(R) * * *

"Selfishness is suicide. Service is self-expansion.

The will to live, argumented by the will to love, is

ak great redemptive force in the world today. In

this dawn of civilization that shall be worthy of hu-

io and an honor to man's Maker, men are learn-

os 0 put the things of the spirit above muscle, men-

sade and money and are discovering that mutual

erstanding and sympathy are more productive of

Social and individual good than the jungle law of

Tushing competition."

These Sentiments were voiced by Orra HE. Mon-

n = )

ette, President of the Bank of America, in an ad-

dr ;

oe Sliven yesterday before the Advertising Club

at the Biltmore.

The three-minute speaker yesterday was Mrs.

Lena R. Pepperdine, vice-president of the Soropti-

mist Club, who emphasized the value of close co-

operation between employers and employees, declar-

ing that loyalty, the greatest asset to a business, can-

not be purchased with money but results from the

development of confidence.

a Ca

"Forbes Contrasts Business Opportunities' in

America with those in Other Nations." So runs the

big headline on one of the financial pages of the.

morning paper. And here, word for word, is a de-

licious paragraph from this prominent American

financier.

Only last week I took a walk with a veteran citizen

in a suburb of New York. He pointed to several

hundred acres of land now worth millions and re-

marked. "My family once owned all of this ground.

It was nothing but farm land then."

Without the exercise of any genius or any particu-

lar hard work on their part this family, by selling

bit after bit of the land and holding on to other parts,

have become rich beyond the wildest of their early

dreams.

a

"True, we still have families in this country,"

Forbes goes on, "who are suffering hardships. We

still have certain classes of railway workers and

other workers who toil seven days a week and every

week of the year. We still have occasional periods

of rather widespread unemployment. Certain grades

of workers are not paid adequate wages. And other

unfavorable factors still exist.

But, compared with other people, we who are

privileged to live in this land are infinitely blessed.

Let me repeat-one aim should be to sweat and

save in order to acquire ownership of some bit of

property."

os

Here is the horoscope of The United States for the

next four years drawn by President Coolidge him-

self in his presidential message. It is all here,

private exploitation, to be carried on through a

Facisti-like political organization, sustained by courts

whose autocracy is not to be questioned. And all

this under a popular "mandate." Such is "de-

mocracy" in the U.S.A. in 1925, by authority of the

Institutes of Calvin I.

`When the country has bestowed its confidence

upon a party by making it a majority in the Con-

gress, it has a right to expect such unity of action as

will make the party majority an effective instru-

ment of government. This administration has come

into power with a very clear and definite mandate

from the people. The expression of the popular will

in favor of maintaining our constitutional guarantees

was overwhelming and decisive. There was a mani-

festation of such faith in the integrity of the courts

that we can consider that issue rejected for some

time to come. Likewise, the policy of public owner-

ship of railroads and certain electric utilities met

with unmistakable defeat. The people declared that

they wanted their rights to have not a political but a

judicial determination, and their independence and

freedom continued and supported by having the

ownership and control of their property, not in the

Government, but in their own hands."

Ft

"Not in the Government, but in their own hands."

Isn't that!) rich? Here is how it works, as instanced

in the case of William A. Clark, copper king of

Montana until his death a few days ago. The Fed-

erated Press says, "Clark got in on the ground floor

when copper was discovered in Butte.' And under

the "mandate of the people" who will have things

"in their own hands" here is the story of his fortune.

Clark's fortune increased so rapidly that he kept

buying other properties, among them the United

Verde mine in Arizona. This gave him an imme-

diate profit of $400,000 a month and he was soon

able to refuse an offer of $50,000,000 for the mine

from the Rothschilds.

Be

Between 1905 and 1923 cash dividends from United

Verde totaled $50,380,000 on the $3,000,000 capital

stock-an average annual return of nearly 90%. In

the last 10 years caSh dividends have averaged

99% a year. For the 14 years 1909 to 1922 the money

paid by consumers and the cash dividends on United

Verde were:

Sales receipts Dividends

1909 $5,368,672 $2,700,000

1910 5,605,488 2,700,000

1911 4,736,834 2,475,000

1912 5,899,457 1,800,000

1913 6,171,116 1,575,000

1914 5,186,999 1,125,000

1915 9,519,419 1,800,000

1916 17,185,881 4,050,000

1917 15,276,954 5,175,000

1918 19,275,567 5,550,000

1919 6,563,427 2,700,000

1920 10,823,857 1,800,000

1921 5,152,521 1,800,000

1922 8,342,444 2,250,000

Thus 30% of all the money paid by the purchasers

of the copper produced by United Verde went to a

single family of absentee owners in cash dividends

while all the men toiling to change the metal from

a useless ore buried in the depths of the earth to a

usable commodity got only 3642%.

As his profits rolled in Clark continued to buy gold

mines, lead mines, sugar beet farms, cattle ranches,

lumber companies, flour mills, a seat in the U. S.

senate, etc. In one instance he got a copper mine

from a _ prospector and tuberculosis victim for

$50,000 and coined $3,000,000 out of it in a few

months.

With this wealth he built himself a 5th Avenue

house which in addition to numerous dining rooms,

sitting rooms and bedrooms, had a fine system of

Turkish baths, a large organ and 26 servants' rooms.

st

PRESIDENT COOLIDGE WAS ELECTED AS A

DEFENDER OF THE CONSTITUTION.

Almost his first official act is an attempt to set the

Constitution aside. The Constitution distinctly pro-

vides that in the case of "all other officers of the

United States whose appointments are not herein

provided for, and which shall be established by law"

appointment by the President is to be "by and with

the consent of te Senate." One of these offices is

that of Attorney-General. The pretense of the Presi-

dent and of his supporters that his seven million

majority gives him authority to suspend or repudiate

the Constitution at this point is curious doctrine.

Those who shout loudest for the Constitution only

care for it when it serves their ends. If there are

no big grafters to be served through Warren's ap-

pointment to the office of Attorney-General over the

head of a majority of objecting senators who by the

Constitution have power to veto such appointment

why this willingness to scrap the Constitution to get

him in?

a

The thing that most of us are inwardly afraid of

is that our religion shall become really religious

instead of being chiefly sentimental or merely in-

tellectual as it is now.

Set porn gs aoe Fr ae Spates a ee So GREER SSA (c) os, MHUESMCeL ER OD Ut rh 0) Wen vae nts Oona eee

ed ee a TOLL AMM OCuNE Taner carn arity tear Ted

Ce ie eC eed eect.

The Breakdown of

Europe

"The economic breakdown of Europe was well

under way when the war began," said Scott Nearing.

The principal empires of Europe had already begun

to feel the pressure of increasing competition in

what was a relatively static market. In other words,

production was growing faster than the possibility of

consumption. The condition in England from 1902

to 1913, one of chronic unemployment, illustrates this

fact. The war was the military aspect of this break-

down.

The problem of marketing surplus goods is univer-

sal, and as the opportunity for foreign investment of

surplus capital becomes less and less likely there

must ensue more and more contests for the placing

of this capital. Meanwhile, because of the growth

of productive machinery nation after nation has be-

come an exporter instead of an importer. Japan, a

few years ago, wag an importing country, and today

is manufacturing goods for its own people and also

marketing its surplus abroad. The war increased

the development of manufacturing in such countries

as South Africa and Australia because the pressure

of high prices cut off European supplies. It must be

evident, therefore, that modern nationalist move-

ments were in the last analysis caused by the desire

on the part of local business men to utilize their own

markets. The war increased this local pressure

everywhere and at the same time stimulated local

industries.

Since the war Russia and Australia have been out

of the competition for world's markets, and only the

British Empire is solvent and self-supporting. France,

which is the dominant country on the continent, has

a war debt equaling 30 per cent of its total wealth.

Besides this it has local and industrial debts which

if added to the war debt, make the whole debt

charge between 75 and 90 per cent of her income.

France is, therefore, practically insolvent and un-

able to meet her obligations. The same situation is

true in Italy and other European countries.

Only three countries came out of the war solvent

-Japan, Britain and the United States. The United

States has the greatest economic surplus of any

nation. Its total income is to the total income of all

the allies, as three is to four. This American sur-

plus has accumulated since 1900, and particularly

since 1916. We have shifted from a debtor to a

creditor nation by the immense sum of eighteen

billions of dollars. This shifting involves three prob-

lems: our relation to Europe, to Latin-America and

our future world relations. Great Britain pays to us

until 1984 3 per cent of her total income. If the

other countries settle on the same basis Europe will

be paying to the United States 560 million a year

for several generations. It would appear, therefore,

that the United States has become a formidable rival

of Europe and will exercise a powerful influence upon

the European situation. Our economic hold on Latin

America may be interpreted in terms of investments

of six and one-half billions of dollars below our

Southern boundary. This gives us an economic hold

upon Latin America which will determine our foreign

policy there.

There are two possibilities in our future economic

relations with Europe, since Europe is definitely a

tributary country: either Europe will repudiate her

debts or become our economic vassal. All of this

means that the future of the world lies quite frankly

in American hands.

City Club Bulletin

---_ --_-___-_-

Put This In Your Scrap-book

This, from Arthur Brisbane under date of March

14, 1925 is so complete a giveaway we want you to

keep it where you can get it on a moment's demand.

Read it, and read it-again!

; % % %

"Nobody accuses Japan of planning an attack on

this, or any other particular country. An attack on

the United States in its present defenseless condition

might gratify the attackers for a little while. Many

American individuals and cities could easily be wiped

out by a small flying fleet. But in the long run such

an attack wouldn't pay.

"If this country were attacked through the air and

found as defenseless as it is now, even that desperate

situation could be remedied. Those responsible for

the country's defenseless condition would be dealt

with, at first, not too gently, it is to be feared. And

then ways would be found to fight back effectively."

Will The Church

Survive?

By Elmo A. Robinson

I

Recently I heard Scott Nearing give his lecture on

"Where Is Civilization Going?" He painted an opti-

mistic picture of the new era which is on its way.

This era will be characterized by a new motive-men

will live to advance the welfare of all rather than to

become individually rich. There will be a guarantee

that all will enjoy the necessities of life. There will

be a new spirit of co-operation, and of world unity

and peace.

This address aroused speculation in my mind as

to the future of the church. In the past there has

been a close relationship between church organiza-

tion and theology and political organization and

theory. The form of early church organization cor-

responded to the political organization of the first

century. The Protestant Reformation took its form

and some of its theology from the new political and

industrial alignment in Hurope. The Evangelical

Movement in England, typified by John Wesley, grew

out of new industrial conditions-factories, mines-

just as the Unitarian Movement grew out of the new

science of the same period. The characteristic of

American church life is denominationalism, and this

had its great impetus with the adoption of our Con-

stitution, expressing ideals of freedom and indepen-

dence.

In general, the forms of church organization and

the ideals of church life have varied with industrial

and political conditions. Christianity in Persia

differs from that in the United States. Church life

in New England differs from that in California. The

great denominations have been transformed in the

last one hundred years. It is natural to expect

further changes in the future.

In fact these changes have already begun. There

is an impatience with denominationalism and other

evils, accompanied by agitation for unity. It is reas-

onable to assume that these changes will continue.

The new industrial age of service, health, co-opera-

tion, will give birth to a new church. What will

it be like?

Without making unreasonable claims one can say

that the new era will be a closer approach to the

ideals of Jesus and to the Kingdom of God than

anything we have had before. In the new era, then,

the church ought to come into its own at last. It

ought to flourish and to carry on its work of inspira-

tion and education, unencumbered by many of the

obstacles of today.

The opposite point of view is held by those who

have discarded the church. They hold that the

church will be discarded by the society of the future.

They hold that the cultured have become go self-

sufficient that they no longer need the fellowship, in-

spiration, joy, comfort of church life, that in the

future, when all shall have become cultured, no one

will need organized religion. Those who speak thus

reveal their own lack of appreciation of certain

eternal problems. They fail to see that uncertainty,

doubt, temptation, loneliness, maladjustment are es-

sential elements of our phychic life, and that men

will always need help in these situations. They fail

to see that other attitudes such as gratitude, praise,

joy, fellowship, must ever seek group expression.

I believe, therefore, in the "church everlasting."

Just as we sing praises to those of the past who have

contributed to social progress, just as we give honor

to Jesus and the thousands who have plodded the

straight, hard pathway, so men and women of the

future will look back to those of today who are faith-

ful to their ideals of righteousness and justice. They

will concern themselves with telling their children of

such ideals. They will ever seek to inspire the

weak, comfort the mourning, pacify the belligerent,

and extend the bounds of fellowship. They will ever

tell the tale of human progress, and sing the equiva-

lent of "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

$i e-_-____

"From ancient times to modern, public opinion has

made a hero of the Ceasar returning with captive

beasts to grace hig triumph. It has been sired by

superstition and mothered by ignorance. It has

approved wars and_ persecutions. It has been

absurd in hoop-skirts and balloon sleeves. It has

enforced cannibalism, and it

loyalty."

does enforce party

A weekly commentary by Robert Whitake,

on the high-power humbug and the rey,

pectable nonsense of platform and preg

Ee)

One of the rankest pieces of high brow bunk in thy

world is the everlasting preachment of the resp,

table classes against "violence" as a social program,

Violence has always been the social program of th

respectable, and was never more so than it is today,

In the international field every nation dominated by

the respectable, conservative elements, is increasing

its armament, and preparing for more succegsfyj

violence against its neighbors, or else assumes thy

Pharasaic attitude that its own preparedness for yijo.

lence is wholly defensive against the probable

brigandage of the "civilized" nations round about,

In the national field the admiration for Fascism j

everywhere manifest in polite circles. What re.

spectable people want is not to abolish violence by

to get the monopoly of it in their own hands.

Here is a striking illustration of the fact take)

from a "special cable to The Globe (Toronto,

Canada) and The New York Times, under date oj

March 4.

* * *

London, March 4th.-"If honorable members oppo.

site were entitled to advise shooting middle ani

upper class Germans because they could not accept

their views, Communists are equally entitled to ai.

vise the working classes to shoot down those who

stand in the way of their prosperity."

This declaration was made in the Commons last

night by John Wheatley, ex-Minister of Health, and

one of the strong men of the Labor party, whose

name has been mentioned as a rival of Ramsay Mac:

Donald for its leadership.

Wheatley's remarks were made during a debate

on a motion by a Unionist condemning Communist

propaganda throughout the Empire. Wheatley claim

ed the purpose of the motion was for honorable mem:

bers opposite, who kept millions of people down in

the gutter, to make it illegal for them to squeal,

Revolutions were produced by such conditions.

"T tell you," he declared, "if I were enduring these.

conditions, or if I felt tomorrow, by exercising a

little violence, I could emancipate a million of my

fellow-countrymen from perpetual poverty, I would

feel, in taking that course, I should be more justified

than you were in the course you took in 1914."

Lord Winterton, Under-Secretary for India, reply:

ing for the Government, referred to this "frank and

naive" disclosure of Wheatley's real political ambi:

tions. He had thought there would be a general

agreement that the duty of Government was to pro:

tect the country against changes in the existing

order by other than constitutional means, but he |

felt a little doubtful after Wheatley's remarks.

% % *

"To protect the country against changes in the

existing order by other than constitutional means.'

Do you get that? And doesn't it sound for all the

world like a preachment from some California judge

sentencing an I.W.W. to San Quentin for being il

possesion of a "red card?" But pray how did the

Constitution come to pass, either in England or i

the United States except by violence? And how is

it otherwise maintained except by violence, against

outside nations whenever there is anything to be

gained by that course, and against the common pei:

ple within the nation, constitutionally or otherwiscent,

whenever there is any danger of special privileg?

losing its strangle-hold upon the body of labor?

Why even the peace program of the world today

is, on the part of the upper classes, an issue as 10

how they can organize the world's violence on al

international scale against whoever would interfer?

with predatory profits. National protection today is

not sufficient. Some of the big fellows would make

it so, in the case of England or the United States,

by increasing air and ship equipment to the point

where supremacy over all comers is secured. Some

would have the United States and Hngland_ strike

hands, to do it more economically and more effec

tively. Some would have the ring of iron composel

of all nations.

hands of the exploiting classes. And if the Big Fel

lows can get together on the international field they

are going to see to it that no social changes, 10

relief for labor, is accomplished, except by consti:

tutional means, that is except in the field of prop

ganda, where their supremacy is as over-whelming

as it is in the field of arms.

And mark you, if the workers win in the field o

propaganda, with all the handicaps against them

the story of the Facisti movement shows plainly

enough how long constitutions will be regarded DY

the House of Have in their dealings with the Hous

of Want. Not the passing of violence, but the

monopoly of violence ig always and everywhere the

aim of the ruling classes.

But it is to be a ring of iron, in the

=

the

Dee.

ran,

, the

day,

1 by

Sing

Sf]

the

Vio.

able

Out,

Nn is

re.

but

ken

nto,

e of

Dpo-

and

cept

mai

who

last

ant

1086

Vac:

bate

nist

aim:

em:

a in

eal,

1Ese .

Pod

yuld

fied

ply:

ani

nbi:

eral

pro:

ting

he

the

ns.

the

dge

- in

the

" it

v is

inst

be

e0:

ise,

ege

day

. to

all

ere

r is

ake

Les,

yint

me

ike

Fac:

sed

the

Nel:

1ey

sti:

par

ing

m

nly

18cent

he

he

/ 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.

Let's make "SAY SO" the best

page of this paper. Mind you,

be brief. And again, BE BRIEF.

Burglary and War

March 5, 1925.

Cornelius Vanderbilt,

Hditor of Illustrated News,

Log Angeles, California.

Dear Sir:

Your comparison of burglars and the war making

state is puerile.

A burglar is an individual, sub-normal perhaps,

and perhaps hungry and out of a job, a victim of the

present order of society, which takes no cognizance

of the unemployment problem. The state is supposed

to be managed by statesmen, not morons; men who

are supposed to use their brains and not their fists.

They told us if we went into the late war, it

would be to end war as a means of settling disputes.

Are we as a country going to live up to our prom-

ises or admit that we prefer barbarous methods to

enlightened ones.

There is no possible justification for destroying

human life. We lose more than we can possibly

gain. So it behooves a young man like yourself to

join the vanguard of the world wide Youth Move-

ment and work for the elimination of war and all

other injustices.

If we ag a nation want to lead the world, we will

have to change our whole outlook on life and set

our house in order, if we expect the rest of the world

to respect and believe our slogans and promises.

So, here's hoping.

Sincerely,

Kate-Crane Gartz

--_-_-_--

A Protest

March 5, 1925.

Mrs. Dorothea Moore,

Friday Morning Club,

Los Angeles, California.

Dear Madam:

I just wish to register my protest through you of

your husband's refusal to allow Scott Nearing to

Speak to the students of the Southern Branch-a

man who knows more about Economics and Politics

than any other American, too much perhaps. He

(Professor Moore) even called him abnormal which

to my Way of thinking is far above normal.

: : thought you and perhaps he were at least Liberals

if not Radicals and as educators you would stand

for the finest, broadest, and best in education. EHcon-

"omic determinism is probably at the bottom of it.

For a fine type of man, beloved by all "thinking"

beople, to be "turned down" by a narrow minded

Me, of schoolmasters is outrageous. But they are

osers, Scott Nearing cannot be hurt. But the

boor students they must be poured into. one mold

an . : eine

d never be allowed to use their own thinking

machines,

Alas! and Alack! when shall we ever get the right

type of educators in our schools, who will permit

children to hear all sides of every question and

decide for themselves the right or wrong of it.

Sincerely,

Kate-Crane Gartz

WHY?

By Kate Crane Gartz

Our scientists know so much about the constitution

of the Universe why can they not undertake the

simpler task of organizing society on a humane

basis, so that all may be equal and free to enjoy

life-for surely life must hold more than the sordid

struggle for existence.

Lenin, the much despised, by the unthinking and

satisfied, was the one man with imagination enough

to visualize a united commonwealth of all the earth.

He knew the great masses of people do not have a

square deal, yet we cast up our eyes in pious horror

at the Bolsheviks, when we ourselves have perpe-

trated such outrages on our own political prisoners,

confiscated property of innocent German citizens,

spied on our Own people, whose only crime was

hatred of war, for any cause, knowing that it never

settled any thing right.

So, I always find myself with the eternal why on

the end of my tongue; why are human beings thus-

why are those of us who are fired by zeal for a

more abundant life always greeted by the words-

Red Radical; why is there no hospitality for new

ideas, but all are greeted as blasphemous; why did

progressivism fail in the recent election, and the

masses vote to reinstate coruption and indifference

to the common good? They only postpone the day

of reckoning.

Our own economic freedom is jeopardized until it

is insured and assured for all and until those scien-

tists have worked out a co-operative system that will

include all (not just prosperity for Wall street, as

now), we cannot call ourselves civilized.

At best existence ig sorry and insecure, life so

beset with tragedies, so why, again, can we not put

our heads together and evolve a sane constructive

system, instead of destructive, which we have follow-

ed all too long.

Se EE Ree es

Mammonart

AN APPRECIATION

Because Upton Sinclair is with us, and because so

many of his books are before us there is frequent

failure on the part of progressive minded folks on

the Pacific Coast to realize the world-significance of

the work he is doing. I have been especially im-

pressed with this in the reading of Mammonart, of

which I am going to have more to say when I have

finished the book. Already I have read enough of

it to acquiesce most heartily in the following re-

markable appreciation which Sinclair has just re-

ceived from Floyd Dell, the famous New York writer.

Mammonart is a big piece of work, and is to be

studied, not merely read. To understand it is in

itself a liberal, nay better, a real education. R.W.

* * *

"Dear Upton:

I have been reading `"Mammonart" with profound

admiration. I could quarrel with you on points of

theory, interpretation, and judgment; but the fact

remains that it is a great work, greatly accom-

plished.

I wish every young writer in America could read

it-and every boy or girl who dreams of some day

becoming a writer. It would knock the pious non-

sense out of their heads that they are taught in

school-the notion that true art is tame art, art

made safe and harmless for the bourgeoise! That

nonsense, poisoning the minds of our finest, bravest,

most clear-seeing young people even before they have

learned how to write, muddying youth's purpose

and degrading art's meaning for them, is robbing us

of the great and vital literature they could create

tomorrow. Your book is the best antidote for that

spiritual poison.

Faithfully yours,

FLOYD DELL."

A Voice In The

Wilderness

March 9, 1925.

To the Open Forum:

A friend of mine received a clipping from a well

known eastern paper condemning my criticism of

the Star Spangled Banner. Feeling that this editor-

ial was unjust, she wrote to the paper explaining

my ideas more fully. The paper published her letter,

and one of the associate editors, in a personal letter

to her, made the following statement:

"JT am sure Mrs. Spencer has many who agree with

her. Most of my co-workers here regard her position

as entirely sound and tenable, and so do I. It seems

to me the American people have had neither guts

nor backbone since the last war. It is good to hear

a `voice crying in the wilderness.' Hope it becomes

a chorus." `

It ig encouraging to know the private opinion of

this man who speaks to thousands every day through

his paper, but it is-discouraging to realize that he

dares not express this opinion publicly. He is

surely not regenerating those who "have had neither

guts nor backbone since the last war." However, his

willingness to publish the dissenting opinion which

my friend sent is something to place on the credit

side of the balance.

Fanny Bixby Spencer.

A Great Book Bargain

For years before I left Los Gatos I used to have

Upton Sinclair's "CRY FOR JUSTICE" beside me on

the pulpit, and read "Lessons" from it, along with

the "Lessons" from the Bible itself. So I am glad to

publish the following note, just received, and to

recommend the book with all my heart to everybody.

It is a truly great book.-R.W.

% * *

Dear Comrades:

We have 2400 copies of the paper-bound "CRY FOR

JUSTICE." These books cost 55 cents to manufac-

ture; we have been retailing them at $1.00. We

are offering the remainder at 40 cents a copy, cash

to accompany order, first come first served.

Sincerely,

UPTON SINCLAIR

Address, Pasadena, Calif.

More Garbage Cans

Editor, Open Forum:

The plant of the Illustrated Daily News should be

raided by the shock troops of the local K.K.K. and

demolished. This paper has been publishing blas-

phemous anti-Los Angeles propaganda; namely about

people living on what they can pick out of garbage

cans. This is treason! `Treason! As a 100-per

cent Angeleno, I hereby appeal to all other 100-per

centers to refrain from reading such disgusting stuff.

The paper should also be barred from the mails;

the folks back East must not read of these conditions.

Do I hear someone say that these articles are true?

Don't give a d if they are! Los Angeles

must have a population of 2,000,000 by 19380! More

people means more garbage cans, and that means

that more people could probably live by picking rot-

ten cabbage heads out of garbage cans. See?

-100-per Cent.

a a

Scott Nearing spoke at the City Club last week and

gave one of the best addresses ever delivered at that

home of good talks. I had never acquiesced in his

attitude as a pacifist during the war, and considered

him as rather a dreamer. But the practical way in

which he depicted the situation in Europe, and

finally in this country, won me, as evidently it did

the large audience of middle-class persons. He

quoted figures. without notes in an amazing manner,

and so nicely as not to tire one. Besides, his sta-

tistics appealed to one as being reliable, as I am

somewhat familiar with financial matters and could

not detect a flaw in his statements or computations.

It is a loss to the Labor Movement and to its in-

dividual members that he was not secured to ad-

ress us.

-P. D. NOEL in Labor Press.

Ren ee eee Ree a ee aE EES

THE OPEN FORUM

Published every Saturday at 506 Tajo Building,

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

Kate Crane Gartz J H. Ryekman

Doremus Scudder

Ethelwyn Mills

Upton Sinclair

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, MAR. 21, 1925

COMING EVENTS

KK Keke KK KK

Los Angeles Open Forum, Music-Art Hall, 233

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

----- @- -_-_-_

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

iit --_-_-.

OPEN FORUM every Saturday evening at 8:00 P.M.

T.W.W. HALL, 224 S. Spring Street, Room 218. In-

teresting Speakers-Interesting Subjects.

ee

PROLETARIAN FORUM

Every Sunday at 8 P. M.

ODD FELLOWS HALL

22014 South Main Street

Questions and Discussion Freely Invited

Admission Free

4

EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT-OPEN DISCUSSION

At Eight O'clock

A Free Education is Offered at

EDUCATIONAL CENTER

By Industrial Workers of the World

HEALTH TALKS: The entire field of health, all

isms, fads, cures, and common sense of health

matters are being covered in a series of Lectures,

being delivered every Tuesday night. No Admis-

sion Fee.

Program for Ensuing Month Announced Soon

INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD

224 South Spring Street, Room 218

a

FREE WORKER'S FORUM

420 N. Soto St., Los Angeles, Cal.

(One block north of Brooklyn Avenue)

PROGRAM FOR MARCH, 1925

March 23-"What is Wrong with the World?" by

`Dr. Charles James.

March 30-`Gandhi-Soul Force Versus (Physical

Force" by Miss Hthelwyn Mills.

FREE VIOLIN LESSONS

To Talented Children of Parents who

are unable to pay

MAX AMSTERDAM

Prominent Violin Teacher and Soloist

2406 Temple St. - - = "= "" " DRexel 9068

Reasonable Rates to Beginners

Linotyping and press work done in Union

Shops. The make-up is our own.

Official Lawlessness

NEW YORK-That "officers of the government of

the United States have bullied and beaten citizens

and aliens beyond the limits of decency," is one of

Professor Charles A. Board's charges made at the

dinner of the American Civil Liberties Union protest-

ing against the gagging of count Michael Karolyi,

Hungary's first president, who is forbidden by the

state department from speaking on politics while

visiting his sick wife here.

Board continues: "They have arrested persons

without warrant, on gossip and suspicion. They

have entered houses and searched premises and doc-

uments without any shadow of justification or au-

thority. They have destroyed and carried off private

property. They have coerced and terrorized prison-

ers, innocent and guilty alike. They have held

citizens without granting them the right of immedi-

ate communication with friends and counsel. They

have made wholesale raids worthy of Huns and Cos-

sacks. They have let loose thousands of irresponsible

spies to hound and persecute innocent citizens engag-

ed in attending to their own business. They have em-

ployed provocative agents to stir up some of the

crimes they are charged to prevent." Htc. etc. during

the last decade, since the World War. Coolidge

himself ig blamed for having "set his name and his

sanction to an article filled with false and outrageous

insinuations against American citizens as loyal and

devoted to our country as he is himself."

-rFederated Press.

a

A Preacher Says

Something

Though the pillars of the present financial system

are also pillars in the churches Dr. Harry Emerson

Fosdick, liberal preacher who was forced to resign

his pulpit at the First Presbyterian Church on Fifth

Avenue, brands the system as unchristian. Said Dr.

Fosdick in a farewell sermon which is arousing warm

disputes in Fifth Avenue circles:

"T do not believe that our present economic sys-

tem, as it is run and ordered, is Christian, and I

have said so. I do not believe that our international

life is Christian, and I have said so. I abhor the

cruelties of our modern industrialism. I hate war

and I never except to bless another... For these

things I have stood in this pulpit as a Christian

minister and no one of you ever tried to lay a finger

on my lips."

Dr. Fosdick, nominally a Baptist, was fired from his

Presbyterian pulpit for heresy but he is `proud of

being a heretic under the circumstances, he says:

"They call me a heretic.

wouldn't live in a generation like this and be any-

thing but a heretic."

However, though Fosdick may be too heretical

and liberal for his Fifth Avenue Presbyterians, he is

not a radical either in theology nor economics.

But he refuses to stand pat, so loses his job.

-Federated Press.

eens

as

The Internationals

Dinner Pail Epics, by Bill Lloyd

Federated Press Jingles

I see the capitalistic fakers what operate as our

lawmakers has put the dirks into the bill to take

the children from the mill. They passed amendment

to. hit booze, but for some reason they don't choose

to hit the profits of the geezers who live by being

children-sSqueezers.

Them guys, I'll say without a doubt, what put the

propaganda out to keep the kiddies working hard are

listed on the index-card of every pompous organiza-

tion to help the children of the nation. The Y. M.

they get lots of dough; they help Boy Scouts to

make 'em, go; the Scamp Fire Girls ig given much;

but the Y W's been in Dutch since it bucked up for

women workers, and now ain't petted by the shirkers.

The Legion wuz a special pet, till it begged bonus for

the vet. And Sunday schools!-say, they get love

from all financial powers above.

They love the kids-they do, like hell. They say

youth should be treated swell . They love 'em if they

work and pray, and do not seek a better day. If

they ain't asked for world what's new, they just

love kids-like hell, they do.

Deam=proud=.ofdtx- 1 -

Los Angeles

OPEN FORUM

MUSIC ART HALL

233 South Broadway

SUNDAY NIGHTS, 7-30 O0x00B0CLOCK

|

MAR. 22-"SHOULD CAPITAL PUNISHMmy;

BE ABOLISHED?" by Attorney S. S. HAHN. They

is a new bill now before our legislature PFOpOosip

to do away with capital punishment in this sta,

Many are stirred up over the execution of crimina,

Mr. Hahn, who is a criminal lawyer of wide expq;

ence, should be able to throw much light on this

question. We shall have the pleasure of listenin

to BERNARD COHN, a young pianist of much ability

in the program of music preceding the address,

MAR. 29-DEBATE "RESOLVED THAT TH

ATTACKS OF THE LIBERTARIANS ON RUSs| _

ARE JUSTIFIED." The affirmative will be tak

by THOMAS BELL, and A. PLOTKIN will uphoj

the negative. When two such doughty antagonis(

get together the fur is sure to fly-and some Ney

facts touching a long-continued controversy amon

liberals will be brought out undoubtedly. MR. ll

FISH will be heard in a number of Russian song

Ht.

Church of the New Social Order

Symphony Hall, 232 So. Hill St.

Sunday Morning Service: 10:45 o'clock

A WARLESS WORLD. DO WE Want ITY HOY

ARE WE GOING TO GET IT?

The particular subjects to be considered from Su

day to Sunday will follow the lines indicated in th

analysis set forth above.

March 22. THE APPEAL TO FAITH.

March 29. ion APPEAL TO SOCIAL REVOLU

TION.

ee

WHEN BUSINESS MEN ARE PAINFUL SIGHT

NEW YORK.-"The business man dealing with:

large political question is really `a painful 4 sight!

wrote Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevel

in a letter copyrighted by Scribner's. "It does set

to me that business men, with a few exceptions, ali

worse when they come to deal with politics tha

men of any other class."

--__4-_

I will neither rejoice much at victory nor be muti

disturbed by defeat, for the cause is infinitely 7

them both. .

eae a

The only way we can stand the Bible is ue |

very careful not to understand it.

!

.

EXPIRATION NOTICE

Dear Friend: If you find this paragraph encircled

with a blue pencil mark it means that your sul

scription to "The Open Forum" expires next week

You have been receiving the paper for some tim:

and have had opportunity to judge as to its meriti

We hope that you have found it indispensable, aul

will therefore immediately fill out the blank belo

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

the continuance of your subscription. Please dot!

put the matter off; attend to it right now, and i!

possible send us a dollar so as to insure the weekl

visit of the paper for a whole year. Better siill :

send in two dollars and the names of four frien(

for trial subscriptions of three months each ih

addition to your own subscription for a year.

Editors The Open Forum

506 Tajo Bldg.,

Los Angeles, Calif.

Hinclosed find $0.6. ns for which continue w

year

subscription to the paper for. ante

Name

Address

WILSHIRE UNDERTAKING

and Ambulance Company

Atlantic 1698 -- Phones -- Atlantic 3709

717 West Washington St., Los Angeles

Walter C. Blue Ella L. Purcell Blue

Our Sympathetic Understanding of the needs of the Work

ing People Enables Us to Give You the Best Service.

SS

| eae

5 i