Open forum, vol. 3, no. 21 (May, 1926)

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Don't Ask for Your Rights-Take 'Em.

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Vol. 3.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, MAY 22, 1926

By J. H. RYCKMAN

Roger Baldwin knows more about the limitations

of "free speech" in Southern California than he

new a month ago. He was here in the interest of

free speech and civil liberties. I fear he went away

quite disillusioned. He was down for an address at

the First Methodist Church, Pasadena, before the

Conference of Social Workers, of which Dr. Miriam

Van Waters is president. The church authorities

were assailed by such a storm of protest against

Baldwin that the conference had to adjourn to Odd

Fellows Hall to hear his address. He had been in-

vited to speak at the City Club noonday luncheon.

but the directors met and rescinded the invitation.

Mr. Baldwin has spoken in every big city in the

country before their city clubs and in scores of our

colleges without challenge. It remained for Los An-

geles to deny him. What deep disgrace is ours! And

what forsooth was Mr. Baldwin trying to put over?

Merely a message of good will, intelligent under-

standing, tolerance and co-operation among the

peoples of the earth. If democratic institutions are

to be maintained, perpetuated and improved by the

only practical methods, those of trial and error, there

must be the utmost freedom of speech and of the

press. It is not enough that there shall be freedom

of thought. There must be the right to utter

thought. Free speech cannot be assured by consti-

tutions or Jaws. The men who wrote the Constitu-

tim and the first ten amendments made no at-

tempt to guarantee free speech, nor did they even

attempt to define it. Alexander Hamilton said it

could not be done for very obvious reasons. After

the Philadelphia Convention had formulated the

Constitution and the campaign was on for its adop-

tion and dissatisfaction was in the air because no

Bill of Rights was in the Constitution, Hamilton

wrote in No, 84 of The Federalist: `On the subject

of the liberty of the press, as much has been said, I

cannot forbear adding a remark or two: In the first

Dlace T observe there is not a syllable concerning it

nthe Constitution of this State (New York); in the

next, I contend that whatever has been said about it

m that of any other State amounts to nothing. What

`ignifies a declaration that `the liberty of the press

shall be inviolably preserved'? What is the liberty

of the press? Who can give it any definition which

Would not leave the utmost latitude for evasion? I

hold it to be impracticable; and from this, I infer

that its security, whatever fine declarations may be

lserted in any constitution respecting it, must alto-

gether depend on public opinion and on the general

`pitit of the people and of the government. And here

alter all * * * must we seek for the only solid basis

of all our rights. * * * Jt would be quite as sig-

leant to declare that government ought to be free,

o taxes ought not to be excessive, etc., as that the

erty of the press ought not to be restrained."

ee are the wise words of one of the greatest

eee of that or of any other age. And so the

ae Fathers could do was to write into the

ie amendment that Congress should make no law

eee freedom of speech or of the press. That

of oe of Speech precisely where the makers

nN onstitution found it-wholly dependent on

ne ee and on the general spirit of the people

the e government as Hamilton said and where

ae eurover since been and is now and will forever

Main,

5 abrenid Roger Baldwin was here in California

seat public opinion on the subject of free

and they. oe Club and at the Methodist Church

Sha ce aa him. ene

atess he e onstitution was adopte on-

the Ban os 0 enact laws in alleged conflict with

Lae Rights, notably the Alien and Sedition

n the followers of Hamilton and Adams and the

J Precipitating a tremendous controversy be-

HOGER BALDWIN SEES LOS ANGELES

followers of Jefferson and Madison. The question

at once arose at what point speech could be restrain-

ed, if at all, and the battle has fiercely raged ever

since, the latest reverberations being in the Supreme

Court of the United States in the case of Gitlow

and it is probably now raging behind closed doors in

the chambers of that august tribunal in the case of

Anita Whitney, whose case is under consideration.

It was Jefferson who enunciated the rule for which

Baldwin stands. It is this: "To suffer the civil

magistrate to intrude his powers into the field of

opinion and to restrain the profession or propagation

of principles on supposition of their ill tendency, is

- a dangerous fallacy which at once destroys all lib-

erty because he being judge of that tendency will

make his opinions the rule of judgment and approve

or condemn the sentiments of others only as they

square with or differ from his own. It is time enough

for the rightful purposes of civil government for its

officers to interfere when principles break out into

overt acts against peace and good order."

- In 1878 the Supreme Court without dissent quoted

these words of Jefferson with approval in a case in-

volving religious freedom, but that was the last time.

The Court has got far away from that rule since

and has adopted a wholly different rule-a rule per-

mitting the civil magistrate to restrain speech at the

point where in his opinion it tends to incite to vio-

lence or. disorder or the overthrow of established

government. This rule brings about the very sit-

uation Jefferson predicted-the judge makes his

opinions the rule of judgment and approves or con-

demns the opinions of the accused as they square

with or differ from his own. It was Lincoln who

said: "The principles of Jefferson are the definitions

and axioms of free society." It was Justice Oliver

Wendell Holmes in the Gitlow case only a year ago

who said in a dissenting opinion in answer to the

pernicious doctrine of "tendency to incitement to

crime', maintained by the majority: "It is said that

this Manifesto (Left Wing Socialist) was more than

a theory, that it was an incitement. Every idea is

an incitement. It offers itself for belief, and, if be-

lieved it is acted on unless some other belief out-

weighs it or some failure of energy stifles the move-

ment at its birth. The only difference between the

expression of an opinion and an incitement in the

narrower sense is the speaker's enthusiasm for the

result."

On another occasion seven years ago when five

young Russians were convicted for distributing leaf-

lets urging recognition of Soviet Russia, Justices

Holmes and Brandeis said they had as much right

under our Constitution to distribute the leaflets as

the Government itself has to publish the Constitu-

tion. And so it has been since the days of '89, that

a long line of noble men and women like Baldwin

have stood up for the Constitution as interpreted by

Jefferson against the interpretation of the reaction-

aries now in control of our Government and of the

City Club. It was Thomas Paine who said: "He

that would make his own liberty secure must guard

even his enemy from oppression, for if he violates

this duty he establishes a precedent which will reach

himself."

As William Ellery Channing said: "Freedom of

opinion, of speech and of the press is our most val-

uable privilege, the very soul of republican institu-

tions, the safeguard of all other rights. We may

learn its: value if we reflect that there is nothing

which tyrants so much dread. * * * If men abandon

the right of free discussion; if, awed by threats,

they suppress their convictions; if rulers succeed in

silencing every voice but that which approves them;

if nothing reaches the people but what will lend

support to men in power,-farewell to liberty. The

form of free government may remain, but the life,

the soul, the substance is fled."

Right From London

(Special to the Open Forum)

London.-Whatever meaning the coal crisis in

England of 1926 may have had is now historical and

subject to the reading of any and all; but the en-

vironment of that event continuously needs more

study. Inhabitants of the United States find it diffi-

cult to understand European events. To glance at

the geography of London may throw light upon the

problem.

Readers of the Open Forum may grasp the sig-

nificance of the English coal crisis if they see the

affair in California setting. Take a line from San

Diego to San Francisco, along highway or railroad,

which will cover roughly five hundred miles. Bring

that territory with a scant three millions of popula-

tion into the mind's eye. With this done, take a

map of Europe, with London as a center and five

hundred miles as a radius, and swing a circle around

the British Isles and Europe. This circle will in-

elude all of Great Britain and Ireland, it will skirt

Sweden and Norway and take within its area France,

Belgium, Holland and Denmark; it will embrace all

of the Ruhr and the Saar Valleys, reach to the

environs of Berlin, enclose Switzerland, except the

Tyrol and the Bearneais Alps, and cover the north-

ern half of Portugal and Spain. In a radius of five

hundred miles around London, live, toil and struggle

considerably more people than at present inhabit the

United States. Five great kingdoms and four re-

publics agonize in industrial competition. In a re-

gion no more distant at any point than San Fran-

cisco and San Diego reign the kings of England,

Spain, Belgium and Denmark, the queen of Holland,

the mighty republic of France, the industrial units

of the Ruhr and the Saar, and Switzerland and Por-

tugal, together with the competitive stresses of the

British, the German and the French coal fields. Nine

languages and innumerable dialects are spoken; na-

tions grapple and shake the world in war and yet

some revolutionists expect the same reactions in

such a crowded area as they would on the Mohave

Desert. Such a line swung from Los Angeles as a

center would take in parts of three American states,

a small portion of the territory of Mexico, and it

would not enfold five millions of people. In Europe

this similar area sustains upwards of 130 millions.

Units of comparison in. either region differ just as

widely.

Until those who seek revolution and the emanci-

pation of the working class plan and propose their

projects in terms applicable to the organization of

industrial Europe the red dawn will be delayed.

My first glimpse of London was from the Temple

subway station and the little park at that point on

the Thames embankment. In this park are statutes

to William Edward Forster and John Stuart Mill.

Forster founded the British system of elementary

schooling and Mill is the economist and apostle of

utilitarianism. At the gate are two beautiful figures

of wrestlers about to grapple, whose fixed bronze

All over London

In the dole

Britain throws a sop of beggary of her workers;

shows the soul of life and motion.

are such lessons and such loveliness.

Spring is abroad in the land; flowers bud in abund-

ance; will any scientific thinker advance the proposi-

tion that this territory and such peoples can be

organized into self-sufficient industrial unity regard-

less of nationality by or through the same propa-

ganda effective with American migratory worker or

the mujik of the steppes? To be sure the blood of

all nations is red; but what about the fact that a

British coal strike advances the prices of French and

German coal? One glimpse of the coal crisis in

Britain proves that the world revolutionist must

either get down to business or shut up shop.

TRAVELER.

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Baldwin and Paytrioteers

By K.-G.G:

"LOS ANGELES CLUB WOMEN IN FUROR

OVER VISIT OF RADICAL ROGER BALDWIN."

"A war-time pacifist and one who fosters radical

ideas."

What are men and women clubs for if not to listen

and learn? Intolerance should be stricken from

their vocabulary. But now we are confronted with

the spectacle of a tempest in a teapot, over Roger

Baldwin, the innocent bystander, and a lot of free

advertising for the cause of free speech. This man

whose life has been devoted to solving the problems

of the downtrodden-a pacifist, who does not believe

in force and violence, as do those who lambast him.

Why all this fear of discussion of vital questions

in men and women clubs, and the fear always direct-

ed against those who have the highest ideal for a

truly civilized society, like Christ and Debs, not to

mention many others who have gone to jail for being

ahead of their time-and later been canonized by

their very detractors ?

Why should our American political life be con-

sidered by the 100% paytrioteers something so holy

and not to be criticized? The facts in the light of

recent exposures in high places do not warrant such

reverence. So, for what are we requested to salute

the flag; what part of our country, our fallible

statesmen, our corrupt politicians, our greatly aug-

mented militarism, our indifference to child welfare,

or the common good, or unemployment, or poverty,

or what? Well, we radicals cannot do that, our

fight is simply for a better order of human society,

wherein all God's creatures shall be entitled to at

least a chance to live as all human -beings should

live. And for that we are feared by self-satisfied

men and women clubs.

Not to be a radical of one brand or another stamps

one as belonging to the unthinking class-the class

which goes along the even tenor of its way, satisfied

because they have no problems of their own and the

other fellow's problems are no concern of theirs.

They actually have time to play cards while Rome

burns, while mothers-whose mother job is enough,

must go out, and do the father's job, too-earn

bread for their children. And these flag-waving

clubs actually hate and fear those of us who think of

humanity first, while they attach so much impor-

tance to an emblem, without thinking what it really

means or stands for.

No, we are more than ever convinced that the

primary function of government, as Wilson said, is

to protect the special privileges of the few, who

want to direct our thinking for us in a straight and

narrow groove. They are the ones, these would-be

suppressors, who violate the first principles of our

civil society, and radicals will not bend or acquiesce

to all their hideous persecutions of the struggling

working class. These oppressors of labor, hiding

behind the high sounding slogan `Open Shop."

Strange anomaly, this power of the press, this yel-

low journalism, which fights against the creation of

things good and useful and beautiful for all the

rest of us, never being able to enjoy the work of

their own hands.

We have many manifestations of barbarism in

modern society which cannot be too frequently em-

phasized, among which are the misery and waste of

competitive industry: militarism. the idea that mak-

ing a slaughter house of the world settles anything.

These are the twin "agitators" and "trouble breed-

ers" and let us hope that the true saviors of this

country, the radicals, like Washington and Jef-

ferson, are the seed sowers and torch bearers of a

new and better world.

It is a great satisfaction to see that we have in

Dr. Miriam Van Waters a fearless advocate of fair

play. A woman in her line of work could scarcely

fail to see the necessity for plenty of discussion pro

and con. before we can have a satisfactory solution

of the many problems before the Social Service

Agencies today, which are at best, only palliative,

whereas if they were not so afraid of the word

radical they might come nearer the truth and eradi-

cate the necessity for them by removing the cause.

That is all radicalism wants.

If it is a revolution for the workers to lay down

their tools what is it for them to go on using them

in the interests of the exploiters?

It is the business of the liberals to see to it that

minorities of all kinds are protected in their con-

stitutional rights.

Fear of the Truth

By P. D. NOEL

The action of the City Club last Tuesday in can-

celling the Roger Baldwin meeting scheduled for the

noon luncheon period of the following day came as a

shock to those of us who are endeavoring to have

our country live up to the ideals expressed in the

Declaration of Independence.

`Like many others, the ordinary club had very little

appeal for me, and I hesitated for quite a time before

succumbing to invitations of friends to join. That it

was the only place in the city with dining and other

conveniences where an open forum was conducted,

which heard all sides of various problems, was the

magnet which finally decided me, as has been the

case with many other members wit h whom I am

acquainted. This reputation for open and fair presen-

tation of questions, combined with the fact that the

club never took sides for or against, has given it an

exalted position in the minds of our fair-minded citi-

zens, so that it occupies a high place in the civic life

of the city.

Now, like a thunderbolt, comes this destructive

action, which undoubtedly will seriously weaken its

influence for good in the community, and cause its

members and friends to assume an apolegetic attitude

and try to explain this unfortunate action.

For years following the War of the Rebellion

various self-constituted guardians of the Republic

took it upon themselves to dictate to the people

how much of the rights guaranteed to them by the

National and State constitutions were to be en-

joyed. The most arbitrary and powerful of them was

the organization of ex-service men known as the

Grand Army of the Republic, from whom one would

expect a most jealous guardianship of the civil and

other rights given to every citizen by our laws and

constitutions.

Now, following the great World War, in many

parts of the country the same persecutions and

deprivations of legal protections are becoming the

regular orders of the day. As usual, the American

Legion was in the van, following in the footsteps of

the old G. A. R.; several organizations of active and

ex-officers of the army and other arms of the military

services were much in evidence in the protest made

to the club; while the Ebell Club, the W. C. T. U.

and other women's organizations were active in try-

ing to bar Baldwin at other places where he was

scheduled to speak. With the horrors of the recent

war still fresh in their minds, it is strange that

women (who bear and raise the ``cannon fodder'')

are found in the same camp with the militarists in

suppressing attempts to get at the truth of things by

hearing all sides.

Our National constitution and those of all of the

States recognize the value of frequent, free, and

open discussion, as is shown by this extract from

the former:

-"Congress shall make no law respecting an estab-

lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise

thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the

press; or the right of the people peaceably to as-

semble and to petition the Government for redress of

grievances."

The American Civil Liberties Union seems to be

about the only organized body in the United States

which is making a fight to preserve for the people

the above "rights." Baldwin is one of the most active

leaders in the Union, and it is owing to his sacrifices

and activities to retain for a lethargic mass of people

the rights which were obtained for them by so much-

suffering and bloodshed by our Revolutionary fathers

that he is being persecuted.

Of real "native American," Yankee stock, his com-

fortable situation in life enabled him to get a good

education and all of the advantages which go with

it. Graduating from Harvard University, his ten-

dency toward social service caused his entry into

settlement work. In St. Louis he was active in

various civic and' social endeavors, being the active

official in many organizations. His work as head of

the juvenile court opened his eyes to the futility of

much of his remedial efforts, resulting in his evolv-

ing into a radical exponent of fundamental changes

in human relations.

Theoretically, his attitude during and after the

war as a pacifist and anti-militarist cannot be logic-

allycontroverted, but practical war dangers caused

many of his co-workers to take a different tack and

support President Wilson in entering the war-Upton

Sinclair, for instance. The allegation that he was

convicted and sentenced for disloyalty during the

war should have no weight at this late date, as his

offense was parallel with those for which Jesus

a eee

Stage 3-Day Heresy Trial of

Capitalism

EVANSTON, Ill.-(FP)-The theologica] Stage jg

being set in Evanston for a 3-day trial of Capitalism

Its works, good and bad, its effects upon Society, the

individual and the church, will be weighed and a

balance struck. The indictment, the defense anq the

judgment will be pronounced by churchmen, mem.

bers of the Methodist Federation for Socia] Service

which will hold a national conference June 15 ig 1

on the preacher and the economic order,

Among the questions set for discussion are: Is

capitalism by nature sinful or can we transform it

by co-operation with it? Do we reject the nature of

profit or merely limit its amount? Is it possible tg

produce repentance in economic relations? Wha

limits does economic determination set to our evan-

gelistic effort?

The probe gets closest to the pocketbook when the

subject of the church and its property is taken Up,

scheduled for the second day of the conference,

Where does the church get its gifts? is the uncom.

fortable query that is to start the discussion. "Shall

the church manage its property according to the

methods of the existing order?" the program asks,

The notoriously openshop Methodist Book Concern,

owned by the church and one of the largest publish-

ing houses in the country, may be the target of some

Methodist Chicago union printers when the topic of

the church as employer is raised. ``Where does the

church stand in relation to the best employment

standards of the present order, in relation to its

preachers, its office workers, its janitors and the

employees in its publishing houses?" the advance

program inquires. Chicago Typographical Union

No. 16, which has tried to organize the Chicago plant

of the Methodists, has a rather bitter answer.

Bishop McConnell of Pittsburgh, who was largely

responsible for bringing out the report of the Inter-

church movement on the steel strike of 1919, despite

efforts of steel barons and church magnates to sup-

press it, will preside. Arrangements are being made

at the federation office, 150 5th Ave., New York City.

"Fairly Well"

Los Angeles.

This talk of the world being afraid to disarm bhe-

cause of fear of Russia, implies that the Bolshevik

are such fools as not to know that what humanity

expects of them is that they go ahead and conduct

their social experiment and leave other countries

alone. Perhaps they really are foolish enough to

invite the hostility of the great majority of the hu-

man race, but for people without any brain they

seem to be getting along fairly well.

-Doubting Thomas.

The truth makes free only when it is translated

into life.

Those who ask us to believe that reason and

morals are first are always first to appeal to force

when their prestige or property is endangered.

ne

Christ was crucified-being a martyr to convictions

which ran counter to the law.

That he is under indictment in Passaic for "inclt:

ing riots" is entirely to his credit, and should shame

his fellow "native Americans" who sit by idly ant

allow a small group of millowners and city officials

ruthlessly to override the constitutional rights quoted

above. These thousands of strikers-men 0x2122

women, and children-are not allowed to uu

PEACEABLE meetings in halls or on open lots, 20!

to parade or quietly picket, but are beaten, have the

water from the fire engine hose turned 1D

and are treated to doses of tear gas. Baldwit al

other prominent New Yorkers came to the a

and insisted upon their legal rights by spealn' :

public halls and in the open. Hence the inte

While this country is experiencing great prosper]

as a whole, the people are asleep at the switch, a

allowing decisions, customs and precedents to 5

established which will be difficult to overcome va

at a later date, the high wages and steady W0x00B0

cease. Organized Labor is nearly as pet an

mass of the people are, not seeming to recogni" `6

Organized Billions has control of the Go ae

courts, and the economic resources and cial

ruthlessly when our time comes, as it has in shed

Britain with the pitifully poor masses. Tel si

have a good economic and _ political organize

Here, what have we?

vernment, t

3

What Price, Otis?

en Forum:

le city of the L. A. Times", might fittingly be

the name given to the center of population crowding

into Southern California. |

The founder of the able newspaper, so much in

yidence in southwest U. S., left behind him as a

a in the paper his capital error in the labor

le

question. :

Never in the history of the labor movement was

there a more ultimately futile policy than that

founded upon the misreading of the labor and capi-

tal problem by General Otis. ;

Equilibrium of truth is disclosing the error of

Otis and the lagging capitalist world.

Is it not time in L. A. for getting together of

workers and sympathizers; organized and unorgan-

ed, hard-handed and soft-handed ?

The showdown for American capitalism's OPEN

SHOP fallacy-so plausibly put as to deceive a man

`of the intelligence of President Eliot of Harvard-

can hardly be far away in the labor shakeup at

hand.

U.S. youngest field of autocratic capitalism, nat-

wally was last to lag behind in recognition of the

changed status of labor, brought about by the indus-

trial revolution. With discovery of steam and in-

vention of power machinery, taking away the work-

ers' private tool, he was forced into collective pro-

duction; with private management and capital equip-

ment remaining for a time running for the private

profit of the holders. While the readjustment and

remedy waited for collective ownership of the new

"big tool" and working capital.

In other words: the wage-fact of partnership must

be recognized in law as an equal partnership with

the management and finances of the business; the

dificult details of the working out of the partner-

ship being left to experimental experience.

The error of General Otis and belated capitalism,

' inthe changed conditions of production, was in not

recognizing the economic partnership of labor. The

exposure of this is now being written in the daily

history of the globe. .

FRED K. GILLETTE.

May 6, 1926.

To President Moore

May 5, 1926.

President Moore,

Los Angeles, Calif.

Dear Sir: _

Is it possible that the University, of which you are

the head, dismisses students for "communistic ten-

(encies" notably one young woman who was to

graduate in a month to become a teacher? And

also dissolves Liberal Clubs which oppose militarism,

thus stifling free discussion in an institution of

learning ?

Remember that Christ had communistic tenden-

ties; and that we fought a war to end war, so why

ate we not permitted to discuss this most important

of all matters, Ideals, especially idealistic ideas,

cannot be stifled and the sooner they are discussed

the sooner will you be able to combat. them with

better ideas. Why are schools and colleges so

timorous about taking new steps toward a better

`ciety? Why should we be so infatuated with the

Mesent social order, that we don't want children to

how about experiments going on in other countries?

You as Sponsor of such suppression, violate the

inst principles on which our civil society was founded.

Himinate fear and be willing to hear and let hear,

all there is to know and perhaps by so doing some

y Jour pupils may found a real humanitarian

"clety. Sincerely,

KoCoG.

May 11, 1926.

SH Halstead,

`sadena, Calif,

far Sir:

Gane as you do not believe in Civil Liberties, it

| vil euro8s to present any kind of a case to you, so I

; vou lust satisfy myself by reprimanding you for

: "Condemnation of Roger Baldwin, a pacifist and

7 ot not a believer, like yourself, in force and

| nie He even went to jail in protest against

lttiots human beings in warfare, so you who are

4 efore you are humanists, cannot afford to

WV stones-even if you are a pillar of a church.

Sincerely,

A nacig ; oe KeGs-G.

TP dieal p st and a Socialist, and made more and more

FB tion Y Just such stands as you and your organi-

me De Better America Federation, take.

"a

Free Speech Again an Issue

in Los Angeles |

Since 1910 there has been an ordinance in Los

Angeles providing free speech privileges, without

permit from the police commission, outside of the

congested district. Boyle Heights has had many

such meetings. But since the strike of the Jewish

bakers was inaugurated the police have tried to pre-

vent speaking on the streets in that area. The

Socialists were not permitted to hold their accus-

tomed meetings a week or two ago, and the striking

bakers themselves were intimidated. So Tuesday

evening, May 11th, a meeting was held at the corner

of Brooklyn Ave. and Soto St. at which Roger Bald-

win, and representatives of the Socialists, the strik-

ers and the Workers' Party spoke. The police stood

about but offered no interference.

The next night, however, when the strikers at-

tempted a meeting of their own they were told by

the police to desist. So Thursday night the Ameri-

can Civil Liberties Union, S. Calif. Branch, went to

their rescue again and held two meetings along

Brooklyn Ave. Director Taft presided at both meet-

ings. Large crowds-perfectly orderly-were pres-

ent. Speakers addressed the crowds in both English

and Yiddish; the strikers had two or three men on

the box-one of them a man who had been told not

to speak the previous evening. The police were

looking on as usual, but did not interfere. Friday

night another series of meetings took place at the

same points. Saturday the bakers' strike was set-

tled. So freedom of speech will be accorded from

now on likely-until another labor disturbance

occurs. Then you may be sure the police will butt

in and again try to substitute martial law for city

ordinances. -C. J. T.

A Gallery of International

Popular Jurists

Upton Sinclair has received the following letter

from Prof. Eduard Lambert, director of the Institut

de Droit Compare, University of Lyons, France:

Dear Sir: I have just received a complete set of

your published books. I thank you heartily for hav-

ing made this gift to the Institute de Droit Compare.

It will furnish me documents of the very highest

rank for one of the three principal publications of

my Institute: Collection internationale des juristes

populaires. I hope to be able before long to cause

the publication in that collection of a volume devoted

to Upton Sinclair and the American plutocracy.

This volume will be the means of making clear to

my compatriots, by the medium of your work, what

is hidden underneath that "qualified democracy", of

which Senator Sutherland, who became one of the

judges of your federal supreme court, has traced

the idyllic picture in one of the most widely circu-

lated organs of your juristic press.

I hope that when the time will come to give you

your place in my gallery of international popular

jurists, you will be so good as to authorize that one

among my collaborators whom I charge with this

task to select from your writings the extracts which

I shall judge necessary.

Accept, I pray you, my most cordial thanks.

Jesus and Jingoism

Pasadena, California, May 11, 1926.

De Miriam Van Waters,

Conference for Social Work,

First Methodist Church,

Pasadena, California.

Dear Dr. Van Waters:

I sincerely hope your organization will stand by

its decision to hear Roger Baldwin. He is one of

the finest personalities in our public life today. He

is thoroughly informed, courageous and a splendid

speaker. That soldiers should object to hearing an

ex-Quaker pacifist I can understand; but that ladies

speaking in the name of Jesus should so object

strikes me as the funniest case of muddled thinking

I have come on for a long time.

Sincerely,

UPTON SINCLAIR.

COMMERCE CHAMBER SEES LIMIT

CLEVELAND-(FP)-Even the Cleveland chamber

of commerce hits the pending anti-alien legislation in

congress. The Aswell bill to register the foreign-

born would be a nuisance to 115,000 workers in

Cleveland's basic industries, the chamber asserts.

Sinclair Complimented and

Corrected

Editor Open Forum:

"Letters to Judd," by Upton Sinclair, is, like all of

his works, a model of clearness and forceful, captivat-

ing presentation; but I believe it even excels in

touching appeal. Not a single taxer, I bought the

booklet to see his arguments on that subjcet. Xt

least three surprises met me in reading it: the ab-

sence of single tax propaganda, the avowal of con-

version to "multiple' 'taxation, the brilliant idea of

taking over industry by means of large issues of

money to pay for them as being much cheaper than

force.

Before reading the booklet I had felt that the

common people (including all radicals and liberals)

should make Upton Sinclair governor of California

to get rid of criminal syndicalism laws and liberate

all industrial and political prisoners. Now I am

thoroughly convinced this should be done.

And I don't wish to detract a particle from what-

ever influence this suggestion of mine may have by

calling attention to what looks to me like a slightly

ill-advised statement found in the booklet: that Rus-

sia made a mistake in not offering to pay the czar's

loans used in combatting the rising revolt. In the

first place, this is exactly what the Soviet government

has repeatedly done, though at the same time pre-

senting counter-claims for damage done to Russia

by the counter-revolution, also aided and financed by

western capitalists through their governmental tools.

In the second place, that counter-revolution began,

in effect, as soon as the Bolsheviki took over the

government, by the U. S. A. and the former allies of

Russia immediately inviting Japan to invade Siberia.

It was primarily the determination to stamp out the

first workers' government that actuated them. The

ezarist debts only furnished one of the pretexts.

S. GARBORG.

After hearing Mr. Roger Baldwin Sunday night

at Music Art Hall, and Monday night at 631 South

Spring street, I wish to state that he has given the

clearest visioned presentation of conditions that I

have ever heard or read, and his mind and attitude

taken are admirably adapted to achieve success.

JOHN FERGUSON DAVIDSON.

White or Black

Sentimentalism

Editor:

Mussolini, the hyper patriot, gets down on his

knees before the grave of the unknown soldier in

Italy with a religious fervor equal to the Moham-

medan worshiper who gets down on his knees fac-

ing Mecca and whispers, "There is no God but

Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet." The only

point of difference is that Mussolini shouts, "There

is no God but Patriotism, and Mussolini is his

prophet.'

The pacifists who are out fighting to make this a

warless world are sometimes called sentimentalists

by narrow-minded or vicious people. But will some

reader of this paper please tell us if it is one whit

more sentimental for a person to get down on his

or her knees in church and to pray, with Jesus, for

peace on earth and good will toward men, and then

go out into the world as a crusader against war and

hate, is this any more sentimental and foolhardy,

we would like to ask, than to go to the cemetery on

Memorial day, place a wreath on the grave of a

beloved son or brother and repeat the words of

Mussolini, "It is a beautiful thing to die for one's

country,' and then go back home and teach our

children that they were brought into this world to

kill and sacrifice each other?

Was God a sentimentalist when He said, "I will

have mercy and not sacrifice" ?

It may be, after all, that there are two kinds of

sentiment, just as there are said to be two kinds of

magic: White and black.

Magic is said to be white when it is used con-

structively, and is said to be black when it is used

destructively.

Why should there be any serious objections, there-

fore, to classifying sentimentalists into two opposite

groups: The pacifist who practices white sentiment,

and the fascist or hyper patriot who practices black

sentiment? S

WHITE SENTIMENTALIST.

tie 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

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Kate Crane Gartz J. H. Ryckman

Doremus. Scudder

Ethelwyn Mills

' Upton Sinclair

Fanny Bixby Spencer

Leo Gallagher

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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, MAY 22, 1926

COMING EVENTS

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SOCIALIST PARTY DIRECTORY

Headquarters, Room 418 Bryson Bldg., corner 2nd

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.

et RS a

SAN FRANCISCO-(FP)-M. N. Anderson, a world

war veteran from Oregon, entered a San Francisco

restaurant, ordered one last good dinner, wrote a

note to his wife on the back of the bill, and shot

himself. Not a cent was found in his pocket.

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

JAILS SLAVE BOSSES

NEW ORLEANS-(FP)-The U. S. court of ap-

peals has upheld the lower courts in the case of M. B.

Davis and Charles Land, operators of turpentine

farms near Wewahitchka, Fla., who will begin a sen-

tence of one year and a day in federal prison for vio-

lation of the peonage act. Davis and Land were con-

victed for forcing four Negroes to work out their

debts on farms. When the Negroes attempted to

escape the turpentine operators unmercifully lashed

them.

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

After the Strike

Labor has spoken, with what fearful pains,

Yet, be what may the losses or the gains,

Nothing is settled while the wrong remains,

Labor still slaves, and still the spoiler reigns.

In vain we reason of what labor won,

How for an hour the mighty were undone,

For their's is yet the sword, and their's the gun,

And labor sweating for them in the sun.

The self control of labor is a fraud,

And moderation but a lying bawd

While still the thieves and all their tools applaud,

With labor's champions prisoned and outlawed.

Of what avail is all this half-defense

Till labor has the courage and the sense

To drive the parasites and plunderers hence,

And take the total of toil's recompense?

Till labor dares to use the surgeon's knife

Will famine, plague, and pestilence be rife,

And strife will only follow hard on strife;

All, all must labor have, or fail of life.

-ROBERT WHITAKER.

No Parking Here!

Emulating England's courts is widely urged by

Californians who would make their justice more

swift and certain. Mother England's example could

well be followed in another respect. That is in her

dealings with citizens holding unpopular ideas.

Word just comes over the cable that his majesty's

government has widened Hyde Park by 7200 square

feet for the free use of soap-boxers, "reds" and

religious malcontents. While England is careful to

furnish broad parking space for ideas good and bad,

California seems to be adopting the methods of the

late czar's government.

Kighty-two I. W. W.'s are doing time in San

Quentin penitentiary, and the state's leading social

worker, Anita Whitney, may soon join them for vio-

lating the "criminal syndicalism" law by believing

in industrial unionism. Attorney General U. S.

Webb rules that the STUDY of communism is ver-

poten in California schools. The University of Cali-

fornia, the world's biggest educational institution (Gin

numbers if not in spirit), ousts its literary magazine

editor for printing "blasphemous" articles, forbids

the formation of an Atheist society, stops a debate

on birth-control and generally banishes from its

classic shades free thought in faculty and student

body.

In our own city the "Better America Federation"

is busy nosing out political heresies from church

and school. Two editors face jail for criticising

judges. Thought is being strait-jacketed, dissenters

punished and new ideas driven into cellars.

California, unlike England, has failed to grasp this

simple Freudian law of psychology. Ideas are like

dynamite. Given free play in the open they are

relatively harmless; buried and tamped by repres- .

sion they explode.-Los Angeles Record.

At a small, country station a freight train pulled

in and sidetracked for the passenger train. The

passenger arrived and pulled out; then the freight

started to do its switching. A placid well dressed

woman had alighted from the passenger train and

was passing close to one of the freight brakemen

when he yelled to his buddy. ,

"Jump on her when she comes by, Bill, run her

down by the elevator, cut her in two and bring the

head end up by the depot!"

The lady picked up her skirts and ran for the

station yelling murder at every jump.

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OPEN FORUM

MUSIC ART HALL

233 South Broadway

May 28-"THE BRITISH STRIKE" by JAMES

FISHER, and "THE PASSAIC STRIKR" hy

MAUDE McCREERY. On both sides of the ait

tremendous labor conflicts have been raging, Wha

have they accomplished? They will be discusseq '

two speakers of ability. This is a meeting that you

cannot afford to miss. Music by B. SOHN boy

pianist.

Bankers Own Coolidge,

According to Senato;

WASHINGTON-(FP)-Lambasting Secretary Me.

lon's Italian debt settlement to a finish, Senator Reeg

of Missouri said, in his vain attempt to obtain re

consideration, that Mellon personified the moving in

of big business to take direct control of the govern:

ment. Congress in both branches had jumped with

shameful eagerness to meet his wishes.

"I want to say to the American people, for the

senators are now largely absent," said Reed, "that

the administration of Calvin Coolidge is ag much

owned by the great private financial interests of this

country, and as much controlled by them, as the sub.

ordinate officials of a bank are owned and controlled

by the institution that employs them. When organ-

ized capital influences the policies of government

from without it is an ominous thing for our people.

But when capital moves in and takes possession of

the government itself it is time for plain speaking.

"No demand has been made by the great banking

and manufacturing interests during these recent

years that has not been answered with the same

cringing obedience that is displayed by well-trained

senators when their masters order them to heel."

Bodyguard of Civilization

"From such a fate (the success of the English

strikers) may the courage and resolution of our

countrymen save the civilization of which they are

the trustees."-Lord Balfour, cable to Universal

Service, May 10, 1926.

When radicals are refused liberal treatment it is

liberalism, and not radicalism which is discounted

and disgraced.

Those who are most anxious to protect estab-

lished institutions are commonly successful in com

municating their own paralysis to them.

Even the miracleS of increased production worked

out by such wizards of invention and managemet!

as Henry Ford do less for the common good as long

as they are in private hands than they do to in-

crease the certainty and range of social catastrophe.

Absolutism in industry is as hopeless as absolutism

on the throne.

Quite frequently it happens that the idea trium-

phant amongst men is pure folly. But from the

moment on that folly unloosens common sense, the

practical sense of each and every one takes lodgment

in it, unawares, and the folly, or utopia, become ps

institution which will last for centuries.

(Translated from the French of Abbe Galliani who

was a contemporary of the French encyclopedists)

ALFRED G. SANFTLEBEN.

a

i Peoples}

National Bank

Bank/

409 So. Hill St.