Open forum, vol. 2, no. 11 (March, 1925)

THE OPEN FORUM

The Hero of Today is the Hitching Post of Tomorrow.

Vol. a.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, MARCH 14, 1925

FIELD FINDINGS

`*The field is the world.''

THE OPEN FORUM is not getting enough come-

pack from its readers. The fault is probably ours.

We are going to try a new tack. More items, and

fewer articles. More news, and less opinion. More

writers, and fewer words from each writer. Are

you ready for the new start? Let's go.

epee Eg

Scott Nearing came, spoke, and conquered. "Fine

work" writes Dr. Sydney Strong from Seattle, where

Nearing's coast tour began. "Fine work" is the

general verdict in Los Angeles, where Nearing's

coast tour ended. Even the CITY CLUB of Los

Angeles gave Nearing a large hearing at its noon-

day luncheon, Wednesday March 4th. and many of

the members and attendants remained for the Ques-

tionnaire which followed. Nearing was never in

better form, and never said more in a few words, in

which great art he is a master.

ees ee

"The first time in seven years that I have been

asked to address a business men's club,' was Near-

ing's smiling comment, after his address before the

Los Angeles CITY CLUB. And this happened in

Los Angeles. Ye gods! Also Nearing's lectures in

Los Angeles, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday even-

ings, March 2, 3, 4 were given in The Knights of

Columbus' Hall. Perhaps you will notice that our

A.C. L. U. OPEN FORUM, which holds forth every

Sunday night at Music Art Hall, had Joseph Scott,

a prominent member of The Knights of Columbus,

as speaker the following Sunday night, speaking on

"THE KU KLUX KLAN FROM A CATHOLIC

STANDPOINT." `This, in the Paradise of American

Parasitism, the Mecca of American Moronism.

"Come ye disconsolate."

a

Judge Bledsoe has been nominated for the Mayor-

alty of Los Angeles. Harry Chandler of the Los

Angeles Times is understood to be the god-father of

this political nativity. The god-mother is likewise

credibly reported to be the city plunderbund who

are opposed to public ownership. The churches are

to furnish the angelic chorus, ably assisted by the

patrioteers. The issues will be patriotism, and law

and order. We suggest as the leading anthem, a la

certain lines sent forth by the students of Chicago

University yearg ago, the following doxology:

"Praise God from whom oil blessings flow,

Praise him, ye grafters, high and low,

Praise him in sermon, song and toast,

Praise Chandler some but Bledsoe most."

i

Mark this item all ye would be public-speakers.

When Scott Nearing spoke before the CITY CLUB

on "THE ECONOMIC BREAKDOWN OF EUROPE,"

he did not fool away a lot of time on personal apol-

osles and cheap compliments about the climate of

California. He opened right off-the reel, without so

much as a "Ladies and Gentlemen." "The economic

break-down of Europe began before the world war."

He was at the heart of his subject at once, and

that first sentence was a lecture in itself. "Say it

with flowers" is the aphorism of the ordinary speak-

er, especially the Babbitt sort, but usually the

flowers are dried and withered and very much out of

date. "Say it in a sentence" is more to the point

i describing Nearing's style. Clarity and brevity

and reality are his strong points. `Have something

to say; say it; stop when you get through," is a

formula for public speaking which he practices in

high degree.

eT ee

sn of the articles in this issue are "left-overs"

eT Materia] already in type when our new pro-

m was adopted. None of them are very long,

however. Second page stuff will be allowed some

length, but we want articles of less than five hundred

words rather than more. Edward Everett, famous

as an "orator" made a "Gettysburg address" which

is said to have been an hour in length, and to have

been exceedingly eloquent. Abraham Lincoln fol-

lowed him, in high falsetto voice, and with an address

of just two hundred and sixty six words. But Lin-

coln's two minute talk lives, and the eloquence that

consumed an hour for its delivery is forgotten.

Some pictures need a "time-exposure,' and some

arguments call for full statement. But brevity is

the soul of the highest wit, in the widest sense of

that word.

2

The "new administration" in Washington begins

with Senator Reed of Missouri describing the new

Vice President, as "a bleating jackass." Tut, tut!

If our politicians are going to tell the truth about

each other in this frank fashion at the very begin-

ning of the Coolidge regime they may forget them-

selves to such an extent before the administration

is through as to let the people know the truth about

more important matters. The immediate significance

of "Hell-and-Maria Dawes" initial address as Vice

President of the United States seems to be that he

has no intention of keeping cool with Coolidge. Cool-

idge himself may be warm under the collar before

Dawes gets done.

3H

"There was spirited debate at the first day's ses-

sion over three resolutions offered by the three

leading groups represented in the meeting." So runs

the report in THE CITIZEN of Los Angeles, labor

paper, of the THIRD PARTY CONVENTION, or

more definitely, "THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE

FOR PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ACTION," held in

Chicago a few days ago. Read the above quotation

over again. "Spirited debate." "Three resolutions."

"Three leading groups." L. H. Shepard, speaking for

the railway brotherhoods, wanted a continuation of

"non-partisan" action, the orthodox policy of ortho-

dox American labor. Hillquit, for the Socialists,

wanted an "`American Labor Party," a la the program

of English labor. Hopkins, of "the Committee of

48" wanted a ``Progressive Party," the program of the

"intelligentsia" of American liberalism. Finally af-

ter a "division of opinion so acute" that there was

"much sharp criticism,' and after Hugene V. Debs

had made `an impassioned plea for more than an

hour, and the best shock troops of the Socialist

Party were hurled against the railroaders, but all

to no avail," at the end of the first long day "it was

mutually agreed by all persons concerned that it

would be best to adjourn the C.P.P.A. leaving that

organization in the hands of the railroad organiza-

tions, and for those who wished, to re-assemble for

the formation of the third party."

cash aS a ee

"The battle on the second day was waged over

the plan of organization of the new party." A

majority report provided for such a party on "geo-

graphical lines,' according to regular Republican

and Democractic procedure. The Socialists wanted

"eroup" organization, not altogether industrial, evi-

dently, but approaching a representation of economic

relationship and interest. The majority report was

sustained, 93 to 64, some prominent Socialists, from

Missouri going to its support against Hillquit and

the Socialist bloc as a whole. `Some present mem-

bers of Congress" are to be asked to help "launch"

the new party. There were over 500 delegates

present the first day of the Conference, and "just

about one half that number on the second day's

sessions." 'The incubator process is to be used to

keep the infant alive.

No. 11

"Some men were sentenced in police court the

other day to five days in jail apiece for eating out of

garbage cans." So says the Seattle Union-Record,

labor daily, in an editorial paragraph. "That was

not the charge, but that was the evidence upon

which they were convicted," the article goes on.

The editor protests, of course, although admitting

that the food in jail "is some, if not much better,

than they were getting.' Some of our Los Angeles

boys who have been in jail here, not for five days

but in some instances for more than five weeks

without a trial, and not for eating with hands and

mouths out of garbage cans, but for refusing to

take their opinions from the garbage press, will

hardly admit that the food in the jail here is up to

the garbage can standard. But then Seattle is a

"revolutionary" and "labor city' and Los Angeles is

"white." Selah.

--- i

"Under the leadership of Ramsay MacDonald,

former premier, all the Laborite members walked

out of the House of Commons today in protest

against the suspension of Laborite member Kirk-

wood. The Tories cheered as the Laborites marched

from the chamber." So says the morning paper,

the Los Angeles Examiner, and gives just that much

space to the item, on page seven, page one being

taken up with such important matters, set forth in

big black type, as "Baby Selling Ring Revealed

Here." It seems that "tiny infants, born without the

love of their mothers, and oftentimes under a cloud

of doubtful parentage" are being regularly bought

and sold here by a "ring" of business folk who are

demonstrating the `fine initiative' which prevails

in this city under capitalism. Well, there are going

to be some other walkouts in the parliamentary

houses of the world, and the cheering isn't all of it

going to be on the side of the Tories, either. Just

wait a bit.

ht

Over against the recent decision of the State Su-

preme Court of California making membership in the

I. W. W. itself a prison offense let us set the sane

utterance of a New York judge, given during the hys-

teria of the Great War. It is to be hoped that some

day there will be judicial sanity in California. How-

ever long that day is delayed this which follows is

common sense and real Americanism.

"Every citizen has a right, without intent to ob-

struct the recruiting or elistment service, to think,

feel, and express disapproval or abhorrence of any

law or policy or proposed law or policy, including

the Declaration of War, the Conscription Act, and the

so-called sedition clauses of the Espionage Act; be-

lief that the war is not or was not a war for democ-

racy; belief that our participation in it was forced

or induced by powers with selfish interests to be

served thereby; belief that our participation was

against the will of the majority of the citizens or

voters of the country; belief that the self-sacrifice

of persons who elect to suffer for freedom of con-

science is admirable; belief that war is horrible; be-

lief that the Allies' war aims were or are Selfish and

undemocratic; belief that the Hon. Elihu Root is

hostile to socialism, and that his selection to repre-

sent America in a socialistic republic was ill-advised.

"Tt is the constitutional right of every citizen to

express his opinion about the war or the participa-

tion of the United States in it; about the desirability

of peace; about the merits or demerits of the system

of conscription, and about the moral rights or claims

of conscientious objectors to be exempt from con-

scription. It is the constitutional right of the citi-

zens to express such opinion, even though they are

opposed to the opinions or policies of the administra-

tion; and even though the expression of such opin-

ion may unintentionally or indirectly discourage re-

cruiting and enlistment."

Judge August Hand, in the trial of Max Kastman.

a

All that men suffer from others is as nothing to

the suffering which they needlessly impose upon

themselves.

ORR as

Hands out the "Truth"

about U. S. Presidents

Don C. Seitz, of New York, runs through American

history in The Forum and finds most American pres-

idents sadly deficient in every way. In George Wash-

ington's administration scandals were plentiful and

factional discords most rancorous. Washington's

fame was not helped by his administration. No one

can question his title to immortality-but not as a

president.

Adams, who succeeded him, was of the coldest

New England type.

ords of Adams as president to prove that he even

approximated the ideals.

Of Jefferson it can be said that he was more

concerned with enforcing his views than managing

the affairs of government. He bought Louisiana and

the northwest from Napoleon and so saved Ameri-

cang the necessity of stealing it in later years.

Madison produced the War of 1812, which almost

caused a secession of the New England States. Mon-

roe, who came after, remains famous as the inventor

of a doctrine that has more than once threatened

war, and has for more than a century been a source

of offense to the South American republics. Briefly

interpreted, under its enforcement, the Americans

will permit no one to "lick" their neighbors but them-

selves.

John Quincy Adams' administration was one of

discord and turmoil that did no good to the land.

Under Andrew Jackson the Electoral College be-

came a rubber stamp, and the people entered the

White House wearing their muddy boots and spitting

on the carpet.

Martin Van Buren, smooth, sly and "foxy," played

politics, and administration went to the dogs. Wil-

liam Henry Harrison, pompous and ill-informed, had

no idea of affairs and saved his fame by dying. John

- Tyler, of Virginia, achieved the annexation of Texas

as a sop to the cotton growing slave-holders and

laid the foundations of the unjust Mexican War.

James K. Polk put that conflict over with no justifi-

cation that any historian could ever discover. Zach-

ary Taylor lived only a few weeks after taking office.

Fillmore is rated as a nonentity. Buchanan was a

swallow-tail.

Lincoln has become one of the immortals whose

fame as a wise, just and merciful man cannot be as-

sailed, yet he led a party into office that was more

aggressive for spoils and far less representative

than the "people" of Andrew Jackson. Rule or ruin

was its program. It did both. Of Andrew Johnson

it is impossible to speak fairly, for the poor man

never had a chance.

No greater mistake was ever made than the choice

of Grant for president. Grant was president in

name; Roscoe Conkling the ruler. Grant, with all his

noble qualities, remains the most incompetent of

presidents.

Now comes a paradox. The man who succeeded

Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, was not elect-

ed. An electoral commission dominated by Conk-

ling gave him the decision. Bitterly assailed, with

"fraud" stamped on his brow, Hayes gave a truly

honorable and proper administration. He gave the

south a chance to live. He inaugurated civil service.

There were no scandals. Political vermin vanished

from Washington.

What Garfield might have been is beyond specula-

tion. His death, however, gave the United States

a good president in Chester Alan Arthur. Grover

Cleveland went beyond the province of his office, said

some epigrammatic things, and was defeated for re-

election by Benjamin Harrison, of Indiana.

Harrison came near to being a model president.

Rated by the requirements he stands nearly 100 per

cent to the good,

Cleveland ran again in 1892 and came back. He

nearly brought on war with Britain. Cleveland's

strenuous term was followed by the administration

of William McKinley, nominated by Mark Hanna.

The war with feeble Spain to "free" Cuba was his

doing.

Here again the bullet of an assassin killed a pres-

ident who was improving and put a circus in the

White House. With Theodore Roosevelt the consti-

tution took a vacation. Roosevelt gave it a rest.

Also the House, the Senate, and everything except

the American people. He "took" Panama, meddled

with everything, and had a "bully" time. Then he

Little can be found in the rec.

A Patriot Speaks

Will you please print thig little protest of mine in

that paper you publish?

I'm not quite certain whether the protest should

be directed to the Better American Federation or to

the United States Government. One of those insti-

tutions surely is guilty of a most grievous offense.

After hearing the B. A. F. invoke the shades of

our revolutionary forefathers so frequently, I de-

cided to go up to the Public Library and find out

who those fellows were.

I found a book up there called the "Hconomic

Interpretation of the Constitution,' by Prof. C. O.

Beard, compiled from United States Government

records and (horrors upon horrors) here are the

results:

Of the fifty-five signers of the Constitution, at least

forty were speculating with bonds of the United

States Treasury; and incidentally of course, they

made sure to provide for the full discharge of the

public debt.

At least fourteen were land speculators, even

tho Los Angeles wasn't heard of at that time.

At least twenty-four were loan-sharks. (They

weren't Jews, either.)

At least fifteen were slave-owners.

Wm. Blount of North Carolina was found by Presi-

dent Adams to have been in the pay of the British

King while serving as Senator from Tennessee.

Another one defrauded the Government out of an

immense sum of money, for which he was "investi-

gated" by Congress. That was before Ponzi's great

grandfather had whiskers on his chin.

By the way, Mr. Whitaker, believe it or not, he

didn't go to jail. Seems like they had Tea-Pots then,

as well as Tea-Parties.

Another one, one of the most prominent, operated

a gin-mill along with making pin-money in his

slaves on his Potomac plantation.

Last, but not least, a few of them were alleged

to be gentlemen.

Therefore I demand that either the United States

Government keep those records out of the hands of

the curious public, or else I respectfully request

that the B. A. F. let those old-timers remain peace-

fully in their graves, for the "Good Book" ought to

say, "If one has no good to speak of the dead, then

speak not of them."

-L. J. Greene, A Patriot.

oH

This is from Fred B. Smith, one of the most prom-

inent of the "Christian laymen" of America, a man

widely known in all business circles, and entirely

familiar himself with the "best society" of America.

All the more remarkable is this testimony, coming

not from a "radical," but from a "safe and sane"

business man.

"The country is full of hoodlums who do not

live in back alleys but in country clubs and rich

men's homes. Our civilization is breaking at the

top as all others before us have. It is from high

society, not low, that our great danger comes."

From address before Los Angeles City Club.

gave us Taft to keep his seat warm while he went

a-fhunting. To consider Taft seriously as president

is not polite.

Woodrow Wilson belied the name Democrat.

His cabinet was ignored, his ambassadors left in the

dark. He dealt with important government matters

through unofficial agents, whether from mistrust or

impatience, it is hard to decide. He made many bad

and more weak appointments. He put gyves on the

American people, trusting them not for a moment.

On a mighty wave of reaction Warren G. Hard-

ing rode into office. He was a plump printer from

Marion, Ohio. Statesmen had died out in Ohio and

small men with ambitious wives were pushed into

power. Harding was one of these. With Harding,

the boys all came back to the crib. He exerted him-

self in no way to interfere with the orgy. Calvin

Coolidge is what the people want-a "mean" little

Yankee, sharp-eyed, close-fisted, who will cut down

taxes, keep "good fellows" at a distance and stick to

his job.

Toronto Star Weekly, Toronto, Canada

A weekly commentary by Robert Whitake;

on the high-power humbug and the res.

pectable nonsense of platform and pres;,

oe

He-Men

The American man, from the seediest scissor-hj

| to the latest addition to the Chamber of Commerce

or The Better American Federation, is not conten}

to be a man, but must needs list himself, or be liste

by his admirers, as a "he-man." Arthur Brisbane

loves to play the changes on this word, and is gep.

erous enough to admit that not only is our new "Heli

and Maria" Vice President a "he-man," but that Sep.

ator LaFollette is also a "he-man."

The whole thing is quite American, you knoy,

Who was prouder than the first Americans, so fool

ishly called Indians, since there was nothing

India in their temperament, who was prouder than

these `"heap-big-chiefs" of being "he-men?" Nj

woman's work for them, not even after the white

came. Yet it was the fact that the white maz,

following his womankind, had passed out of the

hunter stage into pastoral and agricultural life, which

enabled the European to take America away from

the original American. Settled life began with

womankind, and began with her because she was:

woman, and so nearest to the creative process. Ani.

all the rest of man's creative achievement, the real

key to civilization, began at the same point. [f

man had never been a "he-man'" he would never have

been man at all, but would have been grubbing with

the bugs and snooping around for snatches of ray

meat with the other animals yet. Really this "he.

man" stuff is one of the funniest phases of ow

American phariseeism, and even the women fall

for it yet.

Here is an Associated Press dispatch of this date,

right from Rome, Italy. "After the ceremony in St,

Peter's, Cardinal O'Connell and Monsignors Splaine

and Haberlin visited Pope Pius. Pope Pius said he

had carefully read the address delivered by Presi:

dent Coolidge at the Holy Name Convention in

Washington and he thought it admirable that the

head of a great country should speak so highly of

religion and give such a noble example of spiritual

feeling."

Well, why not? What cheaper way is there of

currying favor with the world's plunderbund in any .

and all countries than to pose as "deeply religious,"

aS we Say over here? Coolidge's piety didn't cost

him a vote last fall, and it will not disturb Wall -

Street in the least as long ag it gets no farther than

the sort of stuff the Pope praises. Isn't this Cardinal *

McConnell the same ecclesiastical higher-up of Mas

sachusetts who helped to rivet the chains a little,

tighter on the child wage-slaves of that commonr:

wealth a few weeks ago? What in the name of plait.

common sense and common decency is all his piety

worth when it comes to solving our social problems',

Just as much as Coolidge's, or the Pope's, and no

more. And all of them together are not worth the

heart-broken cry of one of "the little ones" whose

premature death is damning our civilization. Ii

there is any field of modern life in which there is

more of high-power nonsense posing under a cam:

ouflage of worth and respectability than there is

in the religious field it would take a cleverer and

more adventurous man than even Columbus to find :

it. "Spiritual feeling," indeed! A little real feeling

for men and women and children whose lifeblood

goes into the trappings and treasure-houses of these

folks who are so profitably religious would be more

persuasive on the side of religion itself than is the

whole mess of pious piffle, whether Catholic or Pro

testant, which the priests and politicians of the plu

derbund get off. The Pope means well, no doubt, but

ae has a whole lot more reading-and thinking-to |

oO.

"Money Hasy" is the heading of a conspicuous

article in the financial columns of the morning papel.

Suppose you tell that to the child-slaves of America,

turned down so generally by our legislatures. of this

period of "prosperity." Suppose you tell it to the

unemployed of Los Angeles, reported by the Chambe!

of Commerce itself in this city recently as numberile

forty thousand. "Money Hasy." Isn't it enough te

pick the pockets of the public without laughing 4!

them as well? But this isn't laughter. No, it i

sober fact. Money is easy, if you want it for invest |

ment in other men's labor and can give fair assul

ances that you are in position to skim off a thick

cream from that labor. But if you have only labo

itself to offer, and cannot bribe anybody to take you!

labor because you cannot promise them creat

enough, money is anything but easy for you. Evel

the skim-milk jobs, where the boss gets all the cream

are pretty short just now. The thing that is eas!

is to sell people words, and get away with thei!

goods. Our faith in our financiers is one of the

biggest humbugs of the ages.

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SAY SO

We want letters.

Lots of them.

8, 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

DW, published, provided you say `so.

01. Let's make "SAY SO" the best

of page of this paper. Mind you,

al be brief. And again, BE BRIEF.

No

bes fee g

all,

the

ich

om KATE CRANE GARTZ

ith A `

# Discusses Child Labor

i. And Communism

If Minneapolis Journal, Minneapolis, Minn.

ith Dear Sirs:

aw Your article against child labor has been brought

he to my attention.

You condemn the measure principally because it

was initiated by such women as, Jane Adams, Lillian

Ward, Florence Kelly, Anna Louise Strong, and by

ite, Owen Lovejoy and Eugene V. Debs. Such an array

St. of welfare workers, men and women who have con-

me gsecrated their lives to the upbuilding of the down-

trodden and forsaken, and for that-you presume

in to speak slurringly of them as "pacifists",and "social-

the ists'. I wonder in what category you belong that

of you condemn where all the world praises!

Today we are giving big prizes to the pacifists and

some day the unintelligent master class who are

4 stupid enough to put Eugene V. Debs behind the bars,

1s," because he was too Christlike to sanction the killing

ost of his fellow men, will realize that he was the great-

fall er man, whose name shall live as theirs are already

ail ;

nal Aotgot!

lass Sovietism, actually cares for its children! My

te what a horrible indictment for the lack for something

ain More formidable.

4 Surely you, Mr. Minneapolis Journal, were barking

no Up the wrong tree when you put your fangs into

the the greatest in our country.

Ose

Ii x * * *

1s

am

is February 28, 1925

and (c)

ind: The Los Angeles Times,

ing Editorial Writer.

oot D and

ear :

eae Sir:

ore Communism is defined in the dictionary as a

aM "Scheme of equalizing the social conditions of life

a by abolition of inequalities in the possession of prop-

put erty."

ee Can-any humane person object to that, and if so-

why?

ou Bishop Brown and Lenin, instead of being behind

fe the times, are really ahead of the procession, and

nis `USt about right when they said "let us banish the

the 80ds from the sky and make the world a fit place

bet for all human beings to dwell in." They belong to

a the thinking and reasoning class, while those who

at blindly follow superstition, and forget the world we

a live in, belong to the unthinking class.

ee If the millions of dollars now going into new

`ick churches in Pasadena today could have been directed

bot into constructive channels, we should have plenty

of to take cate of the unemployed, the hungry, and the

vel eurox-soldiers. But, no, there is always plenty of

am, ONey available to house superstition in luxury, but

as) ag Ohne cares how human beings are housed. They

| ie Only temporary, fleeting and cheap, but a vague

ar away myth, must have grandeur, and beauty, and

music, that we may talk of it once a week and

forget it for the other six days. But poor suffering

humanity any old shack or even park bench is good

enough for them.

Speaking of Charles Edmund Russell's book "Sol-

diers of the Common Good," why should that ever

be out of date; if the so called muck-racking maga-

zines have turned toward "Snappy Stories" and such

"tommy-rot" which you seem to prefer, so much the

worse for their declining intelligence.

You rejoice that Edwin Markham has ceased to

"sing of Social Brotherhood," to you seemingly, a

base ideal. He is an old man, but is still singing

this ideal, notwithstanding your statement. to the

contrary.

It seems to me you condemn yourself when you

voice such sentiments ridiculing the idealistic preach-

ments of socialists and communists, for you admit

they are seekers after Utopia. Even Emma Goldman

you class as "a heroine of Social Brotherhood";

and yet you despise her, but now and then you

sound her praise because she prefers Anarchism

to Bolshevism.

We have all the great names in the ranks of

`Socialistic Literat'"'; all that we lack are the capit-

alists. Allan Benson and a few other socialists who

stood for the war have lived to see the folly of

their stand, and regret it today. Although we too,

have a few renegades among us, sad as it is to admit,

we have also many towering figures, such as Debs.

I can really think of no one to put on the pedestal

beside him, in this country or in any other country.

As for Jack London's resigning from the party-

it was because it was not radical enough for him.

Radicals want to right the "world gone wrong";

that is all, and for that we are lambasted and

labeled as "red." To me that is the very highest

epithet of praise. How little and how much there

is in a word. How vast is the difference between a

"Social leader" and a "Socialist leader." The first

is not a leader at all, but simply a foolish follower

of fashionable foibles; while the latter is a leader

toward a new day in the evolution of society. There

is no question about which you prefer; and I prefer

the other!

Ess March ist, 1925.

You may "protest" from now until Doomsday, and

you cannot eradicate radicalism so long as society

is honey-combed with injustices. Unjustness is the

reason for radicalism.

"Radicalism is a speck of mud in the eye of the

world." Indeed, it is a heap more than that! It is

a great avalanche that is sweeping the earth clean

of its rottenness. Let your `"Uplifters, and Bitter

Americans" confine their activities to their high

jinks, for all their efforts to `offset' and suppress

progressivism can never stem the tide nor remove

that "speck of mud from your eye"; the "house you

live in" is not safe until the foundation of all society

is built on right principles. Not philanthropy, not

charity, but simple justice.

Radicals are not "bad men" nor are they spread-

ing "poison." Their object is the "common good."

But then, what do you care about that.

There is a small group of men and women in

every country of the world who think and speak in

terms of universal human brotherhood, and coopera-

tion, justice and fair play between individuals and

nations who want peace for the sake of peace; who

want a united cooperative world. They are the

much despised and misunderstood radicals. They

have the-right on their side and will win out in time.

Power is gradually slipping from the hands of the

tyrants into the hands of the workers, who create

all for others to enjoy; that is the fear and the

cause of the unrest in the world today.

At least the fear of Bolshevism in Europe has

been the greatest underlying cause for the better-

ment of labor conditions, and until we cease to per-

mit our government to spend fifteen times as much

for destructive purposes as we do for constructive

and helpful purposes, we cannot presume to be

leaders of the world in the march toward civilization.

Find herewith $.......... as payment for.-;.......

{ Yearly

Six Month

Les Month

subscriptions to THE OPEN FORUM. *

IN ERTYVO ee cae oe eer eRe cole SS ec PR OR a gag

Addresae.. . o.. RR Ma ees Sag eh ate ene

Date: . oeauc ma ae coe ee:

Civilization

(Dedicated to the worshippers of the Shrine of Mars)

By DON FARRAN

Member of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers, Di-

vision 96, Rowan, lowa

Stained with the blood of their brothers,

The races of men yaunt their pride;

Skull on a totem-pole, scalp at a belt,

And a curse on the men who died!

Lust, and. the call of revengs,

Loot, and the horror of might,

And over all a pestilence,

A lingering death, a blight!

Stone men who fashioned with water drops

A hammer to maim and kill,

Savage hordes who swung far south

To conquer a Roman hill.

Power, and the love of self,

Strength,-and the urge to destroy,

And running through the veins of men

The ruins of gutted Troy.

Knights in armor who rode away,

Smug in their coat of mail;

Black-bearded men with a Holy Cross,

Seeking a mad man's Grail.

Spoils, in the name of religion,

Thieves, with the banner of God,

Spreading the Plague to foreign lands,

Infesting an alien sod.

Empires wielded by doddering men

And a woman-to make them smile;

An infant giant's maniac dream

Left rotting on Elba's isle.

Genius-the weakness of flesh,

Pomp-uncontrolled desire,

Making the world a hut of straw

To burn on a despot's fire.

Red with the blood of a million souls,

The races of men yet kill;

Skull on a totem-pole, scalp at a belt,

And Christ hung high on a hill!

Is Evolution a Fact

or a Theory?

By Jack Richmond

Modern evolution is substantiated by modern

science. It is modern only in its broad aspects,

embracing as it does, the organic as well as the

inorganic world. In its simpler and narrower form,

it has long been known to the ancients. Aristotle's

assertion that nature fashions organs in order of

their necessity, first being those essential to life,

contains the ingredients of the natural selection

theory as expounded by Darwin and his followers.

Concisely, evolution is the process of gradual in-

tegration, brought about by the law of natural se-

lection or, as it is better known, the survival of the

fittest.

By gradual integration we mean that the lower

forms in organic and inorganic life are but stages (c)

in the course of development of the higher forms.

The trend of modern philosophy and modern

science is along evolutionary lines, and clearly

proves evolution to be a fact. We cannot conceive

of biology, anthropology, and sociology without evo-

lution.

The myth concerning the Golden Age in the re-

mote past when men were perfect and conditions

were ideal-received its death blow from modern

sociology, which sprang up and grew on the fertile

soil of evolutionary thought. Modern society is but

the product of a painfully slow and gradual develop-

ment from a very crude primitive stage. It is now

commonly recognized knowledge based upon anthro-

pological and historical facts that human society has

evolved from the simplest to the most complex forms

of organization, i. e., from savagery through bar-

barism and feudalism to modern industrialism,

which, by the way, is not the final stage, just as

Savagery was not the first one.

How did that gradual transformation come about?

What were the forces behind those marvelous

changes? The evolutionists give us the right key

to solve those perplexing problems.

RRA) oe

THE OPEN FORUM

Published every Saturday at 506 Tajo Building,

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Phone: TUcker 6836.

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SATURDAY, MAR. 14, 1925

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PROGRAM FOR MARCH, 1925

March 16-"Starving on Three Meals a Day" by Dr.

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

Dr. Charles James.

March 30-`Gandhi-Soul Force Versus Physical

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Filipino Independence

to be Discussed

"THE -UNIZHD: = STATS SAND. EE) PHisre-

PINES" will be the general subject for discussion at

the March meeting of the F. O. R. (Fellowship Of

Reconciliation) Los Angeles Group, Monday, March

16, 1925. Dinner at 6 P.M. The Blue Triangle Club,

631 South Spring Street, 3rd floor. (Dinner 50 cents.)

RESERVATIONS ARE NECESSARY. poundTelephone

Miss Mills at 560-448, or call TUcker 6836, office of

The Open Forum.

Messrs. Pablo Castro and A. Dino, two prominent

members of the Filipino community in Los Angeles,

will speak on "Philippine Independence." Mr. A.

Plotkin, a member of the Fellowship Group, will

speak on the question "What Shall I Do With the

Philippines?"

All who are interested are invited to be present.

The F.O.R. in Los Angeles is doing a remarkable

piece of work through monthly meetings at which

international issues and relations are being taken up

in a peculiarly frank and fraternal way. Emphasis

is being laid upon the objective, "A PACIFIC WORLD

AROUND THE PACIFIC SHEA," and upon the ap-

proach to this problem through an actual meeting

of the various racial and political groups which are

represented in Los Angeles. This sort of work ought

to be carried on all up and down the Pacific Coast,

and on both sides of the Pacific Sea. If you want to

co-operate with us in it, or to carry on such work for

yourself we will be glad to aid with information and

suggestion. Ag to our local dinners, parties who

cannot join us in the fellowship of the table at 6

P.M. are welcome to drop in later for the more

formal discussion. For further information; as to

local or general items, address our Secretary,

ETHELWYN MILLS,

553 South Western Ave.

Los Angeles, Cal.

ie

In one of the High Schools of Los Angeles on

Lincoln's birthday there stalked among the students

and teachers boys armed with rifles who seemed to

have the freedom of the place. They had been ap-

pointed to dominate the anniversary of the creator

of the Gettysburg Address, at first in Prussian ma-

neuvers on the stage, saluting, presenting arms,

marching and counter-marching, and later at large

among the audience. Thus are we making the world

safe for swag-ocracy.

Ea Ten

Washington's birthday was celebrated, of course,

in the Los Angeles schools. In one school for a

considerable part*of the morning of that day five

or six boys were lined up against a corridor-wall,

facing the main school entrance from within, and

stood in a ramrod attitude, holding ready for im-

mediate action in front bayonetted rifles. All teach-

ers and students passing through the main hall had

to take or ignore the threat. Waist-high between

these young man-eaters was a small portrait of

George Washington, on a small easel, one corner

draped with an American flag. Thus also are we

making the world safe for swag-ocracy. And inci-

dentally making curselves either the laughing stock

of the world, or the New Prussia, the menace of

mankind.

ey

a

Aman to whom THE OPEN FORUM has been sent

by a friend here sends us the order to remove his

name from our list, and with it sends a three-column

editorial from the Washington Post, most laudatory

of Coolidge and the whole reactionary program.

Those who like that sort of thing are not going to

like THE OPEN FORUM, of course. It would be an

ill thing for us, if they did.

i

"T wouldn't like to hear that preacher very often,"

remarked a young woman to her companion as they

left the hall where a real sermon had been given.

"Why not?' remarked her friend. To which the

first girl responded, "`Because if I did | would have

to change my manner of life."

See

Bigotry is a deases of a man's temper, much more

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belief.

Linotyping and press work done in Union

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Los Angeles

OPEN FORUM

MUSIC ART HALL

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SUNDAY NIGHTS, 7-30 O0x00B0CLOCK

MAR. 15-"THE LABOR PROBLEM IN _ IND},

by LENA MORROW LEWIS, for many years a ply,

form worker in behalf of socialism. Why is the,

unrest among India's millions? What is the Britis,

Government doing to relieve the situation? jy,

Americans ought to know more intimately the sit,

tion in the far Hast. SANDER SHOR, violinist, yi

give the musical program.

MAR. 22-"SHOULD CAPITAL PUNISHMnEy

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

is a new bill now before our legislature Proposing

to do away with capital punishment in this State

Many are stirred up over the execution of criminak

Mr. Hahn, who is a criminal lawyer of wide experi,

ence, should be able to throw much light on this olf

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 RUSSI

ARE JUSTIFIED." The affirmative will be taka

by THOMAS BELL, and A. PLOTKIN will upholi

the negative. When two such doughty antagonisi

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. ji

FISH will be heard in a number of Russian songs

-----_ ar-_-__-__-_

Church of the New Social Order

Symphony Hall, 232 So. Hill St.

Sunday Morning Service: 10:45 o'clock

A WARLESS WORLD. DO WE WANTIT? Hoy

ARE WE GOING TO GET IT?

The particular subjects to be considered from Sur:

day to Sunday will follow the lines indicated in the

analysis set forth above.

March 15. The APPEAL TO SUPERIOR

PEOPLES.

March 22. THE APPEAL TO FAITH.

March 29.

TION.

-{_ 4-_____

The ritual of the average secret society is abott

as impressive as the sobriety of a goat.

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Until the working people have everything, they

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