Open forum, vol. 1, no. 1 (December, 1924)
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Opposed to nothing that is good; afraid of nothing that is true.
THE OPEN FORUM
Vol. I
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, DECEMBER 6, 1924
No. 1
Rise and Progress of the American Civil
Liberties Union in Southem California
By Clin on J. Taft, Director,
Southern California Bran' of the American Civil Liberties Union
4
It is eighteen months since the big waterfr it strike
occurred in San Pedro but the events connec :d there-
with are as fresh in many minds as though hey had
taken place but yesterday. No act of vioince was
charged against the striking I W. W.-thai `as been
repeatedly admitted by Capt. Plummer, wi was in
charge of the harbor police. But hundredsof work-
ingmen were deprived of their constitutixal rights
nevertheless-arrested wholesale on iumped-up
charges without warrants, thrown into jcent/ and held
there in fearfully congested quarters, bru dly attack-
ed by officers of the law, and in every con /vable way
abased. All this was done to break the s'/.e, destroy
the morale of the men and teach them tl! (they must
not rise in revolt against the injustices 7 the system
under which they were being employecent
A group of citizens in Los Angeles 120 Pasadena
took cognizance of what was happeni, and think-
ing more of securing a restoration of (vil rights in
the community than of protecting th}'own reputa-
tions, they went to San Pedro and viertook to re-
establish liberty in that benighted difict. Four of
them-Upton Sinclair, Prince Hopkir' Hunter Kim-
brough and Hugh Hardyman-were !imediately ar-
rested (even in the act of reading "m the Bill of
Rights) and spirited away to he heldi tail for moey
hours incognito. The kept press ravi. o#@1 the butt-
ing in of these genuinely patriotic dtizens and held
them up to scorn, j
But the heroism of this.little goup brought a
wholesale reaction in favor of the reognition of civil
liberties. The six hundred strikes were soon re-
leased from `ail, free speech and the right of free as-
semblage were set up again in San Pedro, and by
means of a series of mass meetings held in one of
the theatres of this city the public was informed as
to the ruthless manner in which the big business in-
terests of the port had ridden over the constitutional
rights of the I W. W.
The final outcome of the protest meetings was the
organization of the Southern California Branch of
the American Civil Liberties Union. An office was
opened in the Wilcox Building, and the writer was
called from the pastorate of the Plymouth Congre-
gational Church, Los Angeles, to the directorship of
the new society. Affiliation with the National Civil
Liberties Union in New York was effected, and an
aggressive campaign was entered upon in behalf of
free speech, free press and free assemblage. Promin-
ent lawyers, clergymen, doctors and other profes-
sion/al people, together with a large number of people
in the ordinary walks of life, joined the new Union
ancl gave it their hearty support.
`As a vital part of its work the Union started the
Lios Angeles Open Forum in Music-Art Hall, 233 S.
Fisroadway, on the first Sunday night in September,
1923. Without missing a single Sunday night this in-
stitution has gone forward now for fifteen months,
giving a practical demonstration of the value of free
speech in a great metropolitan area. Matters of
country-wide and world-wide interest as well as ques-
tions of local significance have been discussed. In-
fractions of civil liberty of course have been aired
vigorously.
Moreover, committees have waited upon public of-
ficials again and again, pamphlets and leaflets have
been written broadcasting to the general public the
sort of justice that obtains here in California, clubs
and various organizations have been addressed, and
a continuous campaign in the interest of liberty has
been carried on.
Many others besides the I. W W. have appealed to
us for aid in the maintenance of their civil rights,
and we have gone to their help. As a Union we are
not interested primarily in the philosophy of this or
that group but only in securing a square deal for
all.
The work has greatly grown upon our hands. In
order to prosecute it more successfully we have of
late taken on a Field Secretary, Robert Whitaker,
who is giving himself to the task of linking up with
many communities up and down the coast.
Our latest venture is the publication of this weekly,
The Open Forum which we hope to make a great
power for the cause we represent in all this region.
The expanding work we are engaged in has necessi-
tated the removal of our office to the Tajo Building,
where we have two large rooms and fine facilities for
the carrying forward of a more aggressive campaign
along all lines. Another person joined our staff De-
cember 1st-Miss Delia Spencer, who will serve as
Office Secretary, .
Thus we feel fairly well equipped now for a ser-
vice in the interest of civil liberties here in Califor-
nia that shall mean the informing of the people as
to what is actually going on in their midst and the
eventual securing of the largest possible degree of
freedom from the oppressed. a p os
You can easily understand that our larger program
means larger expense and challenges you who love
liberty to a larger giving of yourselves and your sub-
stance to the cause. We feel confident, however, that
you will rejoice with us in the bigger opportunities
that are coming our way, and will rise magnificently
to meet: them.
S LET IN THE LIGHT
A month ago something over t hundred thousend
people in Southern California t*k the trouble to go
to the polls and record their di satisfaction with po-
litical and economic condition' in this community.
This is a fact of enormous sign `cance, offering nuch
hope to those of us who want! change in America.
But these two hundred the'sand people ar scat-
tered and unorganized; they "ill feel as ther did a
month ago, that they don't krw what to do ebout it.
They must be helped to find (fe, and the firs: step in
the process is to give them -n organ of opinion, a
means of voicing their ideas ind getting acjuainted.
The American Civil Liber"es Union is a group of
people who care about th fundamental rights of
American citizenship; that reedom of speech, press
and assemblage guaranteed,s under the Constitution,
and denied to us by oftilals representing special
privilege and private interiits. It is possible to look
at the activities of such a ivil Liberties Union from
two points of view. The'Jnion may take a purely
defensive attitude, conter'ing itself with protesting
against violations of cons`tutional rights and defend-
ing the victims; or the Uion may take a broader and
more constructive attitue toward its responsibilities,
and take up the task of ducating the eommunity as
to what Americanism tins, and what all American
citizens owe to their cent/ntry in the way of active,
constructive citizenship!
4
Looking at the mattf in this way the Southern
California Branch of i2 American Civil Liberties
Union has been for e past fourteen or fifteen
months conducting an "en forum in the city of Los
Angeles. Without esp ising all the ideas of all its
speakers or indeed an' the ideas of them, this or-
ganization has brougt some sixty or seventy speak-
ers before its audience and these speakers have set
UPTON SINCLAIR
forth their ideas and have answered the questions of
the audience. The public has found this worth while,
for large numbers of people continue to come.
It seems reasonable that out of this open forum
there should develop a paper to carry on the same
kind of work, reaching those people who cannot come
to the forum. The newspapers of Los Angeles have,
with rare exceptions, declined to report what is said
at the forum meetings; even when speakers of na-
tional reputation have occupied the platform, the peo-
ple of Los Angeles have not been given an opportun-
ity to read what they have said. So it would seem to
be in order for the Civil Liberties Union to do its own
journalistic work and report its own meetings.
A great many other opportunities of the same sort
are presented to us by the newspapers of Los Angeles.
It is supposed to be the rule that newspapers do not
like to give other papers "scoops"; but this rule does
not apply in Los Angeles, when the "scoop" has any-
thing to do with modern thought. If Los Angeles has
the honor of being visited by a distinguished soap
magnate or vendor of moving picture passion, this
great person is interviewed and given a chance to
set forth his ideas. But famous radicals, and even
liberals, come and go without anyone ever hearing of
them. The same applies to artists, writers, and dis-
tinguished people of all sorts who have any sympathy
with modern ideas. And of course the same thing ap-
plies to all news of radical and liberal gatherings, and
to announcements of this sort, It applies to a great
deal of the news of the world'of interest to labor and
liberal movements. as
It seems to some of those active in the Ame! can
Civil Liberties Union that it would be entirel "in
order for the Unian t take advantage of these tree
"se 9s" presented' bs the privately owned ang "i-
4
2
aut
t
vately managed newspapers of Los Angeles. As-
happens, their idea fitted in with one which has bee
simmering in my mind for many years, ever. since
wrote "The Brass Check"; the idea of a newspape
which should be an open forum in print, which shoulc
pledge itself to giving all sides a hearing on all ques-
tions which it discusses, and which should have' no
"policy" save that of fair play.
I am aware that this idea does not.sound so attrac-
tive to some minds as the idea of a fighting paper, to
go out and convince.other people of what we our-
selves believe. The method of the open forum seems
comparatively tame and uninspiring; but I think it is
in the long run .a far more dangerous "policy" to
those who have something they wish to hide. Prac-
tically nobody can oppose the method of free discus-
sion; that is, they cannot openly oppose it, and a great
many people will be convinced by it who are suspi-
cious of propaganda. I know that many times in my
own life I have been convinced one way by reading
a book which was arguing the other way; the insin-
cerities and evasions of the writer of the book were
so plain! And when the public is given a chance to
hear both sides, the truth will win quickly. *
This paper starts on a small scale, and it may be
amateurish in its general impression; none of those
having to do with it know very much about editing
a paper. But they will learn, and if you `are inter-
ested in the spread of sound ideas, get busy and help
put some into this paper. Make it your own paper,
make it what you want it to be, and then get behind
it and push it.
Many great things have Bort to vi
will be so with: this open f `at, if all those
rom one to fou'
sreby even the
`ive heed to the
who believe in the meth
their part.
all beginning. It -
assion will do (c)
oT af -
THE COST OF DEMOCRACY
BY DOREMUS SCUDDER (c)
With inited voices many centuries have dinged it
into our earns that "eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty." But the past has not been especially vocal
with insistence upon the equally universal and even
more important law that the practice of brotherhood
is the cost of democracy. -Here in Southern Califor-
nia, with our anti-syndicalist statute, and our Busick
injunction, with our Better America Federation, our
Ku Klux Klan, our other hundred percenters, and our
Merchants and Manufactures Association, with our
Big Business and Governmental spy system, our po-
lice third degree, our trials by torture, our holdings
incommunicado, our cruel and unusual punishments
and our imprisonments without trial, to say noth-
ing of the disregard by those socalled bulwarks of
freedom, our Courts, of the great basic rights guar-
anteed in the Federal constitution, we are slowly be
ing taught that no State can long continue to in-
fringe upon the liberties of even a tiny section of the
population without gradually toughening the con-
sciences of its citizenship, leading them to become
careless of these fundamental rights, and progres-
sively enlarging the limits of the section of the peo-
ple whose liberties may with impunity be curtailed
or denied.
In boyhood I remember the reception of stones and
vile epithets accorded to the Chinese as they disem-
barked in San Francisco and were driven in express
wagons to Chinatown. Way back in the last cen-
tury stones had greeted the "mickies" from Ireland
and the Italian "dagoes' equally with the Chinese.
But the nation gave these immigrants the ballot and
that quickly evened matters up by transforming the
newcomers into citizens able to defend their liberties
with their votes. The Asiatic was deprived of this,
the mightiest Americanizing force in our body poli-
tic. Hence next came the Sand Lot era and then the
long, black story of injustice to the Asiatic which
eulminated in the signing by President Coolidge of
the bill of last spring which snapped Asia's tradi-
tional and profound friendship for America and
united the peoples of the earth's greatest continent in
distrust, if not in hatred, of our country.
' The workingmen of California have little reckoned
what therhave heen doing during the past fifty years
in turning down the law of brotherhood through their
persecution of their fellow beings from the Far Hast.
But. now we begin to see at least one outcome in an
anti-syndicalist law administered with a rigor and an
injustice nowhere else in our country so much in evi-
dence as in California, in a blanket injunction that
laughs to scorn the constitutional requirement that
every accused person shall have the right to trial by
. an impartial jury, and in the wellnigh universal
`apathy of Californians upon the subject of the rights
Man. Is it any wonder that soon after election one
fur great dailies exulted over the fresh power for
ating union labor that the triumph of Coolidge and
jwes had handed our financial interests?
'There is only one slow painful journey up toward
`mew era of honest democracy, and that is the prac-
ce of brotherhood. As long as we continue to let
ace prejudice rule in California so long will the posi-
Aon of labor be precarious. While we exclude a por-
`tion of our population, however small, from the priv-
ileges extended to other men, we are going to suffer.
First the people of this state turned savagely upon
the Asiatic and treated him as a non-human. That
seared the public conscience. Next it was the I. W.
W's. turn to be rough-housed. Tomorrow it may be
all organized labor. And then whom? Everyone
who does not hiss the shibboleth of the majority. It
is an inexorable law-deny your brotherhood in your
daily practice and the enemies of democracy will get
you. ;
The remedy is perfectly simple. We can strike a
death blow at this process of losing liberty if we be-
gin at the bedrock principle of human solidarity.
The first decisive step will be to sweep from our
statute books every trace of racially discriminating
~ legislation; that means getting Congress to pass a
- provision like the following:
"All aliens, legally resident in the United States,
irespective of race, color or nationality, shall be
equally eligible to naturalization."
This would place Asiatics under the quota provis-
ion of our immigration laws and allow but a handful
to enter the country-in the case of the Japanese for
example less than 200 per year. This would annul
all our unbrotherly Asiatic legislation. It would clear
the air and galvanize into life the public conscience.
If any group in this ry has every reason for sup-
porting such a it is the California work-
ingman. If t ld demand that such a
law pass, Con; ite it.
INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP
The Monthly News Sheet ofthe International Fel-
lowship of Reconciliation has given the following
items in recent issues:
1. Belgium. September 218 was observed as
"Anti-War Day" very largely in Zuropean countries.
In Belgium the demonstrations were particularly
large, reporting participation of 52000 people in Brus-
sels, Liege, Ostend and Ghent alon. At Brussels, one
banner declared, `The proletariai of all countries
proclaims today its hatred of wa,' and a banner
carried by children bore the followng: `War kills
our fathers and our brothers, and sarves our moth-
ers to death."
The first International Congress cent Women Coop-
peratives at Ghent, in Se drew up a distinctly
pacifist program.
2 Denmark. First Scandinavian School Peace
Conference met in Denmark in August attended by
150 teachers from the four Scandinavian countries,
and urged a larger International Teach:rs Congress
to discuss education from the point of view of the
peace movement.
3 France. International Friendship Camp met in
the summer with 120 representatives from 10 coun-
tries. After a thorough educational program by
Frenchmen, Germans and others, the camp adopted
unanimously the following: "The cessation of war
in all its forms, religious, national, political, economic
and social, can only be brought about by creative and
educative action which aims at producing in the in-
dividual new spiritual values by the development of
self-sacrifice, fraternity and cooperation, and in so-
ciety new types of institutions from which the causes
of conflict contained in the present social and politi-
cal organization shall be excluded."
4. Germany. On the tenth Anniversary of the
Outbreak of War much more interest and will to
peace was noted in the commemoration programs,
than in previous years,
Several efforts and motions toward peace are noted
in the Catholic and Protestant churches.
The 23rd International Peace Congress met in Bar
lin in October; attendance 500; 100 of them foreigin-
ers. Both German and French ex-generals me
sized the opinion that nothing but total disarmament
can really indicate a will to peace.
5. Great Britain. The Fourth Annual Interna-
tional Democratic Congress for Peace met in London ~
in September, with 200 British and 200 foreign dele-
gates.
Inter-Allied Peace Week of Youth was observed in
September, and on Anti-War Day 113 meetings and
demonstrations were successfully held, having the
active support of Government circles, and both French
and German speakers talked from British No More
War platforms.
6. Switzerland. The First Voluntary Civilian Ser-
vice Camp was organized by conscientious objectors
and worked for two weeks in August. There were 19
men, English, Dutch, German and Swiss, working-
men, technical men, professional men. They spent
two weeks clearing debris from the Valles des Or-
monts and the stream bed, and rebuilding a bridge, for
those who had suffered from a recent avalanche.
Passing motorists inquiring about the work gave
money to help The local authorities entertained the
camp members at one meal at the end. No wages
were paid, and the members had paid their own travel
expenses. Similar services were projected for two
months this fall, to clear up the wreckage caused by
a terrible landslide near Someo in September.
ETHELWN MILLS.
REL an ST . gemreme corns
IS FREE SPEECH AN
AMFRICAN PRINCIPLE
Rev. Clinton J. Taft of the American Civil Liber-
ties Union says it is. Rev. Frank Dyer of the Wil-
shire Boulevard Congregational Church of Los
Angeles, says, not an out-right no, but he has pub-
licly defined his doctrine as free speech "within the
bounds of law and loyalty." So the two men will
debate the issue on Sunday afternoon, December 7,
1924, at Dyer's Forum, in the Ambassador Hotel
Theatre, on, Wilshire Boulevard, at 4:30 P.M. Every-
body is welcome.
4.
The Kingdom of love and good-will cannot be
estab ished on earth without human co-operation.
It will come out of the heart of humanity when man
unite" with his fellows to orgaize as constructively
and vigorously for the welfare of,all as in the past
he organized destructively and derely in war against
his Wowmen.-Walter DeVoe, /
, .. THE VIOLENCE
`OF THE RESPECTABLE
in land. As a matter of fact, however, the conserva-
tive: of the world, through the working out of their
polides, have killed more people and destroyed more
proprty in a single year, as for instance during the v
Napoeonic period of a century ago, or in the epoch
of thi recent European War, than all the radicals of ,
all cointries and all centuries have gotten away with
in ali time. And the daily program of the world
shows how easily and naturally the conservative
classe: run to violence, both in word and act. Contri-
bution to this column on the part of our readers are
invite.
ed Me ee
INGLAND CATCHING UP
LOND)N, Nov. 22.-London suffered nearly 10,000
street acidents, including 124 deaths, during July,
August ind September, according to police records.
Private utomobiles were the worst offenders, with
5974 accients and 55 deaths. Motorcycles killed 26
among thir 1997 accidents. Omnibuses had 2238 ac-
cidents wih 41 fatalities, while street cars killed only
two in 112 accidents.
yi Te a Ue
a
WAR !MPHASIS IN HISTORIES
A study { the emphasis on war in school histories
has recent]been made by the Association for Peace
Education | Chicago. Three investigators not con-
nected with. he association, were employed to make.
a scientific problem without regard
of the study or the use to be made
enty-four widely used elementary
American history and 24 volumes -
ipplementary readers'' were chosen
e objectives for the study were:
analysis of both texts and read-
per cent of the total amounts
ar and to peace material in each.
analysis of the space devoted
determine the per cent of ma-
e causes of war; (b) war ac
"fesults of war. Third, quantitative
analysis 3 the 1, ustrations of both the texts and the
readers to deter
and peace in ea.
the war lnateman hott of the word content and of the
ine the proportion devoted to war
Fourth, qualitative evaluation of
illustrations, in )ith texts and readers to determine
`he degree to whi the mind of the youthful reader
vould be influenctl."
The conclusions:eached were: "The average his-
tory text devotes adisproportionate amount of space -
to war. T.e amount of space devoted to
peice by both the txt and the supplementary readers
is dmost negligible: . There are practically
no illustrations of distinctly peace topics.
The war word conte t is on the whole nationalistic, -
biased, and, in manyzases, flamboyant. Fre-
quenily the sectariannd the sectional views, and the
prejulices of the autlprs are quite evident. The war
illustiations as a rulepicture only the glorified imag-
iningsof the artists. Very few histories even.
approach the real trut) about war. Histories
pay litile attention to 1e Edisons, the Horace Manns
and the Franklins; thy are too busy depicting the
overdravn exploits of he Lees, the Grants and the
Nathan Wales. . Much of the supplementary
reading naterial of an hstorical nature is neither his-
tory nor literature; it s untrue sentimentalism.'-
Seattle Union-Record, Nv. 18, 1924.
uS
LAW AN) ORDER
i
ladicalism and violence are supposed to go handy
O
1
Ss
J
gle oh ee: Geeel io endl PNM Geeks bel
IN THE STATE centF WASHINGTON a
Press reports indicate tat on November 10th, 225
members of the I. W. W. "ere loaded into six auto-
mobile trucks near Concre:, Wash. by Sheriff Conn
and a force of twenty-two sputies. The sheriff and
his men marched upon thebridge over Baker River
leading from Concrete to a: ydro-electric plant where
a strike was called about . month ago, and seized
150 of the strikers. The stikers have been charged
with obstructing traffic by icketing.
The national office of the merican Civil Liberties
Union promptly took Sheri Conn to task for his
exhibit of lawlessness, in he following vigorous
words:
"Such utter disregard of ly and order by an offi-
cer of the law is direct incition to mob violence.
If the strikers in obstructin traffic are violating a
law we urge you to use the ichinery of the courts
rather than illegal and un-A. `rican methods."
|
Some of the sublimest utterances. of Jesus came
Se forth out of the foolish and vicious at`acks upon him
a-
uF"
M
',
oneal ee ame
RET oR a OL RE i at eS
at, ah
ee.
Us Vs We
i
i
{
of the Scribes and Pharisees. of his time, as the
loveliest waterliles grow out of the slime and ooze of
' shallow ponds.
Likewise, the attacks of the Los Angeles Times and
the Judge Bledsoes `of our day and situation are
working out good. These have given us already
much of fine response on behalf of decency and
liberty. Our paper itself is immediately a reaction
to recent attacks upon those who are serving the
common good, the Civil Liberties Union, Roger N.
Baldwin, Rev. John Haynes Holmes, and Mrs. Kate
Crane Gartz in particular. It is fitting that Mrs.
Gartz should find here the utterance for her replies
to Judge Bledsoe and The Times which she cannot
get through the kept-press of our city.
----#
JUDGE B. F. BLEDSOE,
Los Angeles, Calif,
Dear Sir:
I wish to thank you for giving me the kind of
publicity I like to have-that of standing for the
rights of mankind in contra-distinction to man-made
governments, which Thomas Jefferson said were a
necessary evil. Even you, a judge, do not seem to
have heard that our sacred Department of Justice is
being investigated, and that the Supreme Court of the
United States is in disrepute because it fund a
technicality by which it could over-ride the will of
Congress and the people on the Child Labor Law.
You do not even stand for Civil Liberties. Because
just now it happens to be the I. W. W. wio need
defending against the "red army" of the poice and
the District Attorney, you try to discredit tle cause
of free speech, and the people who sacrifiie them-
"slings wa ehalf of the disinterested masses. To you,
women who Con vt themselves with bridgeplaying,
dancing, cultural clubs,ete., are more dese'ving of
praise, than those who seen... lighten the burden
of the exploited. To me there is nothing" satisfy-
ing as to work in the class struggle, the | -uggie to-
ward a world free from that poverty an injustice
which we have today.
Roger Baldwin is one of the finest type cent young
men we have in the United States today, an if he
spent one year in jail for being a consCintious
objector, the disgrace is on the blind power, who
put him there. If he said anything about the ght
to advocate revolution, he said less than Abtham
Lincoln and our own Declaration of Indepenayce
have said. But Baldwin himself is a Pacifist. 7eg,
we are "arrant Pacifists!"" we do not believe in -ar
. aS a means of settling international disputes; we 3e
that it only unsettles them.
Bertrand Russell asks, "Why is it that a man wi
murders one man is executed by law, while a ma
who by preaching patriotism causes millions to kil.
millions is universally respected?"
And as for John Haynes Holmes, any man who
condemns him for saying, "that war itself is a wrong,
is a crime" confesses himself a blind patriot, willing
to see blood shed to protect a superstition.
As for K. C. G., she still stands by her statements
and sentiments about war, and judges in general, as
tools of the vested interests. It is a well-known fact
that rich and poor do not receive the same brand of
justice; Supreme Court Justice Taft has written a
whole big book to show us that. It is called "Justice
and the Poor." Have you read it? Please tell me,
and tell the public through the "Times."
Even your friend, Dr. Patton, who leaves us at your
behest, believes the Criminal Syndicalist law "a mis-
take." Surely advocacy of a change in our industrial
relations, or even in our government, (such a govern-
ment as has been exposed to us recently), could not
be considered a crime; And why should you arrogate
to yourself the privilege of believing in force and
violence, and decry it in men who have a real griev-
ance? But I will tell you a secret; the workingman
does not believe in force and violence; they have
learned, long before men of your class, that it does
not pay.
You say we can accomplish everything by the ballot.
You forget the presidential nomination of 1920-de-
cided by five men around a table in the Blackstone
Hotel. Also the unseating of five Socialists in New
York, duly elected by the ballot. I could go on re-
futing each statement you make, but it is useless;
our psychologies are different. Suffice it to say, we
are content to belong to the intelligent minority
] hoping to augment our numbers by education, not by
ii
ao (
Los Angeles
OPEN FORUM
MUSIC ART HALL
233 South Broadway
SUNDAY NIGHTS, 7-30 O0x00B0CLOCK
PROGRAM FOR DECEMBER, 1924
Dec. 7.-`The Present Hour in Russia,' by J. Coving-
ton Coleman of New York City. Mr. Coleman is
just back from an extensive observation tour in
Russia. He is thoroughly informed as to exactly
what is going on there. AS a representative of the
New University Movement in that country, he was
privileged to look into affairs as no ordinary trav-
eler would be. His message therefore will be of
the most intense interest to all who want to know
the latest word in regard to a much-misunderstood
land. Music by Mr. and Mrs J. A. Elfenbein-vocal
and violin selections.
Dec. 14.-"Prospects for the Formation of an Amer-
ican Labor Party,' by Fred W. Jackson, editor of
"The Labor News" of Long Beach. With the ap-
proach of the January conference of Progressive
Political Action interest in this subject is naturally
growing more keen. Mr. Jackson was an ardent
supporter of La Follette, and is competent to set
forth his ideas of the new party in an interesting
way. Music by Sander Shor, violinist.
Dec. 21.-"The Sacco-Vanzetti Case'-a protest meet-
ing. Robert Whitaker and F. G. Biedenkapp, rep-
resentative of the International Workers' Aid will
be the speakers. There should be a great attend-
ance at this meeting; the case to be discussed has
elements of vast significance, and should be un-
derstood by everybody. Music by Miss Etta Gor-
don
Dec. 28.-"Making a New World by Co-Operative
Production," by Albert F. Coyle of Cleveland, O.,
editor of the "Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers Journal" and Executive Secretary of the All
American Co-operative Commission. A great even-
ing is assured with this wide-awake young man as
the speaker. He was the opponent of Theodore E.
Burton in the recent Congressional race in Ohio.
His work in behalf of co-operation has been brii-
liant and effective. The musical program will be
furnished by Max Amsterdam one of the first vio-
`linists of the Philharmonic Orchestra, and David
Klatskin, pianist.
force and violence. You cannot Keep us from doing
that, hard as you may try.
Sincerely,
KATE CRANE-GARTZ.
S
a
LOS ANGELES TIMES,
Los Angeles, Calif.
Dear Sirs:
Of course you cannot refuse to print my answer
* Judge Bledsoe, herewith enclosed, after having
"en him the opportunity to express his opinion of
0x2122 principles. I heard, some time ago, that your
SNay double column editorial was written by a
"Rarend." If that is true, it is high time that he
dr0ieq that clerical title also realize that it is such
edittgis that make "fire-brands."
ae r your editorial in this morning's Times, re-
wae ie Civil Liberties Union, allow me to say that
its Viqnce does not surprise; your paper has al-
ways Stq for hatred and abuse of people who stand
for - ber order of society than the one you so
frantical yphold. The whole world is aware of
this; YOUrg hissed and booed wherever your name
is mentioy in "high" as well as "low" society. So
condemnat, from you is high praise to those of us
who receivy :
We of thn
`ivil Liberties are Pacifists; we do not
believe in fc,
: or violence as you war-mongers. As
for substitut,
"red" for "red, white and blue'-
well, this cheg ig not true of the Civil Liberties
Union. But it were true, it would mean simply
Inferveonalis instead of narrow nationalism. `If,
as you say IN Ys noem, "There is only one God over
all"'-would it centojow that there should be one
flag, provided thas meant "All humanity is one?"
But such an idea...ifes the selfish interests.
I shall continue }aige my voice in indignant pro-
test against eVer}, justice that comes before my
eyes, regardless of Wr aknise:
Shrely,
,KATE CRANE-GARTZ.
as Sea
yw FROM VARIED VIEWPOINTS
Lawful Los Angeles
A Letter to the President of the Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce by the Director and Field-
Secretary of the Southern California Branch of the
American Civil Liberties Union.
Los Angeles, California
November 18, 1924
Mr. William Lacy,
President Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles, California
Dear Sir:
We note with interest in the morning papers of this
date your appeal, on behalf of the Chamber of Com-
merce of Los Angeles, to the insurgent farmers and
business men of the Owens River country, on behalf
of orderly and lawful procedure.
In particular you say that "any attempt to enforce
claims by unlawful means is a blow at the very foun-
dation of government."
And you further add that "this community will
stand for justice to all through legal means, and will
always deal along lawful and orderly lines."
Later, in the same communication, you remark,
"The proper method would be to come to us for a
discussion thereof, and not to resort to force and
violence and to disobedience of the orders of our
courts of justice."
Without in anywise espousing the cause of the
Owens River Valley people, into whose case we have
made no particular inquiries, and without consenting
to the course which they are now pursuing to main-
tain their contention, we may perhaps be allowed to
remark that when you speak of their disobedience of
"our courts of justice' you may in their opinion be
using the possessive pronoun more emphatically than
you are prepared to admit. They seem to think that
the courts to which appeal has been made are "`ours,"''
that is your's, more than they are the unprejudiced
servants of all the people, and of the poor man's
claims as well as the rich man's power. But this is
merely an aside so far as we are concerned.
What does concern us is that the doctrine of law-
abidingness and quiet, non-violent appeal to amicable
discussion which you seem to support so heartily in
this letter has been persistently and openly scouted
by powerful groups in this city in their dealings with
certain of our own residents who are in no such posi-
tion to defend their rights as the Owens Valley folks
seem to be, and that you have raised no voice of pro-
test whatever against the resort to violence and out-
rageous illegality in these instances.
You made no protest whatever when the outrage at
San Pedro was committed on the 14th of last June,
though it was abominable beyond anything that has
happened in this State these many years.
You have made no protest when workingmen have
been cast into prison without indictment and without
accusation, nor have you taken note of the fact that
in this city, which you boast ``will always deal along
lawful and orderly lines" these workingmen have lain
in jail by the score for weeks at a time waiting to be
summoned before a magistrate, only to be dismissed
after they had been held thus in durance vile because
there was absolutly no evidence against them. Within
a period of less than five months these men have suf-
fered this injustice in such numbers and at such
length that the total of their period of incarceration
runs up to more than ten years in prison.
You have been strangely silent about the manhand-
ling of these common workers, and the manner in
which their rights have been contemptuously set
aside by the officials of the law, although they
have borne themselves with a self-control and for-
bearance which has elicited national and world-wide
comment.
We are no more espousing these men as to their
opinions and their particular tactics than we are en-
dorsing here the Owens River protestants. But we
venture to suggest that your protest against lawless-
ness outside of our city would be vastly more effect-
ive and convincing if it were accompanied by a more
consistent course with respect to the lawlessness in-
side our city which is making us the mockery of the
earth.
Cordially yours,
CLINTON J. TAFT,
ROBERT WHITAKER.
Editorial Note-At this writing no acknowledgment
of this letter has been received, nor has any answer
been made thereto. The Owens River Valley folks
have, however, by "direct action' of the most unmis-
takable character, proved that they belong tu che re-
spectable classes who can resort to violence without
going to San Quentin for "from one to fourteen years"
for it, and can persuade thereby even the Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce to give heed to their cause.
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THE OPEN FORUM |
Published every Saturday at 506 Tajo Building,
Los Angeles, California, by The Southern California
Branch of The American Civil Liberties Union.
MANAGING EDITORS
Robert Whitaker Clinton J. Taft
LITERARY EDITOR
Esther Yarnell
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Kate Crane Gartz J H. Ryckman
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 Hach.
Advertising Rates on Request.
Saturday, December 6, 1924.
UPON THE WINDS OF SPRING: 1919
By Mary Craig Sinclair
I feel the terror in the world tonight-
Unbridled lust for power, and bridled lust
The dust
Of perished legions drifts upon the bright
More cold but no less merciless.
And tender wings of spring, a seal, blood-red,
Upon man's last insanity. Surcease
Of war? Ah, so they thought! To purchase peace
For aye, with their young blood! Ah, so they said!
But peace is not upon the winds of spring.
. The nostrils of new wars flare wide, and sniff
The dust of heroes greedily, and fling
An evil breath upon the world-and if
I chance to laugh because the spring is here,
Pain stabs my heart and binds the wound of fear!
SZ
gay
LONG BEACH ALIVE
"The OPEN FORUM is not a new idea at Long
Such a discussion center has been carried
on for sometime in that community, a meeting being
held every Saturday evening in the Municipal Audi-
torium Annex, At the same place a SOCIAL STUDY
CLASS meets on Sunday evenings. Robert Whitaker
addressed this SOCIAL STUDY CLASS on Sunday
evening, November 30th. His subject was "RE-
LIGION AND REALTY." The room was crowded,
and the meeting, as a whole, most enthusiastic. Mr.
Whitaker will speak for the Forum Meeting there
Saturday evening December 20th, on "THE MES-
SAGE OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS TO THE
AMERICAN OF TO-DAY."
PEYTON RANDOLPH TALKS
Peyton Randolph, who was introduced to the
audience as "a scion of the old Virginia family of
Randolphs, so famous in American history," gave an
address on WARS; PAST PRESENT, AND FU-
TURE" on Sunday evening November 30, at Music
Art Hall, 233 South Broadway. The subject, which
is serious enough was very ably handled, and -so
lightened up with the natural wit and naivete of the
speaker that the audience were kept on the que vive
throughout the evening, Later, we are glad to an-
nounce, Mr. Randolph will speak for us, at the same
place, on "THE MAKING OF THE GREAT AMERI-
CAN FORTUNES."
Ww
a
THANKFUL -- JUST THANKFUL
By Robert Whitaker
Thankful-just thankful; not that I have more,
While others lack life's reasonable return;
I count it more than all I have, to yearn
That everyone might have unstinted store,
But I am glad, whatever be the score,
Because mine eyes are open to discern
The whole earth's loveliness, because I learn
That life itself is one great open door.
An open door to self, that wondrous world
That,calleth for a wiser gratitude
; Than self-applauding or abasing mood.
And, through the self what vista is unveiled,
"When once the thankful quiet hath prevailed,
7
A boundless canopy with stars impearled.
~BRISBUNK
We need the word because the thing is here and is
so far without any word that aptly and adequately
describes it Plain bunk we know; that is ordinary,
obvious nonsense. But there is a high power foolish-
ness among us that is not so easily recognized, and
which has as yet remained unnamed. Its best-paid,
best-known, and its ablest representative, probably, is
Arthur Brisbane. Therefore the stuff may well be
dubbed-Brisbunk.
* * *
Brisbunk is not ordinary nonsense. It is clever,
scholarly, and over large areas really reasonable
teaching and preaching. Some of the best things that
are said in our day are said by the apostles of Bris-
bunk. uch an apostle was Theodore Roosevelt in his
day. Such an apostle was Woodrow Wilson. Such an -
apostle now is the Rev, Frank Crane; not to mention.
a,good many other Reverends who are more or less re-
nowned than he. Such an apostle is the famous au-
thor of the famous lecture "Acres of Diamonds" which
is one of the ablest and most popular epistles of Bris-
bunk that was ever spoken or written. Such also is
that other famous modern epistle by one of the high-
est of the highpriests of Brisbunk, Elbert Hubbard's
widely circulated essay on "The Message to Garcia."
these are all rare combinations of ability, real acu-
men, and genuine inspiration of a certain kind, with
mischievous shallowness and a more mischievous
egotism of the individual and the social type.
* * *
Downright wickedness is not half so dangerous to
the world as half-way goodness. The failure to rec-
ognize this fact is the main thing that is the matter
with out accepted moralities and our respectable
righteousness. Much of it is far more mischievous
than outright vice. The same thing is true with re-
gard to truth and falsehood. Outright falsehood, of
which we have always a vast supp!y;, is not after all
anything like so much to be feared as half way truth-
telling. :
It is the good that men do which enables them to
get by with their more or less unconscious services
to the dominant wickedness of their day.. The good
Slave-holders kent slevery goine- not the bad ones.
Good Czars and Kaisers are more to be feared than
fools and outright knaves in such high positions.
Likewise it is the liars who mix their falsehoods lib-
erally with real wisdom who are the damnation of
the world. If the pulpit of our day wasn't saying
so much that is fine and high and worth while it
wouldn't get by with its cheap lying on behalf of the
collossal social iniquities of the time. - Sheer lying
falls to pieces of its own want of cohesiveness. Mix
it with the cement of individual sincerity and social
respectability and intellectual dignity and you can
build a defense therewith for the most damnable in-
stitutions that ever cursed the world.
* % *
That is precisely what the Brisbanes of every gen-
eration do. They feed their fellows on Brisbunk, apt
paragraph, persuasive saying, sententious wisdom
while glossing over or apologizing for the things cent
special privilege wherein is the menace of destructis
for themselves and the civilization in the midst*
which they live. One may grant them a large ra-
sure of personal sincerity and altruistic impulse. he
more they have of this the more dangerous thgare
oftentimes. The misguiding of man is done fazlore
by men who want to guide them right than "8 by
men who deliberately purpose to guide them;rong.
Those who lead the blind into the ditch a7 them-
selves blind first of all. And the most appale fact
about it all is that their blindness proces often
from the glare of the very light in which);?Y Seem
to walk.
* % * 5
This column will contain from week t `eek BRIS-
BUNK clippings and brief comment ther4. Readers
are invited to send us in quotations frcentq writers and
speakers which they feel fall within poundir category,
and their own remarks upon such itey@S they send.
But remember to make your commen'ief, a line or
two, as we have more sermons and@ys of length
on hand then we have time to read R. W.
The Presbyterians have annow@ that last year
it cost them $457 to save each scentthat was brought
into the church. This prompts, t/ S0x00B0mewhat contra-
dictory questions-(1) first, wal worth it-all this
money to bring a soul to Presby!anism ; (2) second-
ly, is this all a soul is worth/Whichever way you
"Damaged Goods," novelized from the
"Jimmie Higgins," a novel of the World War, a
THE CHURCH OF THE
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NEW SOCIAL ORDER'
This church, which originated in Los Angeles, i
not quite like any other church of which we hayp
knowledge anywhere else in the world. Its stat
ment of belief is the shortest, and the least religions
in form of any known religious organization. Here jj
is, in four brief paragraphs. It is used, not ag
creed, but as a "responsive reading."
"My country is the world, and all men and
women are my brothers and sisters.
"The greatest thing in the world is the unsel-
fishness which seeks first the common good.
"The supreme authority is reality. To under-
stand reality is education, and to sit at the feet
of reality is devotion.
"All that we know about destiny is that death,
and the renewal of life, are always with us,
There is always judgment ahead, destruction for -
all that is unfit to survive, and there is always
the promise of more abundant life."
The originators of the new movement are J. Hads
How, known for his work among hoboes and for the
unemployed, Clinton J. Taft, Director of the South.
ern California Branch of The American Civil Liber.
ties, aid Robert Whitaker, Field Secretary for the
above iamed organization and for the Fellowship of
Recondliation. The place of meeting is in Cleveland
Hall, Walker Auditorium, 730: South Grand, Los An.
geles. The hour of meeting is at 10:45 each Sunday
morning. There are no theological tests, orthodox
or liberal. The new church is a free fellowship of
those who believe that the present social order, the
profit system, is doomed and dying, and that a new
social order, a real industrial, world democracy js
on the vay. And its spirit is that of allowing to
everyone fullest liberty in giving the message of the
coming change,
Sunda} next Robert Whitaker will speak on
"LABORS BONDAGE AND THE WAY OUT." -Every
body welome,
=
FREE VICQ%uN LESSONS
T: talented Children of Parents who
are unable to pay
Max Amsterdam
Prominent Violin Teacher and Soloist
2406 emple St. Po CR ed a ED Rexrel G0G8
Reasonable Rates to Beginners
300KS BY UPTON SINCLAIR
"wamonart,"
an economic interpretation of literature
ay. whe Tarts: $2.00 cloth, $1.00 paper. (Ready in
Foruary, 1925.)
sr: Goglings,'' a study of the American Schools, $2.00
oth; $1.00 paper.
"ne Goose-Step," a study of American Education :
joth; $1.00 paper.
re above two books in combination:
paper. .
Singing Jailbirds,"' and "Hell," two dramas; paper-bound,
25 cents each, eight' for $1.00.
`They Call Me Carpenter: A Tale of the Second Coming,"
cloth $1.50, paper 75 cents.
"The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of
Social Protest," cloth $1.50, paper $1.00. :
"The Book of Life,' a. Book of Practical Counsel: Mind,
Love and Society. Price $2.00.
$2.00
$3.00 cloth; $150
play by Brieux;
cloth-bound only, $1.20.
"Sylvia's Marriage," a novel; "hard covers," $1.00.
The following at $1.20, cloth, and 60 cents, paper; any
three for $3.00 cloth, $1.50 paper.
"The Brass Check: A Study of American Journalism,"
"The Jungle': A novel of the Chicago stock-yards,
"100. Per Cent: The Story of a Patriot."
"The Profits of Religion': A Study of Supernaturalism as
a Source of Income and a Shield to Privilege.
"King Coal': a novel of the Colorado coal country.
The following at $1.50 cloth, $1.00 paper:
"Manassas," called by Jack London, "the best Civil War
book I've read."
atne Metropolis,' a picture of the "Four Hundred" of New
ork. :
Hye cute! of Arthur Stirling,' the literary sensation of
1908.
"The Fasting Cure," a health' study.
The following at $1.00 in "hard covers" :
"Samuel the Seeker," a story of Socialism.
,
im4r 1 best seller
in Russia, Italy, France, Germany and Austria.
UPTON SINCLAIR,
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
Hind soerewith:$ tin. baw. assDayIMent LOR Jee
Yearly
Six Month subscriptions to THE OPEN FORUM.
Thrize Month.
Names' ie. 3 PAC a he a be NL ate
AGOTOSR: | fp Ts culbds adem ie vals bade Stee
TAG BUS ee ane Ts ina ise. a iinet ars
put it, it's a poor way in whito interpret religion.
Linotyping and press work done in Union Shops'
The make-up is our own.
-John Hayes Holmes. /
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