Open forum, vol. 2, no. 16 (April, 1925)
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OPEN FORUM
The first urge of all life is self-expression.
-_-_
Vol. 2.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, APRIL 18, 1925
No. 16
What next--for Peace?
By Alice Anderson
To the internationally-minded, the focal point in
the news is the adverse fate of the Geneva Protocol.
England has regretfully concluded that it is impos-
sible for her to sign this best plan so far projected
to outlaw war. Her reason is not the philosophical
one that, after all, the Protocol's ultimate resource
is use of the very tool it seeks to nullify-force.
Quite otherwise. England could not bring herself to
sign because certain hypothetical cases of recourse
to the terms of the Protocol would automatically in-
dicate an evolutionary step as yet unthinkable-noth-
ing less than the practical dissolution of the British
Empire, because in such cases, each separate colony,
eg. Australia or Canada would stand in exactly the
same relation to the League of Nations as England
herself. Those who are equipped to pass judgment
think that England's failure to sign renders the
Geneva Protocol a dead letter, and that consequently
the present League of Nations' blood runs perilously
thin.
Although the United States of America could not
be invited to sign the Protocol, now that it has
failed this country is looked to for the next sug-
gestion. A second "arms limitation" conference will
probably be called at Washington and the vague
ideas that have been brewing for a World Court may
be formulated. But the World Court will be licked
before half the expenses of the Conference are paid
because Senator Borah will consider no more "`if's"
about war but will insist on talking Peace and only
Peace.
Why wouldn't it be the fitting time to bring on the
long-predicted United States of the World? And
why not organize with Secretaries of Peace for each
nation? (We do not have Justices of Town Brawls).
With Secretaries of Peace and the establishment of a
new psychology, the international executive council
Would turn its attention to a positive program of
universal service in place of expensively passing the
buck around and around within the circles of the
Present prevailing war-advertising policies of our
War Offices. Our statesmen of the international
council would necessarily be expert economists. It
would be their sublime function to estimate real
world demand and control production to meet it
adequately, eliminating waste through ignorance,
Poverty. and vandalism and at the same time insur-
me true conservation. Such a program would mean
internationalization of natural resources at once and
development of Super-power under international
Supervision very soon. Briefly, it would make the
World safe for the interdependence that is already
the condition of our era.
To say that a United States of the World with an
economic welfare program is a beautiful dream but
we aren't ready for it, is reminiscent of the year 1910
i California when wise Professors of Political
Economy (some of them) said "Of course woman
Should have the vote, but she isn't ready for it!"
The ballot is a great disappointment to woman. It
'S trying, at least, to study up and vote carefully,
_ only to fing that some amendment means neither
mee a translation of it into English would imply
`or what the mass-meeting speaker said it meant.
But on the Whole, woman is willing to share this
hardship with man.
Suflrage may not be responsible, but certain it is
nee oe list of notable advances in woman's
eae ts date from about the same time as the
values t oe for example, an interest in food
eta that in fancy cookery; clothing and
terion q Pee rather than mere dressmaking; in-
can ot instead of cozy corners; positive
crutch: *gime in exchange for the patent medicine
health a ce finally A fine enthusiasm for public
to at ot hygiene together with a willingness
drawal a oe ae against the old-fashioned with-
into exclusiveness even to the point of
th
A Real Message
In another column we are publishing an article
on "THE BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT" by "THE IN-
TERNATIONALS" of Costa Mesa, California, that is
by Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Spencer, who are doing a
remarkable work of publicity on behalf of a warless
world. There will be many who will not agree
with this criticism of The Boy Scouts, and herein
lies much of the danger of the movement, that
so many fine folks are buncoed by it.
There is no more serious world menace just now
than the Prussianizing of the American school-boy
and school-girl, And in this work, however well
intended the organization may seem to many, what-
ever virtues it may have in an incidental way. the
Boy Scout Movement as a whole is in our deliberate
opinion, an opinion not lightly or carelessly formed,
one of the most mischievous agencies in America
today. It stands too well with all the fearsome folks
who are always stampeding into hysterias about
"the next war' and the necessity of "preparedness"
for it; it stands too well with the munition-makers,
battle-ship-builders, and other blood-suckers of war-
profiteering; it stands too well with the whole swash-
buckling, spur-clanking martinets and autocrats of
the army and navy to have any right to any stand-
ing whatsoever with those who want to mb ke
something besides cannon-fodder of the boys and
girls. :
We have on hand an abundant supply of leaflets
reproducing in convenient form for popular distri-
bution this article by the Spencers, and we will
be glad to send them, in any reasonable quantity,
without charge, to whoever will send for them and
give us assurance of effective use of them.
a
Spring-time
In Washinston
Dullness unutterable has descended upon Wash-
ington since the Senate adjourned. Nobody is left
in town who has an idea. Coolidge sets the fashion
by having nothing to say, and saying nothing.
Vaguely wondering what Cal is up to, and when the
axe will next fall, and where, cabinet chiefs and their
subordinates go dully about their routine tasks.
A few groups, like the union printers and the vet-
erans' associations, protest the dismissal of veteran
and war-veteran printers from the government shop.
They raise scarcely a yawn from the White House.
It is springtime in Washington. Coolidge rules.
ostracizing others-all for the sake of ``niceness'" On
further consideration, it seems that this widened in-
terest must rather have been responsible for suffrage,
at least in the sense of being its guarantor. Cer-
tainly the same tide bore all these manifest improve-
ments together on its crest because the deep waves
within it had lifted them to the top. Women were
ready for free activity.
And now, we the people, everywhere, are just
exactly ready for a United States of the World and
an international program of economic welfare. There
is nothing new about the proposal. It has been
dreamed out piece-meal through the ages and hard-
headedly synthesized by our contemporaries, but all
its parts are old stuff-as old as the inventions per-
ennially heralded by the Literary Digest as ushers-in
of new eras-and the same thing has happened to
them-career stopped just outside the patent office-
bought up by going concerns with overstock of still
older stuff. And so the United States of the World
will not be organized in 1925 because, in spite of
Human Geography and The Fourth of July, "m-y"
is generally conceded to be vastly more important
than "`o-u-r." .
The Boy Scout
Movement
A Blessing or a Menace?
By The Internationals
The causes of war are manifold, but the practice
of war depends upon the willingness of people to
use this method in deciding human differences.
Militarism is the method of war reduced to a
science.
Its first principle is the voluntary or enforced
subjection of one person's will to the will of another
higher in authority in a scheme of discipline and
tactics.
Militarism reacts as a cause of war for three rea-
sons: f
1. Through its traditions it maintains that war is
good.
2. By its trappings it makes war appear glorious.
3. When people become skilled in any line they
naturally wish to apply their skill.
THEREFORE MILITARISM IS A CONSTANT
MENACE TO WORLD PEACE.
The Boy Scout movement was founded by General
Baden-Powell, a British army officer. ;
In England it is recognized as a practical unit of
national military preparedness.
In America its sponsors claim that the movement
`neither promotes nor discourages military training.
The Scout movement is neither military nor anti-
military."
(Boy Scout Handbook, page 12)
This equivocal statement is belied by other state-
ments found in the official literature of the organ-
ization.
"On the other hand it does teach valuable informa-
tion which a soldier must have.'-(Handbook for
Scoutmasters, page 543. Bold ours.)
By a special act of congress the Boy Scouts are
permitted to wear, `uniforms similar to those worn
by the U. S. army, navy and marine corps." (Boy
Scout handbook, page 31.)
The military morale of the organization is clearly
expressed in the following precept. "He (a Boy
Scout) should so learn to discipline and control
himself that he will have no thought but to obey
the orders of his officers.'"' (Boy Scout handbook,
page 16. Italic ours.)
A careful study of the Boy Scout program shows
that the only variation from militarism lies in the
substitution of woodcraft for the use of guns.
However, after a boy has been schooled in army
camp life, in military drill and discipline, in war
maneuvers through games, etc., all that is necessary
is to put a gun in his hands to make him a fully
trained soldier.
THUS THE BOY SCOUT -MOVEMENT is a
KINDERGARTEN for WAR.
To Every Father and Mother.
Do you want your boy to be a soldier?
Do you want America to be a military nation?
Do you want another world war?
Consider these questions thoughtfully and seriously
before you are persuaded to enroll your boy in the
Boy Scout movement, under the promise that he will
be made strong, manly and virtuous by the training.
------__-_-_
The non-industrial and parasitic classes are often
the most active. They are the most wonderfully
successful in creating the belief that they are the
most important of all the social elements.
-Lester F. Ward.
Aide aid TERR ala.
Craese Labor Party is
Powerful Factor
By Jack Armitage
SHANGHAI, China.-(FP)-The Chinese J.iabor
party (Kuomintang) seems likely to dominate in large
part the Pekin unity conference. Peace in the orient
depends largely upon the outcome of the Pekin
conference. In preparation for this the Kuomintang
has been strengthened in every way.
The prolonged illness, followed by the death of
Sun Yat Sen has been responsible for the postpone-
ment of the conference. Sun's successor has not
yet been chosen, though it is likely that the mantle
will descend upon Leu Chung Koi, an ex-governor
of Canton, who is chairman of the Kuomintang com-
mittee of control,
The Kuomintang has insisted that it be a con-
ference representative of every opinion in China.
The Chinese Labor party has no foolish notions
regarding the position of the oriental workers. Asia's
teeming millions of workers are the proletariat of
the world, and its efforts are bent upon the re-
unification of China as the first step in the better-
ment of the economic status of the Chinese worker.
,.The control of the Kuomintang igs vested in a com-
mittee elected by its members. It is usually assumed
that the Kuomintang is controlled by politicians and
militarists at Canton, to whom the term Bolshevik is
applied. As a matter of fact, Kuomintang has its
headquarters at Pekin, and the committee of control
is drawn from widely scattered provinces, in all
of which radical influence is steadily gaining ground.
The party has a big following and receives a strong
support from overseas Chinese, particularly in Amer-
ica and Australia.
The delegates to the Pekin conference are now
assembled to put forth a workable reunification.
The delegates represent industry, commerce, edu-
cation, student organizations, provincial associations,
labor unions, and agriculture. Tag Quan and Wu
Pei Fu will attend as representatives of the military
parties, and the political parties having representa-
tion will be the Anfui, Chihli and Kuomintang.
Most foreign financiers hold that their interests
demand the disunion of China. It is true that an
outcry is raised every time foreign property suffers
the slightest damage at the hands of contending mil-
itary factions, but while many of these factions re-
ceive foreign support, and are supplied with muni-
tions of war in direct contravention to the arms
agreement, such outcries must be looked on as
camouflage. -
Chang Tso Lin, the Manchurian leader, has de-
clared he will give unqualified support to the Kuo-
mintang. This will not only strengthen the hand
of labor delegates, but neutralize the attempts of:
foreign finance to bring about disruption. At the
outbreak of hostilities last August, it was freely
asserted that Chang would endeavor to replace the
Manchus on the throne of China.
tH
Our Foreign Policy
Senate leaders have charged that there is today
no American foreign policy. They say there is
merely Calvin Coolidge, who has never had any
taste nor aptitude for world politics or economics.
Strong men come down from New York to spend a
Sunday with him, and push him into a _ position
toward some British or French or Japanese pro-
posal. Other strong men run down from Pittsburgh,
or come from Chicago or Palm Beach, with different
ideas. He listens, and then Dwight Morrow, of
Morgan and Co., who gave Coolidge his own electric
hobby-horse to ride, gives his old classmate the final
suggestion. In cabinet meeting on Tuesday or Fri-
day the president broaches his plan,' perhaps, and
Hoover offers amendments based on his own knowl-
edge, gathered by his thousand agents throughout
the world. Coolidge seldom changes his decision to
suit Hoover.
There is one cabinet member, however, to whom
Coolidge turns with confidence. Andrew Mellon is
Coolidge's idea of a great American-he is immense-
ly rich, is in control of great numbers of corpora-
tions and some big banks, and never deviates from
his game of piling up more money for the interests
in which his fortune ig involved. Coolidge will not
accept a suggestion from Britain or Japan or any
other country until Mellon has pronounced it sound.
British Labor
CLEVELAND-(FP)-Aggressive methods are
winning in the fight of British trade unions against
the employers, asserts A. B. Swales, chairman Brit-
ish Trade Union congress (the British A. F. of L.)
in a special aritcle to appear in the April issue
of the Locomotive Engineers' Journal.
"We are no longer standing with our backs against
the wall, resisting stubbornly the attempts of the
employers to drive down our wages further and still
further,' Swales writes, "but have turned the corner
and have embarked on a campaign of attack, win-
ning advances in nearly every industry. We intend
to continue our offensive until the full objective of
our program has been secured.'
The major step in the offensive has been the
consolidation of unions into powerful weapons of
labor on a national scale, Swales shows. ` Our gen-
eral council is now engaged upon the task imposed
upon it by the 1924 congress of framing a scheme
whereby the consolidation and unifying of the unions
can be carried a further stage. The number of
separate unions catering for the particular trade
or group of trades and crafts can be reduced by
the amalgamation of existing organizations, along
with a parallel movement, which seeks to overcome
the difficulty faced by unions who are not able to
amalgamate for a variety of reasons but can be
brought together in federations, representing the
whole body of unions concerned with a particular
branch of industry."
Since 1920 the number of separate unions has
decreased more than 15 per cent. Unskilled workers,
formerly organized only locally or in districts here
and there are now enrolled in three huge unions.
Swales reports. The National Union of General
Workers, the Workers' Union, and the Transport
and General Workers' Union have a combined mem-
bership of over 1,000,000 and are considering amal-
gamation into a single organization.
-In the building trades the consolidation has been
carried so far that no strike can be declared with-
out the consent of the executive of the National
Federation of Building Trades operatives, on which
all the crafts are represented. `Both nationally and
locally the workers of the industry speak and fight
as one,' Swales declares. The same is true in the
foundry trades.
In amalgamation or federation as a second best
he concludes, "lies the greatest possibility for the
British workers."
Federated Press.
Thrift
These past few days have been unhappy oneg for
both Coolidge and Mellon, and grimly humorus for
Hoover. Hconomy as preached by Coolidge and en-
dorsed by Mellon has begun to hurt business. Patri-
otic standpat citizens have reduced their purchases.
The court crier, speaking over the radio from Wash-
ington, has explained that the Coolidge gospel of
economy did not contemplate that Bill Smith would
fail to buy a spring hat as usual this year, or that
Mrs. Bill would forego that new calico dress
marked down to 98 cents. After all, the factories
can't make profits unless they run, and they can't
run unless someone buys new hats and dresses.
So, to the propaganda-dazed audience at the receiv-
ing end of the radio the administration gives its
permission to go ahead and spend money again.
In this difficult time the Chamber of Gommerce
of the United
and "associate memberships" and subscriptions to
its magazine, which is devoted to fighting public
ownership and trade unionism and a higher standard
of living for the workers, has taken a firm stand. It
wants the government to repeal the federal inheri-
tance tax law. It has prepared a referendum pro-
posal to its membership, which will come back
with an overwhelming majority, proposing that the
federal government should drop this tax, now and
forever, and "co-ordinate" federal and state taxes
so as to relieve the poor rich and their estates.
Henry Ford once hated by Wall Street as a dan-
gerous radical, is preaching the same doctrine.
-_--__-__
The want of a sense of humor ig the first qualifi-
cation of a dupe.
States, rolling up millions in dues
Vanderbilt Again
The old pirate who founded the Vanderbilt {op.
tune in America, the first Cornelius Vanderbilt of
fame, had achieved a fortune of approximately Ten
Million Dollars by 1860, an enormous and almost
unparalled amount of money at that time. He digg
seventeen years later worth One Hundred and Ten
Millions it is said, mainly the outcome of hig lootings
of the people during the period of the Civil War and
"Reconstruction Days."
The present Cornelius Vanderbilt, the third of
that name, and the great-grandson of the old buccan.
eer whose story is briefly given above, is now a
formidable competitor with William Randolph Hearst
for the position of the chief corrupter of American
public opinion. We had occasion recently to deal
with the imbecilities of his Los Angeles paper, The
Illustrated Daily News, with respect to the presence
of the Big Fleet in Southern California waters.
Someone sends us the editorial in his San Fran:
cisco paper, The Illustrated Daily Herald, under
date of April 6, 1925. Notice the date, please, the
eight anniversary of the beginning of our war with
Imperial Prussia, "to make the world safe for dem:
ocracy." Prussia at its worst never published in
its daily press anything more idotically and viciously
imperialistic than comes from the pen of this gcion
and namesake of the old pirate of Hoboken. Can
there be any connection between the big winnings
which the elder Vanderbilt made out of our war
between the States and the evident enthusiasm of
this young fool for a war here in the Pacific?
The editorial in the San Francisco paper ig too
long to quote as a whole. But here are some of its
more salient utterances, with the big type which
the Vanderbilt paper employs faithfully followed in
our reproduction. e
* % ok * * ok
The great war just passed was a LAND WAR,
fought by the army on foreign goil, reinforced by
the navy and the army transport service. The
NEXT WAR-and that war may NOT BE SO VERY
FAR DISTANT, if we are to believe reports seeping
out of Tokyo and Washington-will be a SHA WAR.
It will be fought AT SEA, by vessels of the navy.
Wars to come MAY BE fought in the air-that is'
for the future to decide.
foday, 145 vessels of WAR, lie in the bay, aboard
which close to 50,000 men are quartered. THERE
IS A REASON WHY THIS FLEET LIES IN San
Francisco waters TODAY. That reason will be
forthcoming before so many months pass by. In
1914 another great armada lay in the waters of
Portsmouth harbor, Great Britain. One month later
the world was embarked on its greatest war-making .
venture. That is not Synonymous; it is simply ex
emplary.
Should trouble eventually occur in the Pacific-
and there is NO REASON WHY THAT TROUBLE
SHOULD NOT OCCUR, it is a probable certainty
that the nations bordering the south Pacific, feeling
as they do at present, and the nations bordering the
northeast Pacific, British Columbia, in particular,
would be drawn into the conflict on the side of the
nation whose fleet lies with us today.
Citizens of San Francisco and the bay cities
SHOULD NOT FAIL to realize that the visit of this
monster fleet here bears a SIGNIFICANCE that
cannot be too STRONGLY impressed upon them. -
The months that are to come will reveal just at
what this article is driving. Prophecy is sometimes
"the bunk." But this is NOT prophecy.
Our welcome to our fleet should be truly a Sal
Franciscan welcome. It should be the kind of 2
welcome we give to all who come within our gates.
Citizens of these cities should get behind their mayo!
and his committee and lend every iota of suppot!
that they can toward making San Francisco and the
bay cities a place to be remembered by the mel
of the fleet, when more SERIOUS WORK IS AT -
HAND.
cnsieiaatilnaisiereccesee ee a eens
TAKE ANOTHER, PLEASE
)
After a loud and prolonged exhibition in a Holy
Roller meeting, the preacher called for testimonials.
A devout young lady of color arose and shouted het
story.
R i '
"Las' night, Ah was in de arms ob de debbil,
tonight, Ah is in de arms ob de Lod."
A hushed but excited voice from the back of th?
room interrupted her: "Got a date fo' tomorrov ,
night, sister?"
`
rd
H
S,
el
ee) D(A
SAY SO
faleenets
ee (]
We want letters.
Lots of them.
From lots of people.
On lots of subjects.
BUT NOT LOTS OF WORDS.
Make them "Century Letters,"
that is letters of not more than
One Hundred words.
Write on subjects of general
interest.
Typewrite your letters,
if possible. If you are
interested in anything worth-
while, say so. But say it in
as few sentences as you can.
Sign your name. It will not be
used if you do not wish it
published, provided you say so.
Let's make "SAY SO" the best
page of this paper. Mind you,
be brief. And again, BE BRIEF.
(2 ecm
April t) li925;
Arthur Brisbane, Editor,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
So you still believe in the nations squandering
98% or thereabout of our income for destruction.
It is too bad, because you are so sensible about
many things and yet, you forget that we went to
war to outlaw war and the only way to outlaw it,
is to outlaw it. Force is outlawed between men
and it can be outlawed between nations.
It is for men like yourself, to teach the masses
the better, nobler, juster, way for nations to treat
each other. We can never make friends by the use
of the gun. Austria's ultimatum to Serbia was the
match that kindled the war, but it is not likely that
they would run such a risk again. Germany, accord-
ing to this morning's paper is willing and anxious
to arbitrate with France-but France !
Those war weary and devastated countries can
never again be induced to participate in such a
holocaust. They have all learned that it did not
pay; and you in your daily column, encourage more
of it! Alas-if you do not know better, what can
We expect of the man in the street?
Sincerely,
KATH-CRANE GARTZ
% * *
April 8, 1925.
Los Angeles Kxaminer,
So. Broadway, Los Angeles, Calif.
Dear Sirs:
You speak of the man-made tornado as "the worst
of all" and yet your only solution for the direst of
all evils, is more of it. Did you ever hear that we
yen to war to end war; well then, how do you and
Brisbane dare to talk of war, day in and day out?
Are you satisfied with the squandering of Dil-
lions of the peoples' money and millions of lives
to settle the war question forever; or are we never
to believe in the government's promises again?
Sincerely,
KATEH-CRANE GARTZ
* * *
ata ; April 11, 1925.
Kditor Open Forum. :
Dear Comrades:
` aime pubions of Them" is bound to cause
a eer es the Ded so often peddled by
ae ae nap sanetitutions.
ache ee ore PROMOS population of the
Banat oe i ; Sr mares for Brazil. These
aes ak the uite different Portuguese lan-
' - you let it pass you might as well count
the I se
celk ors cent i i
lig] ander 8 and Scandina vVians amongst the Mneg-
Sd. Speaking people.
Kindly deduct from
Yours for the cause,
ALFRED G. SANFTLEBEN
April 8, 1925.
Hditors The Open Forum,
Los Angeles, Cal.
Gentlemen:
Your `A Plain Talk with Liberals' prompts these
remarks. Why. should one support the so-called Lib-
erals. Could you with the best intention in the world
formulate a workable program from what La Fol-
lette was talking about during the campaign? Why
the man was actually pleading for LAND MONOP-
OLY, he was deploring the deflation of LAND VAL-
UES. If the poor man did not know that deflated
land values mean INFLATED wages he ought to at
least have the decency to retire from political life.
Take Leland Old's article in a late issue of your
paper, about the large earnings of corporations.
Those large sums represent industry. But at that
they look like small change compared to the mil-
lions that landlords rake in without employing a
single man.
What do you mean by "Capitalism"? No man
ever made a clean cut statement as to what the
word meant. There are aS many brands of social-
ism as there are socialists.
No one can take the liberals seriously so long
as they do not take themselves seriously.
I defy you to name one single identifying prin-
ciple that the Nation sticks to editorially. Oh, yes,
you will say, "Free Trade." You are wrong. I have
a letter in my files from Villard in which he re-
pudiates Single Tax. Now if free trade does not
mean free production it means nothing to laborers;
it then merely means free exchange AFTER land-
lords have taken their toll.
No socialist in England ever mentions the Duke
of Westminister who has an income of 500,000
pounds a year and does not employ a single man
in productive labor; the d fools are too busy
annoying manufacturers and other useful and har-
rassed people.
The world has seen socialism at work in Russia
and it appears does not like it. But we must give
communists credit for being consistent. MacDonald
and. the other muddleheads, should, either acknowl-
edge themselves as believers in communism or they
should quit calling themselves socialists.
Yours truly,
H. W. NOREN
a * * *
In the issue of April 15, W. A. H. in condemning
the spending of millions to commemorate Confed-
erate leaders and the Confederate army, says:
"They fought to keep human beings in slavery."
That is unfair to the rank and file of that army,
the great majority of whom were compelled to
fight, just as our boys and the German boys were
compelled to fight in the world war, and as to
the volunteers, most of them were influenced by
war propaganda.
Abraham Lincoln once said: "Tell the people the
truth and the country is safe." I believe that-if
the causes that led to that conflict had been known
all over the land, north, south and west, there would
never have been any Civil War, and both chattel
Slavery and the protective tariff would have been
abolished without bloodshed.
Let us heed the lesson.
Expose as far as we can the true causes of all
modern wars and the motives of those who pro-
moted them and thus fortify the minds .of men,
women and children-especially the children-
against the lies that will be fired at them when
the war mongers are ready for another slaughter.
W. F. WITHERS
38611 Verdugo Road
* * * *
A call to celebrate the first of May, International
Labor day, is broadcasted by Joseph Schlossberg,
general secretary-treasurer, Amalgamated Clothing
Workers union. His call reads in part: `The First
of May is the only day in the year when the workers
in all lands,,irrespective of language race or calling,
dedicate themselves to the ennobling ideal of the one-
ness of labor. Divisions in the ranks of labor, harm-
ful and painful as they may be, are temporary set-
backs. Hiventually the unity of labor will triumph."
1
Most persons consider their own property as of
vastly more importance than the lives of others.
Labor and Life
Insurance
WASHINGTON.-Some time this summer Pres.
Green of the American Federation of Labor will
call together the executives of all affiliated national
and international unions, to discuss life insurance
for their members.
Shall the big international unions, each of itself,
establish a life insurance company? Shall a group
co-operate? Shall the federation have any hand?
How shall the control be kept in the hands of the
labor movement, so that the accumulation of money
in the insurance enterprise shall not make conserva-
tive profit-hunters out of the men in charge?
The El Paso convention last November endorsed
the report of the executive council, suggesting that
life insurance was a venture in which organized
labor should at once engage, in defense of the vital
interests of its members. The committee report
read: "Your committee is favorably impressed with
the proposal (by the executive council) that or-
ganized labor should engage in a joint insurance
enterprise, owned and controlled by organized labor,
based upon the American experience table of mor-
tality and safeguarded so as to protect fully the
rights and interests of every member insured."
How many millions of dollars are annually con-
tributed to life insurance companies in this country
by members of organized labor is not definitely
known. At least $4,000,000 a year is paid out by
trade unions ag death benefits to the families of
deceased members. Many of these death benefit
schemes are unsound, and are being changed to.a
basis that makes them more or less self-sustaining
life insurance enterprises. The Maintenance of
Way Brotherhood, for example, is to abolish its
present costly scheme of "free" death benefits of
from $50 to $200 at its September convention, and
adopt a plan involving payments by the insured
for the policy carried in his name. :
The Electrical Workers' brotherhood not only
maintains a death benefit system, paid by the mem-
bers with their union dues, on a sound basis, but
it has established a life insurance company which
is soliciting regular life insurance from its own mem-
bership additional to the compulsory death benefit
plan. It is soliciting this voluntary insurance by
mail, and is steadily building up an enterprise which
will in time strongly supplement the labor bank
as a bulwark of conservatve trade unionism.
Green showed during debate in the El Paso con-
vention he had not been convinced that organized
labor could safely enter the life insurance business
just now. When the conference meets, at his eall,
it will find him extremely cautious in committing
the federation to the guardianship of money for its
individual members. The special committee will
bring forward a detailed program based on the
"need to keep in labor's hands the profits on this
vast business, and to keep the control of billions
of investments out of hands hostile to every aspira-
tion of the labor movement.-Federated Press.
Bauder a fe a us
April 6, 1925.
I am reminded that this is the anniversary of
the entrance of the United States into the World
War eight years ago. It is something I would
rather forget. More and more as the years pass,
we find that the American people-and all the
people of the world-were tricked by their military
and political representatives into an unnecessary,
inconclusive and historically indefensible orgy of
wholesale murder whose unhealthy consequences
will continue for generations. There is another
anniversary today in which I am more interested
and in which we may all take great pride. It was
just a year ago today that the world flyers hopped
off from Seattle on their memorable world engird-
ling flight. By this flight a definite contribution
was made to world progress, the world was drawn
closer together, and we made one step more to-
ward real world fellowship and brotherhood.
Seattle Union-Record.
4} --
We are in about this condition; one quarter of
the community is awake, alive; another quarter pre-
tends to be awake, and the other half is afraid of
everybody that is awake. There seems to be some
feeling that people are not to be trusted with the
whole truth, either in politics or religion.
-Wendell Phippips.
RE ESE ON Se
SEY Fes eae SPAT TRI SPS A ES
SO Set Sie Se Set AR co ORC SE
THE 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
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LITERARY EDITOR
Esther Yarnell
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
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Fanny Bixby Spencer Doremus Scudder
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SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1925
COMING EVENTS
KOKI I KS oe ook
Los Angeles Open Forum, Music-Art Hall. 233
South Broadway, Sunday evening at 7-30 o'clock.
Soe
EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT-OPEN DISCUSSION
At Eight O'clock
A Free Education is Offered at
EDUCATIONAL CENTER
By Industrial Workers of the World
Saturday, April 18th, Archie Sinclair, I. W. W.
Speaker will address the Forum, Room 218, 224 So.
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INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD
224 South Spring Street, Room 218
ae
Free Workers Forum meets Monday Nights at
8:15 o'clock at 420 N. Soto St., (one block north of
Brooklyn Ave.).
April 20-`Nature and Her Healing Art," by Dr.
Gustave Haas, President of the California Natur-
opathic Association and pioneer of Naturopathic
work.
April 27-``The Fundamental Conception of Law," by
S. G. Pandit.
i as
I. B. W. A. FORUM
At the Brotherhood Hall, 515 San Julian St:
Sunday Afternoon Meeting 2:30 P.M.
All are Invited to Attend
Geo. McCarthy and J. Eads How, Committee
PROLETARIAN FORUM
Every Sunday at 8 P. M.
ODD FELLOWS HALL
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Questions and Discussion Freely Invited
Admission Free
as
Picnic With The Cosman Club
The Church of The New Social Order has ad-
journed its Sunday morning services for the sum-
mer, that the people may have full enjoyment of
their Sundays for out-of-door life. Occasional ser-
vices will be held, as per notices that will be found
in these. columns. Keep yourself ready for them as
they are going to be worth while.
Meanwhile the Cosman Club, which may be de-
scribed as the week-day end of the Church of The
New Social Order will for the present continue its
Wednesday night meetings at the Levins', 151 North
Carondelet Street, studying American history.
Next, Sunday, April 19th, the Cosman Club will
hold a picnic and a fellowship dinner out at Ex-
position Park. The picnic will be held in the south-
west section of the park, by the big pepper trees.
Get there early, say about half past ten in the fore-
noon. Bring your friends. No lecture, but just a
good time getting acquainted with each other, and
lots of good talk, between individuals and in groups.
Bring a well-filled lunch basket with you or if you
can't do that bring some fruit, cake or anything
else that will help in the common meal.
The F. O. R. Meets
Again
RUSSIA is to be the subject of the next Fellowship
Supper of the F. O. R. to be held at The Blue Tri-
angle, Monday evening, April 20. The address is
631 South Spring Street. Time, 6 P.M. A good
supper served for Fifty Cents per plate. Reserva-
tions must be made in advance, but anybody is
welcome. Please phone your name, and the number
of seats you wish reserved to Miss Mills, 560-448, or
to this office, TUcker 6836.
The subject of the evening is in line with the
general program of The Fellowship of Reconciliation
programs of recent months, built on the general idea
of "A Pacific World Around the Pacific Sea," and
dealing with the various peoples and nationalities
around the Pacific Ocean. We have thus far dis-
cussed the Japanese, the Filipinos, the people of
India, and will deal this month with the Russian
Situation. Discussion is carried on in a broad, free
Catholic-minded way. The speakers for this ccca-
sion are Dr. N. Kavinoky of Los Angeles, a son of
Russia, and Dr. Doremus Scudder, who has worked
in Russia. This is an exceptional Opportunity to
meet an interesting group, and hear a first rate, high
grade discussion of one of the real live issues of
the day. Remember to phone in your meal reserva-
tions as indicated above.
SZ
aS
A DANGEROUS ARGUMENT
There is an argument very popular in America,
even in trade union circles, which goes like this:
American workers are better off than British work-
ers. British workers have their own labor party-
American workers have not. Therefore, the Ameri-
can tactics are better.
If that is a good argument we can match it. Brit-
ish workers are proportionately much better organ-
ized than American. There are actually more trade
unionists in Great Britain than in the United States,
though the total population is smaller. But the
American workers are better off. Therefore trade
unionism is a bad thing.
No labor man will accept this argument for a
minute when it is applied to trade unionism. Why
then accept it so unhesitatingly with regard to
political action?
Of course, the truth of the matter is that Ameri-
can workers are better off because of the vastly
greater natural wealth of America, its freedom from
some of the cramping traditions and practices of
landlordism and feudalism, its escape from the most
terrible effects of the war, and a number of other
factors. That British workers are as well off as
they are is to a large measure due to the fact that
they are so well organized, primarily on the econ-
omic field, and secondarily on the political field.
Such organizations cannot make up altogether for
pressure of population upon resurces, the decline
of foreign trade, the biological consequences of gen-
`erations of underfed and underpaid workers which
weigh so heavily on British labor. On the other
hand, proper organization would put American work-
ers in a far better position than they are. And
proper organization must take account of the politic-
al-From "The Citizen," "Labor's Official Paper,"
ios Angeles, April 3, 1925.
-__-_4____
Roger Baldwin Convicted
New Jersey raked up a statute of 1798 re-enacting
the old English common law to convict Roger Bald-
win, director American Civil Liberties Union, of un-
lawful assemblage. Baldwin held a meeting of
striking silk workers barred from their regular hall
on the city hall steps at Paterson, N. J. Police start-
ed a riot with their clubs, the union charges and
Baldwin with seven others, silk workers, was arrest-
ed. After much consideration the judge pronounced
them guilty and will sentence them up to a years'
imprisonment. The Civil Liberties Union wil] appeal
the case to the last court, it announces.
Federated Press.
--_ 2
Denmark, a stagnant peasant nation in 1885, is now
a highly organized body of 205,000 scientific farmers,
all selling on a co-operative basis, as the U. 0x00A7S. de-
partment of agriculture discovered when it sent one
of its experts to the Scandinavian country. There
are more than 5,000 coops doing a business of $300,-
000,000 a year, exclusive of the Danish Co-operative
bank, which did a $2,000,000,000 business in 1920.
Los Angeles F
OPEN FORUM
MUSIC ART HALL
233 South Broadway
SUNDAY NIGHTS, 7-30 O0x00B0CLOCK
Program for April
APRIL 19-`"WHAT ARE THE VITAL ISSUES jy
THE PRESENT MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGN. by AT?y
J. H. RYCKMAN. This is regarded as the most jp.
portant campaign that has occurred in Los Angele
in many years. Tremendous interests are at stake, i
What are they? What does Bledsoe really repre
sent? What are Cryer and the other candidatg
standing for? Music by MAX AMSTERDAM, one of (c)
the first violinists of the Philharmonic Orchestra,
APRIL 26-"THE WORLD COURT?" by MR. BRR. |
NARD BRENNAN of the University of Southem.
California Law School. Mr. Brennan has pre
sented this subject to many groups thruout California -
and the Northwest. He hag given it careful study,
and will give both the pros and cons of the arg.
ment. Music by BERWYN B. RISKE, baritone, ani
FRANK K. LUNDY, students of the U. S. C.
a cr.
RACE PREJUDICE
NEW YORK. Use of the Department of Labor's
privilege of free mailing (franking) for the purpose
of spreading vicious anti-Negro propaganda has
aroused the National Association for the Advance.
ment of Colored People into vigorous protest and a
demand for the dismissal of the department agent
involved.
W. A. Plecker, the culprit, is a Virginian, and has
been using his government franking privileges to
distribute free of charge a pamphlet entitled
`Hugenics in Relation to the New Family and the
Law on Racial Integrity of which he is a co-author
and which describes our black fellow citizens as
members of a lower race who must be treated as in-
feriors.
"Dr. Plecker is an avowed anti-Negro propagan-
dist,' says the Association in its protest to U. 0x00A7.
Secretary of Labor Davis. "What he has to say is
insulting to all colored American citizens, but when
as an official of the United States Department of
Labor he sends this matter out under government
frank and at the expense of the common tax payers,
his actions become a public outrage."
LATER: Plecker has heen dismissed.
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