Letters
LETTERS Upton Sinclair a n d Propaganda From TRAVERS HAMILTON AFTER reading with Interest the recent Hterary tussle in these pages between H. R. and Upton Sinclair, in which Sinclair...
...Solidarity^ helps Socialists mainly by sending individual packages to a limited group in Western Europe...
...S i n c l a i r? • Chicago...
...That is one farting t h a t is very unfortunate in - Socialist ranks of all shades of opinion...
...As a member agency of CRALOG (Council of Relief Organizations Licensed for Operettas in Germany) IRRC is authorized to distribute relief in Germany...
...What if a noVelist wer,e to say, by way of parallel, my novel is louSy but it is realistic for go is the world...
...E V E R Y O N E knows that Mr, Ailamic is a g r e a t student of the Balkan peoples and their problems...
...Arbeiterwohlfakrt and Solidarity can operate in Germany only through us...
...All liberals ami Socialists gained sustenance from his works...
...Today he has chosen to stand, sometimes overtly, and sometimes covertly, with t h e t r a d u c e r s of l i b e r t a r i a n ideals who have betrayed 'not only the peoples of the Soviet Union but fn effect all of' t h e democratic peoples of t h e world...
...Would Sinclair report Hitler's s t a t e m e n t s in the same way, a t face v a l u e ? Correlating this p o r t r a i t of Stalin with Sinclair' s self-confessed role <.f p r o p a g a n d i s t , we find an open admission t h a t his p r o p a g a n d a in t h i s instance lies in t h e effect it c r e a t e s . Yet, in t he f a r s of t h i s fact, the S u p r e m e I'ropagand-' i s t , r i g h t f u l l y self-designated, pleads the allowance of A r t! In y e a r s past, Upton Si n c l a l r .stood as one of t h e statmchest s u p p o r t e r s of democ r a t i c r e f o rm in America...
...I believe there's an Albanian minister or representative here—we must g e t him to sign our little document.' . "This brought the house down...
...did Albania s i g n "the document creating the formula of the United Nations" a few days after this memorable dinner...
...Epstein's record...
...Arbeiterwohlfakrt is limited in function to collecting materia) aid for relief in Germany only...
...As n -•.j11*• 1 to this Albanian intermezzo during dinner, Adamie, in a footnote, ways: "Later that week a live line dispatch from Washington, stuck at the,bottom ut page eighteen of a New York paper, stated that the Albanian representative accredited to the United Slates has added his signaure to the document creating the formula of the United Nations" This shows what a keen student of Balkan problems Adamic is, when even a short dispatch "stuck at tha bottom of page eighteen of a New York paper" does not escape his vjgilant scrutiny when the problems of the Balkans are Involved...
...We wish to state that cooperation already exists on some levels...
...tn his recent book Diimer at the White Home...
...By so arguing he ignores the fundamental principle of all' literary creation: selectivity...
...Upton Sinclair's novels...
...I disagree, however, with the attitude of some people who continually search for perfection...
...I would rather emphasize that the Liberal Party, In Its current campaign, has found it necessary to support the state-wide candidates of the Democratic Party and this came about after due and thorough del i tiers i n n and discussion on the part of the leadership and thf rank andflle...
...In your September 4th issue one of your readers asks why these tfiree organizations do (jot centralize their relief »"ik...
...they are all correct...
...Well, Mr...
...The N e w York State Campaign offers an opportunity for building the Liberal Party...
...How shout coming back t o t h e ranks of the democratic liberals, Mr...
...In reading Lanny Sudd's interview with Stalin, we find ourselves trusting this forthright' Master of the Kremlin...
...Close" r e l a t es t h e sad s t o r y of how1 K i s t e r , a returned American veteran, was " p e r s e c u t e d " by B'nai B ' r i t h for a speech he made at an a n t i - S e m i t i c rally...
...The only slight drawback to this story i s that there was no Albanian, representative in the United States during the war, nor...
...We have, however, cooperated with Solidarity, for when they were first founded, a little over a year ago, we supplied several hundred names, addresses and histories of families oh which their work is based...
...and t h a t he considers himself the most competent man when those problems a r e up for'discussion...
...Lewis are playing the Red game of divide and rule...
...as ArbeiUrwahlfahrt is now doing, or through one of the other CRALOG agencies...
...From "German Writer* Say Ye*," by Herbert Solo*/, The Nation, January 17, 1934...
...founded in 1933, already has officejs and representatives in eight European countries, we are in a position to and do make available our facilities to smaller and more specialized committees, such as Arbeiterwohlfakrt and Solidarity...
...Sinclair defends himself 'and his,"straight" reportage by a s k i n g: Blow e l s e do you think Stalin would represent himself...
...In Defense of the Stars and Stripes From OPAL ESSANT (American Nationalist To the Editor: IF >HII were just one-tenth as g r e a t an A nit...
...H nil p a t r i o t a s Upton Close, IMerwin X. Hart anil Westhrook Pegler have proven to be you would be worthy of the title " A m e r i c a n ." I note t h a t Walter K. Lewis did not quote Upton Clote when he s t a t e d that (.'lose "went all out in defense of F r e d e r i ck Xisler, leader of the an|i-Sdmitic Christian War V e t e r a n s . " He could not quota Upton Close because as a reader of Close's newsletter he knows beyond any doubt that Close was one of the very first to take Frederick Kistcr to task for bis Jew-baiting...
...Washington, D. C Logic in Action From HARRY STRANG To tki Editor...
...We assisted the formation of" Solidarity, originally-founded to provide individual packages to European Socialists in need...
...Since we have adequate shipping facilities wa.would gladly ship Solidarity packages>4jut this could pot be done on an individual recipient basis...
...Helling 0»rm»ny'i bolt from the League of Nation* a* a *tep toward peace, he indorsed all.the details of.Hitler's foreign policy and urged national support of the Chancellor and hla program...
...While Socialists and Social Democrats are Included anions...
...This time it is about Albania...
...21., 1»4...
...New York City...
...N e w York...
...Roosevelt...
...LETTERS Upton Sinclair a n d Propaganda From TRAVERS HAMILTON AFTER reading with Interest the recent Hterary tussle in these pages between H. R. and Upton Sinclair, in which Sinclair disclaimed that he has subordinated " his tcUoiisd^art to propaganda, I was surprised to And a confession from Upton Sinclair in t h e September 30 issue of Tim*: "For the Bake of propaganda, I have sacrificed practically all raw standinK and influence a s a man Of letters...
...some of us, including F.D.R-, absolutely roared...
...1 shall assume thai...
...His portrait of Stalin is laden with kindly virtue— a tough^ rough, determined, "realistic" strong, man, no doubt as opposed to our own weak, democratically-talkative, vacillating , statesmen...
...I CALL to ynfir attention these three quotation*.' 1 — " T h e Soviet authorities have recently been making a s t r o n g play for cultural cooperation, expressed in such geatures as a eulogy to the deceased playwright, Gerhart Hauptmann, delivered by Tolpanov, head of the Soviet military administration...
...I might find, if I were to Search the record, more such examples to balance your account, but that is not at all my purpose...
...You know as well as I do that the Reds a r e working desperately to create h a t r e d between race, color and creed right here in our own country, and when you t r y to put the blame for this hatred on g a l l a n t American p a t r i o t s you and Mr...
...Albania is a belligerent on our side,' said the President...
...New York How the IRRC Works F r o m SHEBA STUUHSHY To the Editor: WE welcome the opportunity to clarify certain misconceptions about the functions of the International Rescue and Relief Committee, Arbeitsrwoklfakrt and International Solidarity Fund...
...Everybody was laughing aloud but Churchill and Mrs...
...Adamic the Historian From CONSTANTIN FOTICH (Former Yugoslav Ambassador In the United States) To the Editor...
...In fact even today Albania has not signed the United Notions Charter in spite of Tito's effort and Adamic's anticipation...
...I do not intend to disprove any of the "items...
...Johannes Steel, :in«l more than any other individual, in responsible for the fact that Comrade Steel does not now grace our .legislative chambers with his "dynamic personality...
...Sinclsir claims for himself the absolution of reality...
...The <' i t e r i o u is not: Is i t A i t ' , t.m J- his propagsnda good...
...3 ~ "The friendship of the peoples of Germany and the Soviet Union, cemented by blood, has every reason to be lasting and t i i i n " (Stalin to Rlbbcntrop, on the former's sixtieth birthday l»8fl i Somehow It seemed to me that Chamherlin .didn't like Tolpaaov's praise of it**i*»sWi.iiiii Rut Isn't It logic...
...On Novem ber 11, 1D33 there eppearrd in the Berliner Tageblatl an article from lUuptmann'f pan entitled leh tag* Ja, CI Say Ye...
...Let ue- all lake full advantage of the opportunity...
...Lewis s t a t e s that the one way not to fight Reds is the way Upton Close, Merwin K. H a r t and Westbrook Pegler are fighting them...
...There is not much doubt on which, side of the fence Close stands.—W-K.L.] In Defense of Henry Epstein Prom MURRAY GROSS To the Hditur: WILL you please allow • few comments on your editorial, "The Liberal Party and Henry Epstein," which app> ared in the September 21st issue...
...all their contribu-, tions are.shipped abroad by IRRC...
...I should like to quote the following passage: " 'Winston, we forgot tog.' ! "Churchill puckered his lips as if to s a y : So what, or, as he probably would have put it: Well...
...2—"As the months of Hitler barbarism rolled by, many were shocked that Hauptmann uttered no protest or reproach, not even when his close Mends were jaUed, beaten und "eiiled...
...Lewis' idea of a t r a i t o r Is"""any and all Americans who give their undivided love and loyalty to our own USA and our American way of life, and who a re 100"o against any and all foreign isms be they Nazi-ism, Fascism, Communism, a n d / o r Britishism, F r e n e h i s m , , e t c , etc...
...He scratched his head...
...Although they appeal to specialized groups Which are also included within the scope of 1HRC, we feel that the activities of ArbeHtrwohlfahrt and Solfdertty^fn no way d e t r a c t from ^ the effective operation of our program...
...those aided by IRRC...
...Arbeiterwohlfakrt in the United States collects food and clothingfor Gerrnany only, as the American counterpart of Arbeiterwoklr fahH$t Germany...
...1 sadly find the answer in the negative...
...Lewis's smears, and vicious ries from the likes of you will never kill t h e "Spirit of 1776" in our glorious America...
...The rest of us,*beginning to catch on, were barely able to contain our laughter...
...Lewis's way is to give the Reds and rabid internationalists enough rope to h a n g all of us...
...Hut in all fairness, at least one "item" should have been quoted which might give a more balanced picture, and that, is that Henry Epstein was cam^ Paign manager for Conjressman\Kle1n against "that great libera...
...If "Opal E s s a n t " (American Nationa l i s t ) will consult t h e D e c . 1 0 , 1045, issue of Closer-Upt he (or she) can- reJtd Close's defense of Krister...
...l r r e j j^must be evaluated critically not as art, but as politics...
...Since the international Rescue and Relief Committee...
...This is the way things really ; happen, he says in effect...
...You list several "items" from "Mr...
...I agree, generally, with the position of The New Leader In emphasizing the need for independent labor political action...
...Adamic has made a new cont r i b u t i o n to t h e history of the peoples of the Balkans in t h e present war...
...all enti-totalitarians a re helped regardless of party affiliation, IRRC baa t h e largest private agency relief program for Spanish Republicans, and in addition to' providing material relief to anti-Nails of all nationalities Is now engaged in the crucial task of rescuing a nii-totalit a r i a n * from DP campa and bringing them to the United States and other countries...
...W . H. Chamberlfn, New Leader, Sept...
Vol. 29 • October 1946 • No. 40
