WHY A WAR WITH ANYBODY?
HARRISON, HENRY
WHY A WAR WITH ANYBODY? A Young Writer Wants Some Information * By HENRY HARRISON MAJOR A. HAMILTON GIBBS, in an address before The Writers at their recent annual dinner, deplored the continual...
...From Poland he will return to Germany to attend a Conference of "The Ort" The trip will keep him abroad about two months, returning to the States in September, in time to take an active part in the municipal campaign...
...The titles and the decks are enough for him...
...This destruction was lad by an active Left Winger who was city service director...
...I mean in his assertion that Solomon sent Uriah to the front trenches to be killed...
...I de not aea why the Americans should feel % particular grudge for the Japanese...
...My next point was Akron, the rubber city...
...He believed that the minds of the laymen were being stimulated to the pojnt of war with Japan...
...Brooklyn...
...I fear that I am vary stupid...
...Nevertheless, I rise to repeat: Why a war with anyone, especially with Japan...
...Let us assume that the writer, myself, is a highly unsophisticated young man...
...Perhaps the Japanese are trying to ran this country for us...
...And I consider my work here a real failure because of that, and ere very long I may have to ask you to let me read copy for you, for only the Lord knows what may happen when and how to a preacher who herewith bega to be excepted from the crooked clan of "uplift pests...
...Why war...
...I have nothing against the Japanese...
...How I aacured the names of former members would make a story too lengthy to explain...
...May-be they are playing the United States a aerlea of dirty tricka...
...Perhaps, again, I am prejudiced...
...PH bring tham out and put the city back on the Socialist map...
...I know that they at all addicted to slaughtering pee-hie to Coney Island in the summer- pies ef other nations...
...I hate war...
...Is it not ¦> fact that David, his father, did so and that Uriah's wife became Solomon's mother...
...Neither do I Me why the Japanese should feel s particular grudge, at a general one, for that matter, against the Americans...
...After four days work, I established a Local...
...The very first question that I shall be so easW as to ask ia this: Why a war with'anyone...
...I have been told it is no use as there is only one Socialist in that city and he is sick...
...Now, I am preacher of a "College Church" (see enclosed picture...
...As clay is used in the hsnds of the sculptor...
...Aa a so-called professional writer, I appear In tyC ranks of Gibba' disciples...
...And I heartily subscribe to much in that editorial and quite agree that the vast majority of us are H.-B...
...It reminds me of the fellow . who, driving a good new machine, steps on the gas, and then forgets his foot...
...Maybe, after all, it is all a business deal to have the United States ge to war with Japan...
...Adam Misrepresents Solomon Editor, The New Leader: This letter Is to my dear Comrade, Adam Coaldigger...
...Two hundred dollars was furnished by the Jewish Branch to place a permanent organizer in Cleveland, and Comrade Leo M. Harkins consented to stay for about one month...
...By the way, the three K's reign here...
...My next city was Lorain...
...Adam may have present conditions down "ker-pat" and know how to rub it in, but when he undertakes to quote Scripture or from Jewish history I'm afraid his memory is s'hort or he has things confused...
...here's a picture of it...
...One In particular, David Jacoby, a successful merchant, promises to be of great help in developing a powerful Local...
...How I do it...
...As I say, I fear that I am very stupid...
...George Lloyd...
...Major Gibba made an excellent psychological point in his brief address...
...Gosh, Comrade, I don't know...
...Wall, very few people have been able to ran it well enough to suit very many people...
...Thank ypu for your patience so far...
...To be sure, Arthur Brisbane and Mr...
...I begin on Barberton, the home of O. C. Barber, the match king, Sunday...
...t soon learned that the Communists struck it in 1919, wiping out a weekly paper and a city administration...
...And yet I believe that there are many others who are likewise very stupid, and who likewise do not know why we should have a war with Japan...
...You see, I'm a preacher, and I enjoy nothing more than to have a real radical cuss like yourself tell us "stuck-up ecclesiastics" just what you think of us...
...But "War With Japan" is sufficient for him, for the average man is more or less a very busy creature, and he has no time for perusal of articles...
...Thought Major Gibbs: The average man glimpses the title of this essay, the title being printed in large letters, and passes by with the feeling of "War With Japan...
...While this trip is taken primarily to attend the International Socialist Conference at Marseilles, to which he is a delegate from the United States, Comrade Panken • will tour Germany and Poland...
...For example, he cited the title of an article that recently appeared in the Nation...
...Camden, N. J...
...and I neither pick on peccadilloes of my parishioners, nor do I spare the rich, nor do I acquiesce in the economic or political status quo, nor do I uphold prohibition, nor do I inveigh against bobbed hair, short skirts, bare knees, sex-enlightenmoi.t (whatever that may mean), realism in drnma and art, evolution, and the other popular bogies of the pulpit...
...In Poland he intends to make a special study of conditions of the Jewish workers, and while there expects to address a number of meetings...
...Wait until 1 get there...
...I treat capitalism (with several genuine capitalists under the pulpit) rough, and in general let my people know what I think of the whole bally mess of hypocrisy and sham that we call Christian civilization...
...From there I go to Canton...
...Especially did Major Gibbs feel appalled by the jingoism that obtains at present in the minds of various American and Japanese gentlemen...
...btjt not all of us, dear Comrade, and it is "in puneto veritatis" that your otherwise really good editorial errs...
...Who does, indeed...
...It only a few miles from here and I can watch the development of the Akron Local at the aame time...
...But Adam certainly hit the head on the nail when he explained that conscience is no sure thing to follow or as a divine gift to follow, as many of us sre led to believe, but simply the effect of what we are taught is right or wrong...
...Elmhurat, 111...
...Two of the active spirits of this Local are F. W. Goll, secretary of the Local during the war and now serving in the same capacity, and Joseph Haizard who was a councilman for four years and the most popular man in the city...
...Six years later, I have learned that there are three lefts, very dormant ones, still living in the city...
...A Young Writer Wants Some Information * By HENRY HARRISON MAJOR A. HAMILTON GIBBS, in an address before The Writers at their recent annual dinner, deplored the continual talk of war...
...I have been here since Monday...
...Although I am to cover both Michigan and Ohio, my activities will be in Ohio until we have an organization worthy of the name...
...I show up the asininity of our patriotism and tha horrible stupidity of wsr at every opportunity and I lend neither prayer nor moral countenance to any parading of the spirit of nstionalism or imperialism in my church...
...I read the newspapers rather assiduously...
...Let us suppose' that I am a poor fellow (which I am) and that I am eager for edification and enlightenment...
...and came out with "fff...
...To the Platform Committee Editor, The New Leader: I respectfully offer the following plank for the consideration of the Joint Committee of the Socialist and American Labor parties: "We favor the public ownership of all' public utilities and that the same shall be obtained, maintained and operated, with the rent of land and not with the wages of Labor...
...but I am ready to be "canned" any time, and that time may come this "Fourth," when I shall refuse to join In the Hallelujah chorous of 100 per cent hysterical Americanism, or it may come later when at some time or another I shall have offended the powers that be by finally getting under their hide, than which I love to do nothing better...
...We will hold a meeting Tuesday or Wednesday and a Local will be formed...
...Yes, I have just dedicated a fine church-building...
...Ha ia not only amaxed but encouraged to note the change...
...And is it not a fact that David wrote the Psalms and sang them, or at least got the credit for them...
...Charles Beetloy...
...I have refused the American flag a place in my sanctuary...
...Net Aa Upliftor Editor, The New Leader: Jr I am still uniting over the ¦ editorial in your June 20 issue entitled "The Uplift Pests...
...You probably remember that a tornado hit this "cityTaWJuw...
...The article was called "War With Japan...
...I think you are more than a trifle unfair to those among us, who may be few, but who nevertheless "are," those of us who fall under none of the condemnations of your editorial...
...The Party Builder ORGANIZING THE PARTY By JOSEPH VIOLA HERE is some news about Ohio...
...Karl M. Chworowsky...
...One Jewish Comrade informed me upon my arrival that numerous efforts had been made since 1919 to establish a Local without success...
...Maybe the Japanese are very bad people...
...So keep on digging, Adam, and we will all help along, but make no blunders when quoting Scripture or some will point out our mistakes...
...I am aware of mine, bet I think that the Japan-of a few things about my slant- ess are a highly gentle people, net eyed brothers...
...I do not believe that there are many Americans who do know much about the Japanese...
...I have never mat a Japanese whom Maybe I am wrong...
...At all events, Major Gibbs solicited the help of the writers of this country in an effort to stem the tide of war with Japan...
...and as capitalism has the biggest share of tuition on its side, through control of Press, Church, Government and its branches, we have a big job before us...
...Despite the fact that I am of the ege whan a young man feels the urge to have himself decorated with medals,, I loathe war...
...H., that is, hard-boiled hypocrites...
...And yet they time, and make excellent rice-cakes, talk of war with Jape/i...
...or, better yet, your logic reminds me of the jsss drummer who waa told to play "mf...
...Well, it serves us stupid ones right When- war Is declared, we shall be tap first in the trenches...
...Comradea everywhere are eager to see things started again...
...Perhaps it ia a prejudice edge of the Japanese...
...may you never need to exercise it again upon auch a document...
...Why a war with Japan, in especial...
...Of course, were the average man to peruse the article, he would not be particularly desirous of having a war with Japan...
...But I do beljeve that there are meny Americans who would go to war against the Japanese if called I disliked, either instinctively er upon to do, tven without the knowl- otherwise...
...so the mind can be trained by tuition, right or wrong...
...They assure me that Akron will be ht the map again shortly...
...He has informed me that results are very encouraging...
...I do not know very much about the Japanese...
...Suppose that I know nothing of polities, poltical intrigues, Washington, Tokio, munition factories, Wall Street, and the like...
...And yet I do not know why there should be a war with Japan...
...They tell ma that William Randolph is extremely interested In the welfare of California, and that many Japanese«are attempting to or do enter the Golden State...
...Besides the old members, I found a few new ones formerly of New York .City...
...The youthful novelist thought it high time that the writers of this country get together in an effort to eradicate all talk of war from the face of the earth, and especially to abolish this talk of war with Japan...
...I worked Cleveland the first week, formed plans and began an active drive for membership...
...Hearst—or should I have reversed the order?—seem to feel that a war with Japan is more or leea necessary...
...Judge Panken to Sail Comrade Jacob Panken will sail July 8th on the George Washington for an extended tour of Europe...
...I do, however, and that very often, knock hell out of our rotten economic and political system...
Vol. 2 • July 1925 • No. 27
