DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Voice of the Imaination, whole no. 29, January 1944

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Voice of the Imaination, whole no. 29, January 1944

Page 8

8 (on left margin)
VOICE OF THE (underlined, on right margin)
others kept plugging it into 1939. The term was officially abandoned in 1939, but the CPSAF didn't dissolve until early '40. Meanwhile, Technocracy had appeared early in 1939. In 1940 came Pro-Scientists. You remember how all thru '40 and '41 we argued about the War and other things. Also in 1941 began the slan idea, and the seriousness of the quasi-neo-Michelists in the Vox, and discussions of labor unions and such things in the FAPA. By 1942, to which Ericop refers, these later three were simply going fuller blast. Whence this idea that there's been a hiatus in the stream of serious stf thought? 
"Vice is a monster of such horrid mien
As to be hated, needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with its face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace."
It is for this reason that some subjects are prescribed from polite conversation, or discussed with indirectness. Blunt discussion of them is said not to be in good taste, when it weakens morality. Kepner dares anyone to prove that the nude has no place in fantasy art. Hadn't he better first prove that it has? 
    Burn incense to FooFoo to preserve us from a licensing rule like Australia's! Shade of the Areopagiticia!!!
[Drawing of a naked woman with long flowing hair being engulfed in flames, smoke rising above her head. Bottom right corner of the picture says "D. ELDER" in fancy block letters.]
[Mr. & Mrs. D. Elder handwritten in cursive to the left of the paragraph.]
442 Mifflin Ave, Wilkinsburg, Pa, adresan (underlined) "Open letter to Mrs. Anges Beachy (Poor misguided soul)", Madame: We can appreciate your concern over your son's shortcomings, but it's a well known fact that a person with sufficient character is an individual and not a tool of another person's whims unless he so chooses. If your son is so "wicked" he has no one to blame but himself. 
     We wish you could be fortunate enough to attend a meeting of the L.A.S.F.S. sometime. The fans are not children. The average age in a poll taken on the eve of writing this letter is 23. We cannot vouch for their mental ages, but we assure you, in all sincerity, that they are above average for each respective age group. Science Fiction is for pleasure and relaxation. It is not something cooked up to drive little innocent boys astray. 
     As for "Mr." Sinn, we say, "Quiet, son, you may write us again in about ten years, when you get your first long pants." 
     Fandom was not intended for small children who are as yet incapable of comprehending the "big" words in "Astounding." We need say, of Sinn, only one word to fans and they dismiss him with an understanding smile. That word is "Space-Tules," Read it, Mrs. Beachy, if you can (we admit we couldn't) and you'll no doubt see what we mean. Nuff said on that point. 
     In conclusion, lot of us console (?) you by pointing out the fact that fans are born, not made, and if your Henry is to become a fan he shall, and to be trite no power on earth will stop him.
CPL ROTHMAN ruminates (underlined): I don't care very much for the nudes - but like the doodlings very much. There's much subconscious form to them that please the emotions. 
     The letter from "Mrs. Agnes Beachy" was a howl. Is it on the level? If it is, I really don't blame the gal very much. At first glance we really do appear to be a nasty bunch, but I know we're nice people, so there's no need for us to go into detail defending ourselves to ourselves. 
     MacDonald raises and interesting point when he uses the phrase "no interest in religion." I think that wording puts the finger on my ease magnificently. Religion is something you get interested in just like saving stamps, or geology, or the design of radio tubes. Most people in the world assume that everybody is automatically interested in religion. There's no reason why they should be, except that they've been brought up that way. With me, that interest never had a chance, because I was always interested in a dozen other things. That's why I haven't been bothered to "investigate" religion, whatever that means, any further. (Because I have, in the past.) Not believing in "salvation" I see no reason why I should investigate further, or become interested. As for "getting religion" in a foxhole, I doubt very much if that would happen to me, for I'm familiar with a phenomenon known as "auto-suggestion." The mind can do wonderful things. "Maybe I'm not objective. Maybe my mind is already made up. But I think that I'll get alone all right this way. 
     I may sound cold and mentally armor-plated, but I really get a lot of fun out of life. Honest.

Saving...

8 (on left margin) VOICE OF THE (underlined, on right margin) others kept plugging it into 1939. The term was officially abandoned in 1939, but the CPSAF didn't dissolve until early '40. Meanwhile, Technocracy had appeared early in 1939. In 1940 came Pro-Scientists. You remember how all thru '40 and '41 we argued about the War and other things. Also in 1941 began the slan idea, and the seriousness of the quasi-neo-Michelists in the Vox, and discussions of labor unions and such things in the FAPA. By 1942, to which Ericop refers, these later three were simply going fuller blast. Whence this idea that there's been a hiatus in the stream of serious stf thought? "Vice is a monster of such horrid mien As to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with its face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace." It is for this reason that some subjects are prescribed from polite conversation, or discussed with indirectness. Blunt discussion of them is said not to be in good taste, when it weakens morality. Kepner dares anyone to prove that the nude has no place in fantasy art. Hadn't he better first prove that it has? Burn incense to FooFoo to preserve us from a licensing rule like Australia's! Shade of the Areopagiticia!!! [Drawing of a naked woman with long flowing hair being engulfed in flames, smoke rising above her head. Bottom right corner of the picture says "D. ELDER" in fancy block letters.] [Mr. & Mrs. D. Elder handwritten in cursive to the left of the paragraph.] 442 Mifflin Ave, Wilkinsburg, Pa, adresan (underlined) "Open letter to Mrs. Anges Beachy (Poor misguided soul)", Madame: We can appreciate your concern over your son's shortcomings, but it's a well known fact that a person with sufficient character is an individual and not a tool of another person's whims unless he so chooses. If your son is so "wicked" he has no one to blame but himself. We wish you could be fortunate enough to attend a meeting of the L.A.S.F.S. sometime. The fans are not children. The average age in a poll taken on the eve of writing this letter is 23. We cannot vouch for their mental ages, but we assure you, in all sincerity, that they are above average for each respective age group. Science Fiction is for pleasure and relaxation. It is not something cooked up to drive little innocent boys astray. As for "Mr." Sinn, we say, "Quiet, son, you may write us again in about ten years, when you get your first long pants." Fandom was not intended for small children who are as yet incapable of comprehending the "big" words in "Astounding." We need say, of Sinn, only one word to fans and they dismiss him with an understanding smile. That word is "Space-Tules," Read it, Mrs. Beachy, if you can (we admit we couldn't) and you'll no doubt see what we mean. Nuff said on that point. In conclusion, lot of us console (?) you by pointing out the fact that fans are born, not made, and if your Henry is to become a fan he shall, and to be trite no power on earth will stop him. CPL ROTHMAN ruminates (underlined): I don't care very much for the nudes - but like the doodlings very much. There's much subconscious form to them that please the emotions. The letter from "Mrs. Agnes Beachy" was a howl. Is it on the level? If it is, I really don't blame the gal very much. At first glance we really do appear to be a nasty bunch, but I know we're nice people, so there's no need for us to go into detail defending ourselves to ourselves. MacDonald raises and interesting point when he uses the phrase "no interest in religion." I think that wording puts the finger on my ease magnificently. Religion is something you get interested in just like saving stamps, or geology, or the design of radio tubes. Most people in the world assume that everybody is automatically interested in religion. There's no reason why they should be, except that they've been brought up that way. With me, that interest never had a chance, because I was always interested in a dozen other things. That's why I haven't been bothered to "investigate" religion, whatever that means, any further. (Because I have, in the past.) Not believing in "salvation" I see no reason why I should investigate further, or become interested. As for "getting religion" in a foxhole, I doubt very much if that would happen to me, for I'm familiar with a phenomenon known as "auto-suggestion." The mind can do wonderful things. "Maybe I'm not objective. Maybe my mind is already made up. But I think that I'll get alone all right this way. I may sound cold and mentally armor-plated, but I really get a lot of fun out of life. Honest.