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National Fantasy Fan, v. 5, issue 4, June 1946

Page 13

V-A-1-b: Upon my objecting to the original requirement of five endorsements for candidates, Evans changed the number on the stencil to two before submitting the constitution to the membership. But the whole idea of requiring endorsements is wrong. We had ample proof and discussion of that last fall; it's not necessary to go into it again.

V-A-1-e: (Ave atque!): If you're going to let elective officers succeed themselves at all, why restrict them to only one more term? Since the ill-fated Assembly of the French Revolution it has not been thot wise to limit the number of times that an experienced legislator may serve if the votors want him to; and the two-term tradition for the executive seems thoroly smashed, too. I shy, let the voters elect whom they will, whether he's an old egomaniac or a callow neophyte. We of 1946 have no right to tell the membership of 1948 whom they may not elect.

V-A-1-h: Why require the ballots to be signed? If voting be required for retaining membership, yet your name can be put elsewhere than on the face of the ballot. An if, as i advocate, you decide to let the members vote or not as they see fit, why require this signature, with its basic violation of the freedom of the ballot? I know of at least one vote in an FAPA election which was compromised by the thought that a member of the ballot counting committee would see it and whose it was.

VII-3: This requires a lot of dope to be in the January issue which in fact can be and was put in the December number of the official organ; and should be, so that the members may know who are to be the officers for next year, and so that the retiring officers can lay their burdens down at the end of the year.

VII-4: In all this wordy list of material to be included in the official organs, i find not guarantee of the right of ordinary members to state their own views on matters that are being discussed behind the curtain in which the administration cloaks itself. How about it -- Does a member's right to reach other members thru the official organ depend upon the kind permission of the officers?

VII-5: As long as you're requiring a complete treasurer's report and roster in mid-year (which there wasn't last year), why not require the roster be published every three months? One of its principal uses is as a list of names and addresses. For two months, intervening changes may be noted alone; but beyond that, no one's going to look thru four or five issues to be sure he had the party's current address.

VIII: The procedure for amendments offers no provision for suggestions for improvement to be made by the board members, and since the procedure is iron-clad, there appears to be no opportunity therefor. It would be nice to state that we require only a majority of persons voting, to pass an amendment; most people don't have a copy of Robert's Rules of Order.

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V-A-1-b: Upon my objecting to the original requirement of five endorsements for candidates, Evans changed the number on the stencil to two before submitting the constitution to the membership. But the whole idea of requiring endorsements is wrong. We had ample proof and discussion of that last fall; it's not necessary to go into it again. V-A-1-e: (Ave atque!): If you're going to let elective officers succeed themselves at all, why restrict them to only one more term? Since the ill-fated Assembly of the French Revolution it has not been thot wise to limit the number of times that an experienced legislator may serve if the votors want him to; and the two-term tradition for the executive seems thoroly smashed, too. I shy, let the voters elect whom they will, whether he's an old egomaniac or a callow neophyte. We of 1946 have no right to tell the membership of 1948 whom they may not elect. V-A-1-h: Why require the ballots to be signed? If voting be required for retaining membership, yet your name can be put elsewhere than on the face of the ballot. An if, as i advocate, you decide to let the members vote or not as they see fit, why require this signature, with its basic violation of the freedom of the ballot? I know of at least one vote in an FAPA election which was compromised by the thought that a member of the ballot counting committee would see it and whose it was. VII-3: This requires a lot of dope to be in the January issue which in fact can be and was put in the December number of the official organ; and should be, so that the members may know who are to be the officers for next year, and so that the retiring officers can lay their burdens down at the end of the year. VII-4: In all this wordy list of material to be included in the official organs, i find not guarantee of the right of ordinary members to state their own views on matters that are being discussed behind the curtain in which the administration cloaks itself. How about it -- Does a member's right to reach other members thru the official organ depend upon the kind permission of the officers? VII-5: As long as you're requiring a complete treasurer's report and roster in mid-year (which there wasn't last year), why not require the roster be published every three months? One of its principal uses is as a list of names and addresses. For two months, intervening changes may be noted alone; but beyond that, no one's going to look thru four or five issues to be sure he had the party's current address. VIII: The procedure for amendments offers no provision for suggestions for improvement to be made by the board members, and since the procedure is iron-clad, there appears to be no opportunity therefor. It would be nice to state that we require only a majority of persons voting, to pass an amendment; most people don't have a copy of Robert's Rules of Order. 13