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Damn Thing, v. 1, issue 5, May 1941
Page 6
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PAGE SIX THE DAMN THING ________________________________________ MISKE, ARYAN SUPERMAN? Fywert King (Editorial Blurb: John Chapman Miske has, over a period of years, made himself more or less an object of pity, petty annoyance, and degratory laughter to many members of science fiction fandom, and it has been the policy of this mag to let him gas by himself; our feeling being that the more din he can cause, the more he likes it. However, in the April FANFARE he strikes at something close to the Editor's personal feelings and those of the rest of the staff. Fywert Kinge was the first to respond. QUOTATION FROM "STARDUST" IN THE APRIL 1941 FANFARE: (By John Chapman Miske.) .....This offer, incidently, is open only to loyal Britons. Anyone who has refused to stand by his country and his race in their desperate hour will not be able to obtain Bizarre at any rate if I can possibly help it. By that I mean such incredibly low creatures as J.M. Rosenblum, Walter Gillings, and others equally contemptible. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I am sure, Mr. Miske, that you have expressed a genuine feeling. What can be the cause of it, I do not know. You have expressed the feeling that two english fans (and therefore their American counterparts) are the most vile of traitors, fifth- columnists, saboteurs, and any of a dozen other names applicable. In short you have expressed to withthat it is your opinion that Conscientious Objectors should be treated on a similar scale as Bundsmen and the much publicised fifth columnists. Naturally, I am unable to know the reasons back of your blanket indictment, but I can imagine. You are doubtlessly abhored at European trends, and in your Parsifalic frenzy (and after reading your letter to Hank Kuttner, I am sure you are another Parsifal looking for the Holy Grail.) (And if so, why do you remain in fandom? You won't find it here.) denounce any and everyone who is not ready to grab the nearest uniform and gun and commit the same crimes that you must abhor. It is interesting to note that the British Government, which is allegedly fighting for your own ideals as well as its own continued existence, has been able to keep in sight the one thing that your paranoid mind has lost. The British Government, in the most crucial period of all its long history has not come tooloose sight of the fact that justice at home must be maintained lest the goal which they are fighting to win be dropped by the wayside. And that is to recognise the Rights of the Conscientious Objector. I am a Conscientious Objector, and it is not comforting for me to know that we have such autocraticly minded persons in this country. I do not mind if you dislike C.O.'s. I think it admirable that you are ready to enter the millitary forces of this nation when you are called. I do not denounce you as any of a dozen nasty terms I could apply. It is your privilage to have your own conviction about such a subject. But I do say that to look apon fellow citizens with such an air of hate is definitly detrimental to the ultimate success of our way of life. In short, in such a narrow-minded point of view you automaticly become on the par with the very Hitler you probably wish to see destroyed. You must try to realise that the Conscientious Objector does not in any way manifestate the symptoms of cowardice. He is neither a traitor nor a saboteur. Those Those Objectors who have no direction to being under military service, such as
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PAGE SIX THE DAMN THING ________________________________________ MISKE, ARYAN SUPERMAN? Fywert King (Editorial Blurb: John Chapman Miske has, over a period of years, made himself more or less an object of pity, petty annoyance, and degratory laughter to many members of science fiction fandom, and it has been the policy of this mag to let him gas by himself; our feeling being that the more din he can cause, the more he likes it. However, in the April FANFARE he strikes at something close to the Editor's personal feelings and those of the rest of the staff. Fywert Kinge was the first to respond. QUOTATION FROM "STARDUST" IN THE APRIL 1941 FANFARE: (By John Chapman Miske.) .....This offer, incidently, is open only to loyal Britons. Anyone who has refused to stand by his country and his race in their desperate hour will not be able to obtain Bizarre at any rate if I can possibly help it. By that I mean such incredibly low creatures as J.M. Rosenblum, Walter Gillings, and others equally contemptible. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I am sure, Mr. Miske, that you have expressed a genuine feeling. What can be the cause of it, I do not know. You have expressed the feeling that two english fans (and therefore their American counterparts) are the most vile of traitors, fifth- columnists, saboteurs, and any of a dozen other names applicable. In short you have expressed to withthat it is your opinion that Conscientious Objectors should be treated on a similar scale as Bundsmen and the much publicised fifth columnists. Naturally, I am unable to know the reasons back of your blanket indictment, but I can imagine. You are doubtlessly abhored at European trends, and in your Parsifalic frenzy (and after reading your letter to Hank Kuttner, I am sure you are another Parsifal looking for the Holy Grail.) (And if so, why do you remain in fandom? You won't find it here.) denounce any and everyone who is not ready to grab the nearest uniform and gun and commit the same crimes that you must abhor. It is interesting to note that the British Government, which is allegedly fighting for your own ideals as well as its own continued existence, has been able to keep in sight the one thing that your paranoid mind has lost. The British Government, in the most crucial period of all its long history has not come tooloose sight of the fact that justice at home must be maintained lest the goal which they are fighting to win be dropped by the wayside. And that is to recognise the Rights of the Conscientious Objector. I am a Conscientious Objector, and it is not comforting for me to know that we have such autocraticly minded persons in this country. I do not mind if you dislike C.O.'s. I think it admirable that you are ready to enter the millitary forces of this nation when you are called. I do not denounce you as any of a dozen nasty terms I could apply. It is your privilage to have your own conviction about such a subject. But I do say that to look apon fellow citizens with such an air of hate is definitly detrimental to the ultimate success of our way of life. In short, in such a narrow-minded point of view you automaticly become on the par with the very Hitler you probably wish to see destroyed. You must try to realise that the Conscientious Objector does not in any way manifestate the symptoms of cowardice. He is neither a traitor nor a saboteur. Those Those Objectors who have no direction to being under military service, such as
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