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En Garde, whole no. 4, Winter 1942

Page 5

A "pretense of maturity" may be admirable, at times, but a pretense of verbal perspicacity and erudition is a mocker. May we suggest that you entice friend Orator into your den, spread a dictionary on your desk, and labor with him, Len, labor with him!

YHOS: The leading article was one of the best we've ever read in a fanzine. We wonder just how successful a rebuttal will be forthcoming. For some reason the ideas therein expressed back up the disfavor (almost disgust) with which we view the various political squabbles in which fans have indulged in the past. No type of government, or culture, is perfect. One should always accept his choice with a slightly tentative attitude, and stand ready to change when something better comes along. New ideas to better, or completely replace the old, are not to be discouraged. That is the path of evolution. Yet, there is the practical side to consider. The possibility of selling a new culture to the people of any country is extremely slight. Should it ever be achieved, it would be by minute degrees, and spread over such a long period of time as to be considered merely a natural evolution of the old. Instead, to promote a radically new culture, one must first maneuver into a position of power. The population must then accept the new, willy-nilly. If it proves successful and possesses a high survival value, it will likely endure and come to be acclaimed by the majority. Considered from this standpoint, war becomes a natural thing. It is almost bound to follow any practical attempt to try out a new ideology, and help to determine its fitness to survive under present conditions. Whether war is good or bad seems a little beside the point. In our present stage of social progress, war is undenyably present, thus becoming one of the nature's evolutionary tools. War is just one of many things that a culture must survive at present, to be successful. On the other hand, small groups squabbling bitterly over ideologies they are unlikely, and have little to no real intention, to try out, seem rather silly. Intellectual discussion in this line can be fruitful when kept on a neutral plane. Let's indulge in copious discussion of improved types of government; of new cultures and ideologies. But partisan argument and grumbling over existing conditions are to be shunned. When you can change the world to fit yourself, that is well. Otherwise, or until then, you must fit yourself into IT. It is a a case of "put up, or shut up". Man reached his present position through survival of the fittest. Adaptive capacity determines survival value. Adapt or die, fan! If you can adapt the world to yourself, more power to you, and you will find all the fighting your being craves, in the process. But if you fear to tackle such a job, don't try to satisfy your combative urge in futile quarrels with those who won't accept your particular beliefs. Nice cover again. Hope Milty's Message continues to appear.

MUTANT: Still another single-sheeter! However, it gives promise of a good mag next time. We thoroughly agree with the idea of throwing away work of inferior quality and trying again later. Would that some others felt the same.

A TOUR OF THE 'EVANS: A well written fan travelogue. We found it very interesting, but it didn't make us at all jealous. No indeed! Not in the least. We should say not. But definitely. Swell art work too.

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A "pretense of maturity" may be admirable, at times, but a pretense of verbal perspicacity and erudition is a mocker. May we suggest that you entice friend Orator into your den, spread a dictionary on your desk, and labor with him, Len, labor with him! YHOS: The leading article was one of the best we've ever read in a fanzine. We wonder just how successful a rebuttal will be forthcoming. For some reason the ideas therein expressed back up the disfavor (almost disgust) with which we view the various political squabbles in which fans have indulged in the past. No type of government, or culture, is perfect. One should always accept his choice with a slightly tentative attitude, and stand ready to change when something better comes along. New ideas to better, or completely replace the old, are not to be discouraged. That is the path of evolution. Yet, there is the practical side to consider. The possibility of selling a new culture to the people of any country is extremely slight. Should it ever be achieved, it would be by minute degrees, and spread over such a long period of time as to be considered merely a natural evolution of the old. Instead, to promote a radically new culture, one must first maneuver into a position of power. The population must then accept the new, willy-nilly. If it proves successful and possesses a high survival value, it will likely endure and come to be acclaimed by the majority. Considered from this standpoint, war becomes a natural thing. It is almost bound to follow any practical attempt to try out a new ideology, and help to determine its fitness to survive under present conditions. Whether war is good or bad seems a little beside the point. In our present stage of social progress, war is undenyably present, thus becoming one of the nature's evolutionary tools. War is just one of many things that a culture must survive at present, to be successful. On the other hand, small groups squabbling bitterly over ideologies they are unlikely, and have little to no real intention, to try out, seem rather silly. Intellectual discussion in this line can be fruitful when kept on a neutral plane. Let's indulge in copious discussion of improved types of government; of new cultures and ideologies. But partisan argument and grumbling over existing conditions are to be shunned. When you can change the world to fit yourself, that is well. Otherwise, or until then, you must fit yourself into IT. It is a a case of "put up, or shut up". Man reached his present position through survival of the fittest. Adaptive capacity determines survival value. Adapt or die, fan! If you can adapt the world to yourself, more power to you, and you will find all the fighting your being craves, in the process. But if you fear to tackle such a job, don't try to satisfy your combative urge in futile quarrels with those who won't accept your particular beliefs. Nice cover again. Hope Milty's Message continues to appear. MUTANT: Still another single-sheeter! However, it gives promise of a good mag next time. We thoroughly agree with the idea of throwing away work of inferior quality and trying again later. Would that some others felt the same. A TOUR OF THE 'EVANS: A well written fan travelogue. We found it very interesting, but it didn't make us at all jealous. No indeed! Not in the least. We should say not. But definitely. Swell art work too.