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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 11, Summer 1946

Page 296

296     FANTASY COMMENTATOR

Throughout 1936 the ISA rode high. Its official organ, The International Observer, continued to appear regularly and to improve in quality. John B. Michel's "Humanity Must Look to the Stars," which was published int he September number of that year has an especial significance, for it revealed clearly Michel's leftist political beliefs, bedrock of the later Michelist movement, of which we will later have more to say. Also again and again in the pages of the International Observer Sykora kept requesting someone who could write as well as Wollheim to volunteer for the position of science-hobbyist reporter. The only answer was a slow but inevitable increase of the magazine's science-fiction content; the great majority of newcomers to the ISA, moreover, were recruited from the ranks of active fandom, names of science-hobbyist members being few and far between.
     Now that the battle with the SFL had ended, leaders of the ISA began to regard the Independant League for Science Fiction as a boulder in the pat of their progress. Meetings of the latter's Brooklyn branch were better attended than were many of the ISA's, and the ILSF's very title  sounded as though it were an organization created for science-fiction purists (though in actuality it had many science-hobbyists in its ranks) in contrast to that of the ISA, sot hat new fans as a rule drifted first into orbit of the ILSF. Then, too, the ISA had been rather unsuccessful in recruiting members from ex-SFL chapters. Sykora not unnaturally would have very much liked to see his ISA absorb the newer group, and hit upon a plan that would accomplish this very feat. With the same thoroughness and flare for the dramatic that had marked the successful culmination of his plans against the SFL, he mapped out a line of action against the ILSF, keeping his supporters fully informed as to the particulars. The ILSF meeting of Friday, November 6, 1936 was the zero hour.
     On that day when Sykora arose to deliver his carefully planned talk he found himself facing a nine-man group composed of Kosow, Drucker, Henick, Hahan, Leventman, Wollheim, Kyle, Pohl and Kirshenblit. As he began to speak there was a note of sureness in his voice, a confidence that only the knowledge of a well-laid scheme and cooperating minions could inspire. In brief, he stated that members of the ISA (as well as some in the ILSF, including some who belonged to both organizations) believed that meetings of the ILSF were proving of scant value, that the club was drifting into lethargy, and that its only hopeful future required coalition with the ISA.
     Dramatic as these words were, the members of the ILSF were not taken completely by surprise. Some propaganda to this effect had been circulated for some time, emanating from those who were also ISA members. And in discussion among themselves they had been forced to concede that ILSF meetings were not indeed all that could be desired; however, they were even more certain that merging with another group would not solve the problem.
     At this juncture Kirshenblit asked Sykora why, as an ILSF member, he had not broached his opinion at a prior meeting. So imbued with self-confidence was Sykora that he abandoned all pretense of tact, replying bluntly that his sole reason f or joining the group in the first place had been to induce its members to join the ISA, and that since the increasing lethargy of the club had fallen in with his plans he had seen no reason to remedy it. ILSF members were thunderstruck. For the past two years the ISA had come to personify a Sir Lancelot of fandom, striking out in righteous wrath at those who would enslave it. It represented every fan's resistance against blatant, heartless commercialism. But now it was evolving into a monster in its own right. And the unheeded words of Charles D. Hornig, spoken a short time ago in that very room, now seemed to echo out of the emptiness to haunt them---"The ISA is attempting to seize control of fandom itself!
     Now that Kirshenblit had given Sykora to understand that the ILSF was

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296 FANTASY COMMENTATOR Throughout 1936 the ISA rode high. Its official organ, The International Observer, continued to appear regularly and to improve in quality. John B. Michel's "Humanity Must Look to the Stars," which was published int he September number of that year has an especial significance, for it revealed clearly Michel's leftist political beliefs, bedrock of the later Michelist movement, of which we will later have more to say. Also again and again in the pages of the International Observer Sykora kept requesting someone who could write as well as Wollheim to volunteer for the position of science-hobbyist reporter. The only answer was a slow but inevitable increase of the magazine's science-fiction content; the great majority of newcomers to the ISA, moreover, were recruited from the ranks of active fandom, names of science-hobbyist members being few and far between. Now that the battle with the SFL had ended, leaders of the ISA began to regard the Independant League for Science Fiction as a boulder in the pat of their progress. Meetings of the latter's Brooklyn branch were better attended than were many of the ISA's, and the ILSF's very title sounded as though it were an organization created for science-fiction purists (though in actuality it had many science-hobbyists in its ranks) in contrast to that of the ISA, sot hat new fans as a rule drifted first into orbit of the ILSF. Then, too, the ISA had been rather unsuccessful in recruiting members from ex-SFL chapters. Sykora not unnaturally would have very much liked to see his ISA absorb the newer group, and hit upon a plan that would accomplish this very feat. With the same thoroughness and flare for the dramatic that had marked the successful culmination of his plans against the SFL, he mapped out a line of action against the ILSF, keeping his supporters fully informed as to the particulars. The ILSF meeting of Friday, November 6, 1936 was the zero hour. On that day when Sykora arose to deliver his carefully planned talk he found himself facing a nine-man group composed of Kosow, Drucker, Henick, Hahan, Leventman, Wollheim, Kyle, Pohl and Kirshenblit. As he began to speak there was a note of sureness in his voice, a confidence that only the knowledge of a well-laid scheme and cooperating minions could inspire. In brief, he stated that members of the ISA (as well as some in the ILSF, including some who belonged to both organizations) believed that meetings of the ILSF were proving of scant value, that the club was drifting into lethargy, and that its only hopeful future required coalition with the ISA. Dramatic as these words were, the members of the ILSF were not taken completely by surprise. Some propaganda to this effect had been circulated for some time, emanating from those who were also ISA members. And in discussion among themselves they had been forced to concede that ILSF meetings were not indeed all that could be desired; however, they were even more certain that merging with another group would not solve the problem. At this juncture Kirshenblit asked Sykora why, as an ILSF member, he had not broached his opinion at a prior meeting. So imbued with self-confidence was Sykora that he abandoned all pretense of tact, replying bluntly that his sole reason f or joining the group in the first place had been to induce its members to join the ISA, and that since the increasing lethargy of the club had fallen in with his plans he had seen no reason to remedy it. ILSF members were thunderstruck. For the past two years the ISA had come to personify a Sir Lancelot of fandom, striking out in righteous wrath at those who would enslave it. It represented every fan's resistance against blatant, heartless commercialism. But now it was evolving into a monster in its own right. And the unheeded words of Charles D. Hornig, spoken a short time ago in that very room, now seemed to echo out of the emptiness to haunt them---"The ISA is attempting to seize control of fandom itself! Now that Kirshenblit had given Sykora to understand that the ILSF was