editoradmin
America The Beautiful
by Wilbur W. Close
They say America will not live forever. They say that it will pass out of existence. When asked for proof of their astounding statements, they point with a certain amount of pride to the ruined civilizations of the past and say, “Take Peru, for instance. She had a civilization as high as that of ours. Tons of gold were dug from her mines and the people were learned. Rome had the highest type of civilization known to our world. Her armies are the envy of our modern generals. Her riches were unbounded. And Asia, especially Asia Minor, had a type of civilization that surpassed any of ours! In fact, they are always finding the remains of a ruined civilization. Is it not sheer folly, then, to believe that America will survive where other countries have failed? No, sir, America is going to go down just as the old countries have gone.”
Correct, I admit, from the historical point, but not from the practical. There is a point that none of those prejudices have noticed. All of these civilizations were pagan. They didn’t believe in a God as we do. Their protector was a stone or a piece of wood. When the battle was lost, the God of War was at fault. When the crops failed, the God of Harvest had failed them. They did not believe in a Supreme Majesty.
Coming up the line, we hear of England and other European countries which have had high civilizations for hundreds of years, and who bid fair to have them for centuries to come. The reason is simple: they have looked to the one real God for their protection. Does it not seem reasonable, then, that America, whose very foundation has been one of Christian virtues, should live forever?
A wise man once said, “Religion is the thing you cannot take from man; as long as man lives he will have religion.” Yes, it is very true. As long as the people of America have any faith at all, America will stand. At times the prejudices have said that America has no religion. But it has. When, last summer, the crops failed to come, did our population turn to the God of Rain for help? No, they did not! They turned en masse to the Great Protector and Provider and crops came! Our God will not forsake us if we do not forsake Him, and America will never overthrow her religion, no matter how much to the contrary the facts may seem! America will live forever!
Announcement
by Verne W. Robinson
With this, the second issue of The Yankee, I am pleased to announce my affiliation with William Haywood in the editing and publishing of this journal. I will do my best to make it a magazine worthy of your regular attention, and as interesting as the first number, published this summer. We ask your hearty support and co-operation in presenting this journal to interested amateurs all over the United States.
Does War Help Business? – An Editorial
by Verne W. Robinson
Recently I was called up to write an essay on the subject “Does War Help Business?”. As my instructor knew that I am interested in journalism, he suggested that the essay might make a good editorial. Acting on that suggestion, I am writing what my personal opinions on the subject are, knowing, however, that many of you look upon the subject in a somewhat different light. Let me tell you what my answer to the question would be. War does not help business: that is, it does not help it in a permanent, sure way.
Take for example the Great War. Many of my readers were perhaps engaged in fighting under their flag during that war; others of my readers may have helped at home, and still others, like myself, were unable to have any part because the war took place when we were at an age where we were of very little use to anyone. Although I was unable to know of the war events at first hand, and have had to take my information from history text books and newspapers, I have been able to experience the results of that war. I refer to the great financial depression which has been, and still is, to a certain extent, upon the civilized world. There is the answer to the question which is the title to this editorial.
During the war a select few made huge fortunes, the greatness of which we cannot imagine. I will cite specific instances. The firm of which J. P. Morgan is a member, or perhaps should I say, J. P. Morgan himself, made during the World War more money than his father made in his entire career. The profits of the DuPont Corporation rose from 2 million dollars to 399 million dollars during the war. Bethlehem Steel makes 15 million in peace time, compared to 49 million when war comes. These are instances where war helps business. But what, dear readers, of the other industries and businesses? They pay the bill for many years after the war is over. Many of the bank failings, business failures, and suicides of business men during the past ten years might well be labelled the price that civilization must pay for allowing the World War to mar the face of history.
Concerning The Election
by Verne W. Robinson
I am a member of the Crusader group and did what little I could to elect the Crusader ticket last July. In spite of the efforts of that group and other groups with more or less similar aims, the association voted to have Dr. Noel continue as secretary for the coming year. Let me say here and now, unofficially, but I think it is the feeling of the entire Crusader group, that that organization will continue to promote amateur journalism in the United, and will in no way, try to make things difficult for the newly elected administration.
I feel confident that when the next election comes around, the Crusaders will have enough power to remove Dr. Noel from office, and let a younger, eager amateur step in and carry on. The Crusaders are working for a bigger and better United and we will have it! Get more information about this group, and really discover where you should place your support. Your vote is your right, and don’t let anyone take it away from you by smooth campaign talk.
NOTICE: Anyone interested in forming an unofficial committee on foreign relations for the United Amateur Press Association, which will print news of foreign press groups in its papers, and send news of the UAPA abroad, should write to Robinson, of this paper, giving your ideas on the subject.
The Heartless One
by John Coolidge
Old Hank, the miner with grizzled beard and sharp but furtive grey eyes, reclined in his old wicker chair, and luxuriously puffed blue clouds of smoke to the very rafters of the little shack above his “diggins.”
But now a step outside was heard, immediately drawing his attention to the sagging door which swung outward to reveal a man – a tall man with a shiny badge and a bulging holster at his hip.
“Why, mornin’ Sheriff,” exclaimed the seated one as he took his pipe from his mouth and glanced up sharply at the other. “What kin I do for ye?”
“Oh, I’m just up to see old Pedro about something. But I see you’re ready to blast again. What is it now?”
“Just another try on the same old lead. Yep, I’m all wired, charged and ready to go. Ef I don’t strike a rich vein this time, I’ll give that one up for good. But you want Pedro. He’s down in the shaft getting’ out the last load.”
“Thanks. I’ll see him now,” and with that he strode out of the shack and toward the shaft. He never guessed two furtive eyes followed him out of sight.
He met Pedro at the end of the shaft, where the blasting was to take place, just preparing to take out his last load.
“Mornin’ Pedro,” he began.
“Why, howdy, Mista Joe,” said the old Mexican, standing up, “Ol’ boss Hank, he up in shack.”
“I’ve seen him, thanks, Pedro. You’re the one I want to see right now – it’s something very important and I think you can help me. You knew old Bill Cummins that lived over in town?”
“I knew him – somebody say he dead now.”
“That’s it. He was killed in his room on Friday and robbed of all the gold-dust he ever mined. We only have one clue. His room was swept clean on Friday morning, yet I found this on the floor near the window.” He held up a small quartz pebble which seemed to gleam curiously, and continued, “The unknown intruder dropped this unawares, probably from his trouser cuff, while in the act of climbing in or out of the window in Bill’s room. This nugget proves the murderer to be gold miner. Now here’s where you come in with your long experience in these parts. Last year you showed how you could tell by the grain, and the quartz, and that stuff, from just which mine a nugget came. Take a good squint at this one and we’ll know what trail to follow.
He handed it to the old man, but while his attention was primarily drawn into anticipation of the other’s reply, he felt curiously uneasy. He imagined he saw a shadow in the entrance, or heard running feet. However, a grunt from Pedro quickly brought him back to reality, and a glance showed the old laborer gazing with a puzzled, yet half astonished countenance at the brownish bit of rock.
“Sheriff,” he muttered weekly, “you know I not de kind from keels, and I tells the truth when I say DE NOGGET COME FROM DEES MINE, and de cuss what keel ol’ Bill must hev been Boss –“
He never finished. A thunderous reverberation echoed between the rocky foothills and a great geyser of earth hailed down upon what had once been the shaft of a mine.
Well out of danger across the valley a solitary figure turned to gaze back, then trudged on – setting his grizzled face to where the clouds were crimson from the brilliance of the setting sun.
UAPA members! Live in New England? Then why not join the New England Amateur Press Club and get the full benefit of your United membership? Writers… if you have manuscripts, send them to The Yankee. We can use good short stories, poems, essays, or articles up to 700 words in length.
Influence of the Press
by Verne W. Robinson
We all have our pet newspapers which we bring home each evening to pour over or hastily scan. Some dive immediately for the sports pages, others for the stock market quotations, and a very few, I am afraid, for the editorial page – that part of the daily paper which has in it so much of value. What one factor in our daily lives has more influence over us than the daily paper? Upon what do we depend as much as this miracle of mankind for intellectual uplifting? The press can turn the tide overnite. While countless millions sleep, humming wires can put on the front pages words that will steel a nation to rear or ease.
It has been said by some amateur journalists that the free press is dead in America as it is in other nations of the world. As long as a spark of life remains in the United Amateur Press Association of America, let no one say that the free press is dead in America! The bundles of amateur papers which are mailed to our members represent the last of the free press, but that last is still a living thing. Perhaps some of the leading newspapers of the country are forced to print what is decreed by their advertisers, but not so the papers in our association. Here is an opportunity for free speech thru the medium of the printing press. A few cents and anyone in this fast growing fraternity can speak his mind.
The freedom of the press is not yet dead, nor has it any appearance of dying in the near future. Rather it is a new awakening – a renaissance of the influence of the press.
Men Behind The Pen
by Henri Ivan Kanter
Of all the features in a newspaper, the cartoon is the most favored, and most widely read. But, strange as it may seem, the men that produce these cartoons are seldom heard from or about, and probably one reader in a hundred knows anything about the man behind the pen that created the cartoon.
How many cartoon readers know that Thomas Nast was the first cartoonist? Back in the early days of New York, when Boss Tweed ruled the city with an iron hand, the newspapers were afraid to print anything about him, so Nast drew a cartoon of him, and continued to do so. These cartoon originals are now worth $5000 a piece. One of them is in the Kansas University cartoon collection of Mr. Albert T. Reid.
It was Nast who first represented Uncle Sam, the Tammany Tiger, the G.O.P. elephant, and the Democratic donkey.
The modern cartoonist, however, is not only a political one. It is true that by means of his pen, he brings light into thousands of minds too unfortunate to think for themselves in political matters, but the cartoonist has the advantage of being able to make the masses see light in the same manner as he does. A clever politician will always have a powerful press behind him, and one of the features he looks out for is a forceful and persuasive cartoonist.
The comic, or strip artist, who turns out a daily ribbon for the syndicate he works for, brings joy into hundreds of thousands of hearts throughout the world. Many bedridden invalids keep happily occupied for hours with pen and pencil trying to copy the antics of the comic characters.
No matter what he makes, a good cartoonist is underpaid. Little does one realize the energy and time put into one little plate. Every line is planned in advance, and a successful cartoon takes several hours to turn out.
In future issues I will try to give you a look into the lives of these men, men behind the pens, so that you might more appreciate their value. There’s nothing more gratifying to the cartoonist than to receive “fan mail.” Write to your favorite, care of the paper or magazine you saw the cartoon in, and tell him how much you liked it.
The Yankee
For Literary Independence
Edited by:
William Haywood
New York City
Verne W. Robinson
Marion, Massachusetts
Memberships:
The United Amateur Press Association
The Crusaders
The New England Amateur Press Club