1897

Here is a snappy letter from J. Otis Sibley, partner in the firm of Thayer, Smith & Gaskill, counsellors at law, Worcester, Mass. DEAR BROTHER SLAVE and Commanding Officer in charge of the reforming of the ranks of the survivors of the Dartmouth '97 Company who are still carrying on after their late and fateful conflicts with the grim reaper:

I shall later explain the reason for this greeting but suffice it, as an exordium, to say that after reading your roll call of the remaining sixteen of the Class of 1897 and the challenge to me expressed therein, I am inveigled to begin this answer by the use of words similar to those spoken on a famous occasion by the President of the United States who was born in the month of February.

Fourscore and seven years ago, plus or minus, you and I, as well as others of our vintage, were born free men in a free country, with the right to work without buying a union card and without paying a monthly tribute to any racketeering, corrupt and self-perpetuating labor boss. We also had the further right to work under our family name without becoming a State slave and wearing a dog license number for which we were required to ante up a so-called self-employment tax. If over Webster Hall it was proper to place the inscription "Founded by Wheelock - refounded by Webster," what could be more proper than to place over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington the inscription "Slavery - abolished by Lincoln - restored by Roosevelt."

To elucidate and clarify an introduction that may at first appear a riddle - history will record that twenty years ago, using as authority for the same the words "to provide for the general welfare," but more honestly to replenish the shrinking funds of the United States Treasury and obtain the wherewithal to pay for the counting of the leaves and other wasteful expenses of the New or False Deal, each honest worker in the industries which have caused our country to rise above all others had his pay docked each week, was given a number to replace his name, soothed by the application to this process of the sweet words "Social Security" and promised support from the cradle to the grave, so that at 65 he would sit under a lotus tree and say goodbye forever to work and be kept happy in idle dreams from day to day by an all-loving and beneficent paternalistic government. From this small beginning the politicians at each auction which superseded the events formerly conducted as elections, have promised to extend this dream to other groups. Your cell, I am sure, was covered some years ago. The legal profession was one of the last to succumb. Finally, however, our epitaph has been written - "fight them and if you cannot lick them, join them."

Greetings, therefore, from this neophyte, or more to the truth, this unconverted heathen heretic. Rumblings have been heard, I believe, that the outgo has been larger than the ingo and so history may record a change in the future in the name of the contributors from security to that of social suckers.

At any rate, the lawyers are celebrating the first blessed event in the pay-off and to those who have been drafted late in life the investment proves a very profitable one. To all the freshman members of this deluded New Deal organization my sympathy; perhaps they should be given the number 2-L8-2-L8 which is not algebraic but follows the New Deal alphabetical designations and may be translated: Too late - too late.

After twenty years of confusion, corruption and communism brought to us by the New and False Deal, and which has resulted in the present lawlessness, liquorness, wastefulness and laziness so prevalent in our schools and everyday life, and front-paged in the daily press, is this, I ask you, a better world than that of our fathers?

In their day man worked from sun to sun While woman's work was never done, And today man works five hours each day While woman pushes a button, it's only play. In their day children were seen but not heard While today children must be heard but not hurt. In their day it was millions for defense But for tribute not one cent, While today it is billions for foreign aid Tax and be content. In their day public office was a public trust, While today it is never mind how, get it before we bust.

Why continue the comparison?

For a barometer of our IQ just turn on the radio or TV and for a thermometer of our morals, political debauchery and voting debility, just plug in when that accident, selected for the Vice Presidency by "See Sydney," is befouling the air and smoging the vision.

And this leads to our closing question, is there no help for the widow's son?

Shall we adopt the characteristic attitude of the day - What the hell? —or shall we walk in the path pointed out by the Indian poet Kalidasa in his poem "Salutation to the Dawn." which ends with these words:

For yesterday is but a dream, And tomorrow is only a vision.

But today well lived, will make Every yesterday a dream of happiness, And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well therefore to this day.

Such is the salutation of the dawn.

You asked for it, Bill. Here's your answer.

SIB

Secretary, 114 State St. Bridgeport 3, Conn.