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Scientifictionist, vol. 1, issue 5, June-July 1946

Page 17

Laney on Technocracy

#4 seemed to me to have declined considerably from the previous high standards, due chiefly to the inclusion of that inexcusably long technocratic article, which in my opinion has no place in a fanzine. Shortly before the outbreak of the war, it was definitely proved that technocracy was favored by Adolf Hitler, and was definitely a fascist trend. That is one point against the movement. Another objection is the fact that the technocrats have declined from their high point in the early '30's to an insignificance rivalled only by asperantists and other borderline groups. My own personal objection to the group is that in a rather painstaking investigation lasting over several years and involving discussions with those in charge of Technocracy offices in Lewiston, Idaho, Seattle, and Spokane, Washington; I was wholly unable to find any technocrat who showed any grasp of the charts and graphs with which his office was so liberally festooned. I consider that the basic technocratic idea -- pay in accordance with production and production for everyone -- is basically sound, as their idea of technicians and other experts being in places of authority. The membership of the movement is unfortunately of insufficient caliber ever to put such ideas into effect.

Also, I wonder if the writer of this article ever considered decentralizing his "Urbanate" to minimize the atomic bomb?

Best thing in the issue is Hemmel, followed by Readers' Section, Stanley Tucker, Bridges, and Elsner in that order. -- Francis T. Laney, 1005 W. 35th Street, Los Angeles 7, California.

A Technocrat's Answer

If being a Technocrat never did anything else for one it would be worthwhile for the patience it instills. The foregoing opinions by Fran Laney are a prime example. Somewhere back along the trail a lot of smelly red herrings were flung around by certain axe-grinders and from that time on Technocrats have had to repeatedly point out the facts in the case. I had occasion to do this myself some four years ago in a booklet published for the FAPA. I may still have some around which any interested party may have for the asking. In this article I described the jade of those groups, in several European countries, who were studying along Technocratic lines prior to the outbreak of the war. The groups in Italy and Germany disappeared long before Sept '39, presumably into concentration camps and prison; and a similar fate overtook those in Czechoslovakia, Holland, etc., immediately after fascism marched in.

Fran, unfortunately, is quite free with his accusations which are merely parrotings of an earlier smear campaign and which have absolutely no basis in fact. Just who proved it to whom, Fran, and where's the evidence? Unfortunately, preconceived opinions are difficult to eradicate but, to anyone sufficiently open minded enough to investigate form himself, the lack of any similarity between fascism and communism on one hand and Technocracy on the other is self-apparent.

To clarify point number two, a bit of history might be in order. From 1919 until 1933 the Organization was known as the Technical Alliance, a group of scientists and technicians who were carrying on an energy survey of this Continent. The results of this survey proved conclusively that technology had sounded the death knell of the price system and that a new form of social operation was mandatory. Based on the human and physical factors involved, the Technate was designed. The publicity resulting from the publication of these findings is what Fran assumes to be "the high point of the early '30's" and it wasn't until this publicity had died down (for reasons too lengthy to go into here) that the name "Technocracy" was adopted and the Organization incorporated as a non-profit, non-sectarian, non-political, educational body. From then the Organization has grown steadily until today there are offices thruout the entire Continent from Alaska to the Panama Canal. This may be insignificant in Fran's eyes, but there are none so blind as those who won't see. Surprising, isn't it. what can be done without price system ballyhoo?

As to this personal investigation, not knowing the Technocrats with whom it

page 17

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Laney on Technocracy #4 seemed to me to have declined considerably from the previous high standards, due chiefly to the inclusion of that inexcusably long technocratic article, which in my opinion has no place in a fanzine. Shortly before the outbreak of the war, it was definitely proved that technocracy was favored by Adolf Hitler, and was definitely a fascist trend. That is one point against the movement. Another objection is the fact that the technocrats have declined from their high point in the early '30's to an insignificance rivalled only by asperantists and other borderline groups. My own personal objection to the group is that in a rather painstaking investigation lasting over several years and involving discussions with those in charge of Technocracy offices in Lewiston, Idaho, Seattle, and Spokane, Washington; I was wholly unable to find any technocrat who showed any grasp of the charts and graphs with which his office was so liberally festooned. I consider that the basic technocratic idea -- pay in accordance with production and production for everyone -- is basically sound, as their idea of technicians and other experts being in places of authority. The membership of the movement is unfortunately of insufficient caliber ever to put such ideas into effect. Also, I wonder if the writer of this article ever considered decentralizing his "Urbanate" to minimize the atomic bomb? Best thing in the issue is Hemmel, followed by Readers' Section, Stanley Tucker, Bridges, and Elsner in that order. -- Francis T. Laney, 1005 W. 35th Street, Los Angeles 7, California. A Technocrat's Answer If being a Technocrat never did anything else for one it would be worthwhile for the patience it instills. The foregoing opinions by Fran Laney are a prime example. Somewhere back along the trail a lot of smelly red herrings were flung around by certain axe-grinders and from that time on Technocrats have had to repeatedly point out the facts in the case. I had occasion to do this myself some four years ago in a booklet published for the FAPA. I may still have some around which any interested party may have for the asking. In this article I described the jade of those groups, in several European countries, who were studying along Technocratic lines prior to the outbreak of the war. The groups in Italy and Germany disappeared long before Sept '39, presumably into concentration camps and prison; and a similar fate overtook those in Czechoslovakia, Holland, etc., immediately after fascism marched in. Fran, unfortunately, is quite free with his accusations which are merely parrotings of an earlier smear campaign and which have absolutely no basis in fact. Just who proved it to whom, Fran, and where's the evidence? Unfortunately, preconceived opinions are difficult to eradicate but, to anyone sufficiently open minded enough to investigate form himself, the lack of any similarity between fascism and communism on one hand and Technocracy on the other is self-apparent. To clarify point number two, a bit of history might be in order. From 1919 until 1933 the Organization was known as the Technical Alliance, a group of scientists and technicians who were carrying on an energy survey of this Continent. The results of this survey proved conclusively that technology had sounded the death knell of the price system and that a new form of social operation was mandatory. Based on the human and physical factors involved, the Technate was designed. The publicity resulting from the publication of these findings is what Fran assumes to be "the high point of the early '30's" and it wasn't until this publicity had died down (for reasons too lengthy to go into here) that the name "Technocracy" was adopted and the Organization incorporated as a non-profit, non-sectarian, non-political, educational body. From then the Organization has grown steadily until today there are offices thruout the entire Continent from Alaska to the Panama Canal. This may be insignificant in Fran's eyes, but there are none so blind as those who won't see. Surprising, isn't it. what can be done without price system ballyhoo? As to this personal investigation, not knowing the Technocrats with whom it page 17