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Fanfare, v. 1, issue 4, October 1940

Page 14

14                                                       FANFARE
              UNITE OR FIE!
certainly need a single voice which can speak fairly for all of fandom with a bias towards none.
   If you agree that a national organization such as I have outlined is needed, ant that it could be had, will you write to me, or to the editor of this magazine, and offer your suggestions?

           ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS

      by Damon Knight & Art Widner Jr.

   The above article wsa sent to me (awjr) by Harry Warner Jr., as he deemed it a bit too controversial for SPACEWAYS' conservative, middle-of-the-road policy. 
   If the article offends any particular group, we can only say that we're sorry, and that that was not its intention. None the less, we (dk&aw) believe it presents a true picture of the situation, and the underlying idea is a good one, for the benefit of fandom as a whole.
   But let's dig in and get to the heart of this thing. I was frankly dubious -- when I read the article -- that such a thing had the remotest chance of succeeding. I still think it will be tough sledding for a number of reasons which I put up to Damon; but after getting his reply, and then attending the Chicon, I have been sufficiently inspired to try. It is an enthralling prospect to imagine Futurians, Queensies, Angelenoes, Chicagoans, IFA, Chicans, Strangers, and all the rest united in a common purpose. Following are excerpts from a personal letter from Damon Knight to myself:
  
   "Unite of Fie was dashed off in a sudden flow of inspiration, and it wasn't until I got Harry's reply that I began to realize that I had made a colossal error in supposing all fans -- while unable to co-operate on any other question, would be able to forget pesty differences in a program of such obvious benefit to all concerned, as I outlined. I thot I had made it plain that the idea was intended for anything but the personal aggrandizement of myself or of anyone else, and that it was not meant to detract from the leaders of any other organization now existent......I realize that now. But it didn't occur to me then. Being a new fan, I have taken all this time to get used to the fact that fans in large numbers are the most unco-operative group in the world. 
   "On account of this misapprehension on my part, the article was originally written as a sort of feeler. My idea was that people would read it, weigh its merits, and if they liked it, say so. Then if there were enough of them, we'd do something about it, in a peaceful and orderly sort of way. The opposition which it now appears we have to expect, makes the whole thing seem rather ridiculous. You can't ram a thing like that down the throats of all and sundry, and if you could, you'd be defeating your purpose to do it.
   "However, I still believe that it could be done, and that fandom is asinine if it doesn't do it. As to you objections, which are perfectly sound, and quite discouraging, I don't pretend to have the proper solutions, but I can take a tentative whack at them.

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14 FANFARE UNITE OR FIE! certainly need a single voice which can speak fairly for all of fandom with a bias towards none. If you agree that a national organization such as I have outlined is needed, ant that it could be had, will you write to me, or to the editor of this magazine, and offer your suggestions? ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS by Damon Knight & Art Widner Jr. The above article wsa sent to me (awjr) by Harry Warner Jr., as he deemed it a bit too controversial for SPACEWAYS' conservative, middle-of-the-road policy. If the article offends any particular group, we can only say that we're sorry, and that that was not its intention. None the less, we (dk&aw) believe it presents a true picture of the situation, and the underlying idea is a good one, for the benefit of fandom as a whole. But let's dig in and get to the heart of this thing. I was frankly dubious -- when I read the article -- that such a thing had the remotest chance of succeeding. I still think it will be tough sledding for a number of reasons which I put up to Damon; but after getting his reply, and then attending the Chicon, I have been sufficiently inspired to try. It is an enthralling prospect to imagine Futurians, Queensies, Angelenoes, Chicagoans, IFA, Chicans, Strangers, and all the rest united in a common purpose. Following are excerpts from a personal letter from Damon Knight to myself: "Unite of Fie was dashed off in a sudden flow of inspiration, and it wasn't until I got Harry's reply that I began to realize that I had made a colossal error in supposing all fans -- while unable to co-operate on any other question, would be able to forget pesty differences in a program of such obvious benefit to all concerned, as I outlined. I thot I had made it plain that the idea was intended for anything but the personal aggrandizement of myself or of anyone else, and that it was not meant to detract from the leaders of any other organization now existent......I realize that now. But it didn't occur to me then. Being a new fan, I have taken all this time to get used to the fact that fans in large numbers are the most unco-operative group in the world. "On account of this misapprehension on my part, the article was originally written as a sort of feeler. My idea was that people would read it, weigh its merits, and if they liked it, say so. Then if there were enough of them, we'd do something about it, in a peaceful and orderly sort of way. The opposition which it now appears we have to expect, makes the whole thing seem rather ridiculous. You can't ram a thing like that down the throats of all and sundry, and if you could, you'd be defeating your purpose to do it. "However, I still believe that it could be done, and that fandom is asinine if it doesn't do it. As to you objections, which are perfectly sound, and quite discouraging, I don't pretend to have the proper solutions, but I can take a tentative whack at them.