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Voice of the Imagination, whole no. 33, June 1944?

Page 5

IMAGI-NATION     5
((In editorial condensation of his next paragraf, Raym realizes it's good logic to soft-pedal fandom's anti-Xianity when trying to gain converts or introduce the public to stf. While the Circleaders are atheistfans, he urged Doro to tone down presentation of the Program. We continue, in full, with Raym's explanation of his relation to the Cosmic Circle.))
In the first place, I never did completely approve of any of Claude's CC publications, and mostly I didn't approve of them a bit. You read my refutation of these publications in FFF. Before the big fight started, I was expecting setbacks, criticisms, and merciless satires, and wrote Claude that we would have to modify our program and accept compromises as time went by. Then he went to Sohnectady and New York and Los Angeles, and the vicious circle of propaganda-barrage and counter-propoganda barrage began. Those early Commentators were published without my knowledge or consent, and I found myself in the queer position of almost always agreeing with the criticisms, both constructive and destructive, that were launched by so many fans. It did not require a genius to acknowledge incredibly bad writing, as well as confused typing and grammar and mis-spelling. It did not require the twin minds of an Edmond to perceive the childishly-presented program. In looking back, my principle distress is engendered by the fact that such a wonderful opportunity came--and went. Properly handled, I believe that the Cosmic Circle could have accomplished wonders. As Lynn Bridges said (when he was here recently), a number of fans disliked the manner in which Claude presented the program, rather than the program itself.
Anyway, as I said, I found myself in the peanut gallery agreeing with the critics. I considered Yerke's "Report" very sane and surprisingly fair. So I wrote Degler many times that I didn't agree with him. The barrage of CC zines did not let up. Attack, counter-attack, mud-slinging: I got heartily sick of it all. Claude said that he was, too, but what could he do as long as they kept attacking him? He was always sincere to me, and admitted his mistakes. Then, too, he publicly referred to me as his best friend, in Fandom or out, and I would be several varities of stinker to have deserted him and gained the security of joining mob opinion. And some of the critiques were too harsh.
For a long time, Degler promised to do better. He still is. Nothing concrete has come of his promises. For months I have been Administrative Editor, but have not stenciled a single CC publication. He seems to be in a continual state of overwork answering the supposedly huge batches of CC mail. It is only recently that he has begun issueing semi-acceptable publications. Meanwhile, he continues to assure me that sometime soon I will receive a large mass of material, complete information, etc, that I have been vainly requesting for over half a year. Nothing is accomplished. There is no immediate prospect of anything being accomplished, any more than there was last Christmas. In the meantime, Degler issues publications from time to time, which I have nothing to do with. this does not mean that all his statements are false; it merely means that I did not write them and was not notified, usually, that they were to be made.
((Raym concludes with the belief that "there is still hope." We conclude with the remainder of his remarks on #31.))

Croutch's letter amused me very much; his crude, forceful logic is wonderfully lucid. ("None But Lucidfer") Los is perhaps the most ungeniuslike of the fans, with perhaps the exception of Honig. This isn't a slam, understand; Les is my friend; we carried on a goodly correspondence at one time, during which my respect for his individual philosophy of life increased.
Robert Bloch seems to be much more stfanish than Heinlein.
Permit me to align myself with Forry and Larry in affirming my eternal loyalty to stf and fandom. May I never stop being a Cosworm and become a G.I. Joe, or something. I challenge the judgment of fandom's superminds, Speer and Chauvenet, to the effect that Forry and others who do not outgrow fandom are cases of arrested development. I agree with Warner that fandom is an infinitely small portion of the cosmos, but that small portion gives me satisfaction and the opportunity to produce creative material for minds similar to my own, so why should I desert it for other, wider spheres where I am a nobody, where few people think as I do, and where I do not feel that what talents I have are appreciated? For cases of arrested development, speaking on a broader sense, look at the human race, its vague, semi-pious, hypocritical devotion to religion, with the tremendous majority of the people really engrossed only in strictly local affairs, local gossip, and personal success, with no thought of contributing to posterity. Then appraise the sound cultural background of fandom, the interest in music, art, philosophy, science, etc, and tell me just who needs to grow out of an immature state of race prejudices, religious prejudices, oh, all sorts of prejudices, misconceptions, and narrow-minded perspectives. #

Firstimer GLEN DANIELS, editor Visionary, types in the LASFS clubroom: Number 32--excellant, so far--I'm writing this while I am reading it, makes it more interesting that way---except of course, i do not understand the cover. To a laymen like myself, and not being too well versed (in at or on) the minds of 'fans' and their

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IMAGI-NATION 5 ((In editorial condensation of his next paragraf, Raym realizes it's good logic to soft-pedal fandom's anti-Xianity when trying to gain converts or introduce the public to stf. While the Circleaders are atheistfans, he urged Doro to tone down presentation of the Program. We continue, in full, with Raym's explanation of his relation to the Cosmic Circle.)) In the first place, I never did completely approve of any of Claude's CC publications, and mostly I didn't approve of them a bit. You read my refutation of these publications in FFF. Before the big fight started, I was expecting setbacks, criticisms, and merciless satires, and wrote Claude that we would have to modify our program and accept compromises as time went by. Then he went to Sohnectady and New York and Los Angeles, and the vicious circle of propaganda-barrage and counter-propoganda barrage began. Those early Commentators were published without my knowledge or consent, and I found myself in the queer position of almost always agreeing with the criticisms, both constructive and destructive, that were launched by so many fans. It did not require a genius to acknowledge incredibly bad writing, as well as confused typing and grammar and mis-spelling. It did not require the twin minds of an Edmond to perceive the childishly-presented program. In looking back, my principle distress is engendered by the fact that such a wonderful opportunity came--and went. Properly handled, I believe that the Cosmic Circle could have accomplished wonders. As Lynn Bridges said (when he was here recently), a number of fans disliked the manner in which Claude presented the program, rather than the program itself. Anyway, as I said, I found myself in the peanut gallery agreeing with the critics. I considered Yerke's "Report" very sane and surprisingly fair. So I wrote Degler many times that I didn't agree with him. The barrage of CC zines did not let up. Attack, counter-attack, mud-slinging: I got heartily sick of it all. Claude said that he was, too, but what could he do as long as they kept attacking him? He was always sincere to me, and admitted his mistakes. Then, too, he publicly referred to me as his best friend, in Fandom or out, and I would be several varities of stinker to have deserted him and gained the security of joining mob opinion. And some of the critiques were too harsh. For a long time, Degler promised to do better. He still is. Nothing concrete has come of his promises. For months I have been Administrative Editor, but have not stenciled a single CC publication. He seems to be in a continual state of overwork answering the supposedly huge batches of CC mail. It is only recently that he has begun issueing semi-acceptable publications. Meanwhile, he continues to assure me that sometime soon I will receive a large mass of material, complete information, etc, that I have been vainly requesting for over half a year. Nothing is accomplished. There is no immediate prospect of anything being accomplished, any more than there was last Christmas. In the meantime, Degler issues publications from time to time, which I have nothing to do with. this does not mean that all his statements are false; it merely means that I did not write them and was not notified, usually, that they were to be made. ((Raym concludes with the belief that "there is still hope." We conclude with the remainder of his remarks on #31.)) Croutch's letter amused me very much; his crude, forceful logic is wonderfully lucid. ("None But Lucidfer") Los is perhaps the most ungeniuslike of the fans, with perhaps the exception of Honig. This isn't a slam, understand; Les is my friend; we carried on a goodly correspondence at one time, during which my respect for his individual philosophy of life increased. Robert Bloch seems to be much more stfanish than Heinlein. Permit me to align myself with Forry and Larry in affirming my eternal loyalty to stf and fandom. May I never stop being a Cosworm and become a G.I. Joe, or something. I challenge the judgment of fandom's superminds, Speer and Chauvenet, to the effect that Forry and others who do not outgrow fandom are cases of arrested development. I agree with Warner that fandom is an infinitely small portion of the cosmos, but that small portion gives me satisfaction and the opportunity to produce creative material for minds similar to my own, so why should I desert it for other, wider spheres where I am a nobody, where few people think as I do, and where I do not feel that what talents I have are appreciated? For cases of arrested development, speaking on a broader sense, look at the human race, its vague, semi-pious, hypocritical devotion to religion, with the tremendous majority of the people really engrossed only in strictly local affairs, local gossip, and personal success, with no thought of contributing to posterity. Then appraise the sound cultural background of fandom, the interest in music, art, philosophy, science, etc, and tell me just who needs to grow out of an immature state of race prejudices, religious prejudices, oh, all sorts of prejudices, misconceptions, and narrow-minded perspectives. # Firstimer GLEN DANIELS, editor Visionary, types in the LASFS clubroom: Number 32--excellant, so far--I'm writing this while I am reading it, makes it more interesting that way---except of course, i do not understand the cover. To a laymen like myself, and not being too well versed (in at or on) the minds of 'fans' and their