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Voice of the Imagination, whole no. 8, August 1940

Page 12

thought would be of interest to you people. Probably you were afraid of being labelled "propagandist." Here in England one gets the impression that the States are riddled with anti-propaganda. You may be interested to know that our Ministry of Information (familiarly known as"Minnie ") getsseverly criticised by some people because it doesn't send anything like as much propaganda to the States as the Nazis do. In fact, as far as one can gather, there is no British propaganda on any organised scale in the U.S.,for which we may both be thankful. That letter by Alex Roberts, the 14yr. old Aussy, was about the most amazing thing I've seen for some time. If Australia wasn't about two months away 'round the world I'd feel like dropping him a line. ~~ It's really very generous of you to send over VoM free of charge to us, essentially as all you get back are rude noises such as my letters. ~~ Hope you passed my notes re. Rocket article onto the proper 1/4's (Di d. To Daughtery, for The Rocket.) ~~ Enjoyed Rothman's article, by the way.But I don't think that all science fiction is escape literature. (very little of it's any sort of literature.) Some s.f. depicts worlds one would much prefer to escape from them to....the stories mentioned in the article, for instance. ~~I have a small bet with myself that before many more weeks have passed this footling little civil war will be overshadowed by the coming Power- real Power, for the first-time in the history of man. I am referring, of course, to the work at Columbia & elsewhere on U[subscript 236]. It's already hit the 'Times', a pretty conservative journal if ever there was one. One can only hope that the Nazis don't get it first....it will be curtains for Europe if they do! 'Lest Darkness Fall!' ~~ I expect to hear from the military sometime in the near future, but I rather doubt if I shall go for a few weeks. However, it may be more sudden. ~~ As you may know, postage rates here have been nearly doubled, with the result that our fan-mags will probably go bust & letters will be fewer & farther between. But perhaps their quality will improve, so it may be a good thing."
[Signature Bill Tample] British author of "Ex-periment in Genius", pens us an epistle from ?, Elm Road, Wembly, Miadlesex: "If this writing resembles Ego Clarke's it's because I'm scribbling this letter in a deck chair on the lawn with my feet up in the air, & not because of a hangover - although I have got a little one. The wife & I, along with Ted & Rene Carnell, & said Ego Clarke, went to SFA-Member Sid Birchby's 21st birthday whoop-up last night, & helped to dispose of three crates. Funny - Sid had a sorta hangover all through the party. The hypontist I mentioned before had had a go at him the previous evening - took him in a room apart, put him in a coma, told him that in 5 minutes he was to clap his hands together & exclaim that he'd forgot-ten something, & then 2 minutes later fall asleep. Then he woke him from the coma & sent him into the next room, among his friends. Precisely on the dot, Sid clapped his hands together & announced that he'd forgotten something. But he did-n't fall asleep. The hypnotist forgot to 'unsuggest' him, & so all through his birthday party Sid kept coming over drowsy, & would have probably passed out if we hadn't kept him on the jump - mainly for beer. ~~ I was, as usual, interested in the comparison of the British & American styles of writing :  the former somewhat pedestrian & quiet, & the latter zippy, slangy, screwy, & yet the point. ( You can't count Ego Clarke's purple patch about about London under the ballon barrage as typically British. Actually, it's typically Ego, who would write reams of this stuff when I dwelt with him & read it in a sonorous voice over the breakfast table next morning -- between mouthfuls of cereal.) ~~ Was most struck with Rothman's reprinted article, & with the English language's command of Alan P. Roberts, wonder boy ('Odd Alan'?) of Brisbane. Your cautious comments immediately following that bombardment were rib-tickling. Paper shortage here, so must finish prematurely (or maybe not so prematurely)."
[Signature of Ted]
Clips from a TransAtlanriClipper letter 6 pgs in length from CARNELL, British Fan #1, of 17, Burwash Road, Plumstead S.E.18, London: "The copy of my previous article ("The Magazine That Nearly Was", distributed free with VOM #7) completely bowled me over. I have no doubt that there will be very few remarks from the Brethren  who read it -- but then, fans have ever been the same. ~~ When you read of 'Bobs on Britian' you probably wondered just how close they were to us. So far, there has been nothing to fear. Our main task seems to have been endeavouring to

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thought would be of interest to you people. Probably you were afraid of being labelled "propagandist." Here in England one gets the impression that the States are riddled with anti-propaganda. You may be interested to know that our Ministry of Information (familiarly known as"Minnie ") getsseverly criticised by some people because it doesn't send anything like as much propaganda to the States as the Nazis do. In fact, as far as one can gather, there is no British propaganda on any organised scale in the U.S.,for which we may both be thankful. That letter by Alex Roberts, the 14yr. old Aussy, was about the most amazing thing I've seen for some time. If Australia wasn't about two months away 'round the world I'd feel like dropping him a line. ~~ It's really very generous of you to send over VoM free of charge to us, essentially as all you get back are rude noises such as my letters. ~~ Hope you passed my notes re. Rocket article onto the proper 1/4's (Di d. To Daughtery, for The Rocket.) ~~ Enjoyed Rothman's article, by the way.But I don't think that all science fiction is escape literature. (very little of it's any sort of literature.) Some s.f. depicts worlds one would much prefer to escape from them to....the stories mentioned in the article, for instance. ~~I have a small bet with myself that before many more weeks have passed this footling little civil war will be overshadowed by the coming Power- real Power, for the first-time in the history of man. I am referring, of course, to the work at Columbia & elsewhere on U[subscript 236]. It's already hit the 'Times', a pretty conservative journal if ever there was one. One can only hope that the Nazis don't get it first....it will be curtains for Europe if they do! 'Lest Darkness Fall!' ~~ I expect to hear from the military sometime in the near future, but I rather doubt if I shall go for a few weeks. However, it may be more sudden. ~~ As you may know, postage rates here have been nearly doubled, with the result that our fan-mags will probably go bust & letters will be fewer & farther between. But perhaps their quality will improve, so it may be a good thing." [Signature Bill Tample] British author of "Ex-periment in Genius", pens us an epistle from ?, Elm Road, Wembly, Miadlesex: "If this writing resembles Ego Clarke's it's because I'm scribbling this letter in a deck chair on the lawn with my feet up in the air, & not because of a hangover - although I have got a little one. The wife & I, along with Ted & Rene Carnell, & said Ego Clarke, went to SFA-Member Sid Birchby's 21st birthday whoop-up last night, & helped to dispose of three crates. Funny - Sid had a sorta hangover all through the party. The hypontist I mentioned before had had a go at him the previous evening - took him in a room apart, put him in a coma, told him that in 5 minutes he was to clap his hands together & exclaim that he'd forgot-ten something, & then 2 minutes later fall asleep. Then he woke him from the coma & sent him into the next room, among his friends. Precisely on the dot, Sid clapped his hands together & announced that he'd forgotten something. But he did-n't fall asleep. The hypnotist forgot to 'unsuggest' him, & so all through his birthday party Sid kept coming over drowsy, & would have probably passed out if we hadn't kept him on the jump - mainly for beer. ~~ I was, as usual, interested in the comparison of the British & American styles of writing : the former somewhat pedestrian & quiet, & the latter zippy, slangy, screwy, & yet the point. ( You can't count Ego Clarke's purple patch about about London under the ballon barrage as typically British. Actually, it's typically Ego, who would write reams of this stuff when I dwelt with him & read it in a sonorous voice over the breakfast table next morning -- between mouthfuls of cereal.) ~~ Was most struck with Rothman's reprinted article, & with the English language's command of Alan P. Roberts, wonder boy ('Odd Alan'?) of Brisbane. Your cautious comments immediately following that bombardment were rib-tickling. Paper shortage here, so must finish prematurely (or maybe not so prematurely)." [Signature of Ted] Clips from a TransAtlanriClipper letter 6 pgs in length from CARNELL, British Fan #1, of 17, Burwash Road, Plumstead S.E.18, London: "The copy of my previous article ("The Magazine That Nearly Was", distributed free with VOM #7) completely bowled me over. I have no doubt that there will be very few remarks from the Brethren who read it -- but then, fans have ever been the same. ~~ When you read of 'Bobs on Britian' you probably wondered just how close they were to us. So far, there has been nothing to fear. Our main task seems to have been endeavouring to