94 tionalorganizationandforthatreasonitcountsonthe activesolidarityoftheworkingclassanditsmostprogressivesections. I t istothosethatweaddressourselvesat thismomentandwearefullyconvincedthatourappeal wilnotgounheeded. BORDEAUX,Jan. 6,1945. COMMITTEEOFTHEPOUM INFRANCE Aidshouldbesentto:PedroBonet,ChezM.Planas, 23 RuedesVoluntaires,Paris 15, France. ACOMMUNIONOFFASTING Sir In: theentirefieldofsmalperiodicalsthereisnoneI knowsoalivewithintelectualintegrityandcompassionand thebeginningsofspiritualdiscernmentasPOLITICSis.And onlybecauseI feelthiswayaboutyourmagazineamI writingtoyounowtosuggestthatwhatyouhavecommencedtodointhedirectionofreliefpackagesisadmir- able,andyetforyou,aseditorofPOLITICS,andforthe bodyofyourawarereaders,it isnotenough.Letmetry toexplainwhy. HereinAmerica,relativelyuntouchedbytheWar'safter- mathofstarvation,mostofusarepervadedbyaprofound feelingofguiltcommingledwithaparalyzingapathyand dreadtowardsthefuture.Avastpsychiccloud,likeaterriblymagnifiedspiritualrepercussionofthemonstrous atomicexplosions,lieslikeapallovervictoriousAmerica. Ithaseclipsedthisfalsepeace,andwemovethroughit ASpecializedBookshop OferingaSelectedStockofNew8:UsedBooks THEATRED A N C E F I L M POLITICALECONOMYLITTLEMASS LawrenceR.Maxwel 45 ChristopherSt,NewYorkCity14 Open2to10Daily.Phone:Wa-9-3494. (Booksandmagazinespurchased.) TheStoryofEugeneVictorDebs 50acopy Orderfrom:DavidBerkingof, 315E.209thSt.,Bronx67, NewYorkCity Forstimulatingandinformative reading,getthe WESTERNSOCIALIST JournalofScientificSocialism Writeforsamplecopyto: 27DockSquare,Boston8,Mass. SibliotecaGinoBianco polities desperatelyseekingriftsoflightandglimpsesofaliving humanfuture. Nowonder,then,whenPOLITICSannouncesaprogram forreliefpackagesfordestitutefamiliesinEurope,thatits readersmeetthisappealwithagenerousresponse.No wonder,becauseallofusespecialyAmericansareseeking,consciouslyorunconsciously,waysofeasingourop- pressiveburdenofguilt.Andthereliefpackagesseemat firstglancetoofferameasureofpartialabsolution. Yetifwebehonestwithourselves,wemustcometoadmit thatthisisanilusion.Entranceintoabsolutionandinto thebeginningsofinwardpeacecannotbesoeasilygained. Ifwepausetoreflect,wewillknowthatitisbutashalow charitytoshareour surplus foodorcashwithourdestitute earthlybrothers.Andifwesearchourheartsweshalsee thatwederivefromsuchactsonlyadeceptivereward:a falsesenseofourowngoodnessandgenerosity,which soonerorlaterwillgrowbarren,leavingusasinwardly oppressedasbefore. Whatcanwedo,then?Manythings,nodoubtYet whateverwedo,ifwearededicatedtothehealingofhuman- ityintoatruebrotherhoodofpeace,wemustmoveona deeperlevelthancharity. We,asAmericans,toforma living communionwiththe suferingpeoplesofEuropeandAsia,mustshare--no matterinhowhumbleaportiontheiractualhungerand want.Wemustexperiencewithinourselves,notbythought, notbyabstractsympathy,butinourownflesh,inour ownbodies,thepangsofdeprivation.Andwemustdothis voluntarily,ofspiritualnecessity. 0 mycomrades,it is morefarmore,thanfoodandcashwemustshare it is ourselves wemustshare.Don'tyouseethat? Thisisamostcrucialpointinhumanhistory.Weall senseit.Whoknowshowprofoundlysomesimpleactof lovemayalterthedeathwarddriftofcontemporarysociety? Whoknows?Noone,really.Yetwemustexploreall thesmalcracksandfissuresinthislabyrinthiantombof moderncivilization.Andsurelythisisonehopefulfissure stilopentous. Wecanbeginbyfastingfromonemainmealeachweek. Iknowhowquicklymanywillshyawayfromthis. I know thattomanymodernsitsmacksoffanaticismtospeakof fasting. I knowthatit'smucheasierjusttomakeupa packageoffoodstufsfromthesurplusonourshelves;and easierstilljusttosendsomesurpluscashandletsomeone elsegotothebotherofpurchasing,packaging,andmailing.Butyouwhoturnaside,wouldyouifinsteadofre- motestrangersitwasyourbeloved?Oryourownchildren? Youknowyoucouldnot.Whenwelove,theconfining boundsofselfaredissolvedandouridentitymergeswith thebeloved.Whenourbelovedsufers,wesufer,andwe )earntotakeliterallythatsuferingontoourselves,into ourselves.That verysufferingisprecious,sinceit ispart ofthebeloved.Haveyouforgoten?Haveyouforgotten tootheintensejoy,themysteriousecstasyof thatrelease fromthelonelyprisonofself?Why,then,hasyourlove becomeshort-circuited?Whydoyousofear it, ordeny it,whenit istheveryopensesameintotheabsolutionwhich yournumbedandoppressedheartsocraves?Howcan youconfineyourselftoreliefpackages?Whatarerelief packagesbutcharity,andwhatischaritybut caritas, or cherishing,andwhatischerishingbutlove?LetthedesHeatedcf-lurchesandthebenesolentgroupshecontentwith suchshalowcharities,butdon'tletus. Wherewecametogetherbeforeforfeasting,wemust nowjoinincommunionsoffasting.Ourheartswillguide usintofurtherextensionsofourinitialweeklyfasts.And asweshedsuperfluousluxuries,weshall findourselves
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