Sunday, August 26, 2012
Cement floors, Radicals and Vice Presidents
Dad's letter has a lot in it. He describes a cement floor they put in. Talks about his future plans. I like the part about continuing to think and change and then he talks about radicals including Jesus. Last he speaks about the change in the democratic ticket from Wallace to Truman. I am interested in history and in these kind of small events that maybe ended up being large ones. How different would our world be if FDR had stuck with Wallace in '44? We also recently on the trip to Austin listened to The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, I found Trotsky's story fascinating. Why did we end up with Stalin and Truman instead of Trotsky and Wallace? What forces took us that way. I do think that the US lost a lot in WWII.
August 27, 1944
8/27/44
Dear Family,
First
off the bat I’m thanking you for the two bucks. Then I’ll explain how come You
havn’t heard from me sooner.
I
am back at the main camp now to stay I think. This is Sunday and I came in last
night. We finally got the wash house comleyed. It didn’t take so long to
actually build the thing. But it took a lot of time to get the thing finished
up. Like doors and windows and spteps and benches and shelves. We put a lousey
cement floor in on top of a wood floor. One and one half inches thick. I guess
it will work tho. I had never had much to do with cement before. I did remember
some about making the hoghouse floor. But they wanted to use a lot of gravel
and it didn’t trowel very good and I had never done any troweling before so it
isn’t the smoothest floor in the west. It is as good as any other floor in camp
tho and a lot better than the old one out there was.
Well
this is the story on answering your letter late. I got your letter on the
supply truckout there at supper on thur. evening and there was a speaker with
them that was going to speak that night and they had some lousey educational
movies. So thurs. evening was filled jam full. And there wasn’t any chance to
get a letter mailed till Monday. So I never wrote it. I thought that since it
wouldn’t go out till Monday I’d just as well wait and make it more up to date.
I
don’t of much to tell this time. I had a pretty nice time out at the Big Creek
side camp. It was something of a vacation. I had been putting in quite of bit
of time in the shop here in Elkton. I think I will try and find some good guy
to give my job to and get out of the woodshop some time this fall. I don’t
suppose that I’ll ever find work that I will like as well as the work I have
been doing in the shop but the shop demands more of my spare time than I like
to spend all of my CPS life. I don’t have to put so much tme in if I don’t want
to but if I do the kind of jobs or running it I have to be around quite a bit
when the fellows are working in there as they don’t all know their way around
and they will mess things up too. I think I have been doing some good there but
I’m sort of tired of it and I’m sure that I could benefit by a change.
In
regard to my Co-op paper that I sent to you. I don’t expect to be thinking the
same when we get started. In fact I’ll be disappointed If I don’t have some
more and better ideas on what I want out of life and how to get it. We are
doing a lot of planning mostly because we don’t have much else we can do right
now to prepare for our post-war life. I think that we will be able to keep our
thinking together better and to find more of the bugs in our ideas if we keep
evaluating our selves and our desires. I don’t know whether the others expect
to or not but I intend to go over the things I want to do and accomplish from
time to time, possibly every six months and sort of compare and see if I have
added anything or lost anything.
I
used to be a little warey of radicals but I have noticed that any more a fellow
has to be awfully radical to seem radical to me. I guess it is because I am
sort of in the radical class myself. There is still a question in my mind as to
who is a radical that will do the world some good and which ones are just
screwballs. The thing that I wonder is if we don’t treat as screwballs some of
the fellows that will do the world some good. Then too, if we could slow up
some of the screwballs and they would get on the right track maybe they would
turn out to be good radical. Christ was a radical wasn’t he and they killed
him.
The
other night they had a discussion out a Big Creek on why Wallace lost out in
being Vice Presidential candidate. I don’t remember all that was said but it
was really good. A lot of the fellows had been reading up on it in the papers
and magazines. As I understand it. The convention was pretty much in favor of
Wallace but FDR failed to give him the support he should have. I think that he
did say that if he were to vote he would vote for Wallace. But as I understand
it some of the boys that plan things were told by FDR that Wallace wasn’t the
man because he wasn’t enough of a politician. The Southern states didn’t want
him and the big City bosses were against him. So he was licked. I wouldn’t be
supprised if he would do a lot more good now that he is out the mess. I don’t
suppose I like everything Wallace will do I seem to have the idea that he is
more interested in the capatolist angle than I think is good but I’m pretty
much the other way.
Say
Mom, Am I to get the impression that the recovery of your eyes is going pretty
slow? I had hoped they would be working as good as usual some of these days.
There is a guy helping me in the woodshop that has something wrong with one of
his eyes and he can hardly see at all. I don’t know exactly what it is but the
Dr. he went to see in Eugene told him not to worry about it that it would
probably get better afterwhile. His other eye is good and it don’t bother him
if he doesn’t strain it. He can’t read either. The woodshop don’t seem to
bother him and he likes it and is good at it. He would much rather be doing
that than sitting around.
I
got a letter from Evelyn when I got in last night. If you see her tell I was
glad to hear from her and will answer soon.
Yours
Bernard
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Taxing My Conscience
I have reached
an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service regarding the frivolous filing
penalty that I received a year ago relating to my war tax resistance. It has
been quite a journey. I have learned many things. One of them is about
conscience and acts of conscience. I have come up with more questions
concerning how we individually and as a society deal with acts of conscience. I will say a little about what my statement
of conscience was, then raise the following questions: what is an act of
conscience? is a statement of conscience an argument? what is the impact to us as a society if
we limit or discourage acts of conscience by our citizens?
In each of my tax returns during the Iraq war, I withheld
the percentage of my income taxes that would have gone toward paying for war,
in with the 1040 form I would include a statement of conscience. My letter
would say something like “Once again I find that I cannot willingly pay all of
my taxes. As a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), I oppose
war and the support of war. “
In my view a statement of conscience is not an argument, but
the IRS, the TAS (tax advocacy service), and the UNM law school all saw it as
an argument. I think, if it is possible, the IRS had an argument with me, but I
was not arguing with them I was simply not cooperating. I see my letters as a
statement of conscience. It is a form of protest, but not an argument, as I am
not trying to convince anyone of my position but rather making a statement of
my beliefs.
A common misunderstanding people have regards the purpose of
such actions by individuals. People will ask me if I felt satisfied or if I had
achieved something by this action. I have come up with the following analogy,
since it is summer and the temperature is very high outside, I often turn on
the swamp cooler. The effect of turning on the swamp cooler does not change the
outside environment but it does impact the inside environment of our home. I
feel the same way about my small act of war tax resistance. I did not stop the
US invasion or the killing of people in Iraq. I did not stop that action but I
did change my own inside environment, that of living with myself and being able
to say that I resisted as best I could the militaristic actions of the US.
As part of my agreement with the IRS I signed a letter
promising to not send them frivolous arguments. This statement is restated
three times, to cover enclosing, arguing and just sending them a frivolous
argument (of course as defined by the IRS). What is interesting and of concern
about this is that I was not asked to agree to pay the taxes, nor to promise to
pay for war. The promise exacted
was to not send words that explain or argue or support an act of conscience. I
often wondered about countries, whose governments were afraid of words, would
censor or ban books or freedom of speech. Are we moving in this direction? What
happens when we discourage conscience, discourage free speech by individuals
but allow for nonpayment, allow for avoidance and corruption of our tax system
by the rich and by corporations?
My favorite quote about conscience is Lillian Helman’s;
“I can not and will not cut my conscience to fit this years
fashions”
I believe in both taxes and acts of conscience. I think that
both are necessary in a vibrant democracy. Those who take a stand, as a
minority, are willing to stand out or up, not based on winning or being part of
the majority, or doing what they have been told but acting based on some inner
guide that we call conscience, lend a service to the larger society. I agree
with Thoreau that those acting and living lives based on conscience or
goodness, act as a leven on the whole of society.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Making plans and settling with the IRS
So after the last post, which was on a Monday. When the law school called to say we would go on to tax court, the IRS changed their story and said that they would lower the penalty and also ask for a letter saying I would not send in frivolous arguments anymore. We agreed to the settlement. There were a number of factors involved including time, energy, money and the unpredictable nature of the IRS. What a very frustrating way to run things. I am struck continually by this phrase from an HBO movie on Temple Grandin, she said 'nature is cruel, but we don't have to be'. I think about that. In creating systems to collect taxes, or taking tax money from war tax resisters it is possible to act in a respectful manner. I believe that we can have a country and a tax system that meets both the needs of government and of those with a conscience.So I may write more in a future post. Just to follow up from the last one, I wanted to be clear that we are not going on to tax court.
In Dad's letter he shares some of his plans for the future and a bit of self analysis. I was glad to see that 'children' were included in his future plans. It is kind of fun as I did a similar thing while helping my sister Carol after her surgery. I worked through a book called Rewirement to help plan and get ideas about how and what I want to do now. I came up with a number of possibilities. Now that we are settled with the IRS I am ready to work on some of these.
In Dad's letter he shares some of his plans for the future and a bit of self analysis. I was glad to see that 'children' were included in his future plans. It is kind of fun as I did a similar thing while helping my sister Carol after her surgery. I worked through a book called Rewirement to help plan and get ideas about how and what I want to do now. I came up with a number of possibilities. Now that we are settled with the IRS I am ready to work on some of these.
August 17, 1944
8/17/44
Dear folks
Well,
what-do-you-know, I’m out at Big Creek this week. The wash and shower room out
here burned down last Sunday and I am more or less building a new one. There
are about 5 or 6 guys helping me. I’m having a good time out here. I had never
stayed here before. I have worked out here some but have commuted from Elkton.
There are a swell bunch of fellows here and the food is good. I don’t know
whether I would like to stay out here all the time or not. I suspect I could
manage pretty well tho. I am using a borrowed typewriter. I didn’t bring much
of my junk out as I won’y stay long. I’ll probably get done sometime next week
and be back at Elkton again.
Getting
part of the land all paid for sounds good. I reckon you are sort of happy about
it. Changing your loan over sounds good to me too.
How’s
the farm work doing? Are you having a slight lul since the oats are all
harvested anf thrested at the same time?
I can’t seem to think of much to write. I have been doing a
little reading. Another guy and I got a great big book out of the library in
Eugene. THE INTALECTUAL AND CULURUAL HISTORY OF THE WESTERN WORLD It os about 2
½ inches think and has about 1200 pages. I don’t know if we will ever get it
read or not. It isn’t a regualr history. It deals with trends of thought rather
than dates and wars and the like. It is very interesting, especially for a
history book.
I
suspect that that story in the Young People’s Weekly is by the same Lillian
Smith. She has grown up in the south in a rather well-to-do family and has come
to see the injustices that go on there between whites and negros. She publishes
a paper called SOUTH TODAY. I havn’t seen any coppys of it but I understand
that it is good. I guess she can get by with saying quit a bit down there
because they think she is one of them and not an outsider like so many of the
people have been that started a reform. I don’t have a copy of the book that I
read. The camp bought two coppys and they were keet busy all the time for
several months. I think there were two other bookmarks in it when I read it. I
would urge you to get a copy of STRANGE FRUIT, it will give you a different
idea of the negro proplem in the south. We now have three negro fellows in
camp. The last one was studying law when he was drafted I understand.
It
is funny the Evelyn hasn’t gotten a school yet. I thought that teachers were
rather scarace, That agency sure gets a good rake off. Does that happen every
year she gets a job or is it just a [typed
over] That will take a [typed over]
one year proposition? 20% is a lot of dough to pay to have job. But I suppose
it is no use to have money tied up in an education if you can’t get it out. I
reckon that is what they figure when they make a charge like that. That will
take a lot of here first year’s profits. I’ll bet she will make more money than
any of us.
That
camp is good for Eileen I imagine. It sort of amuses me to think of them trying
to get a little Farmer’s Union propagands down them, I understand that the
Farmer’s union is really going goos in around the Trenton N. Dak. Camp. That is
where I am think of transferring to.
This
will amuse Harry. There was a new guy just came into camp a couple of days ago.
He had been in the camp in Big Flats New York and had taken some furlo before
coming west and visited several of the friend’s work camp. At the on in
Idanapolis Ind. he met a girl named Caroline Zelliot. Imagine that. He was
somewhat sold on her. She sent a helo with him to me. The guy’s name is Bob
Wilson and he is from Ill.
Well
I can’t think of anything else so will sign off.
With
love and stuff
Enclosing a copy of my
Co-op write up on what I want out of life. What do you think of it?
Attached:
Outline For Community
Cooperators
Bernard
LeRoy Aldrich
I. What am I seeking from life?
A.
Vocationally
I am not certain that I could mark
out a very narrow field. I would want something that would come under the
general head of Creative. I am pretty well convinced that cooperation
can help solve a lot of out problems. Great deal can be done to propogate it be
speaking and writing but it seems to me that my field is simply living it.
1. As far as actual work goes I
think that carpentry and cabinetmaking interests me more than anything else.
2. My next interest would be in
farming.
B.
Avocationally
1. I get a great deal of
satisfaction from helping people. I would like to incorporate this disire with
my vocation. However helping people isn’t always materially productive. I would
like to spend quite a bit of my leisure time doing things for people and
helping them do things themselves.
2. I derive a lot of enjoyment
from stimulating discussions and simple ‘bull sessions’.
3. I enjoy reading and hope to
continue my education in this way also.
4. I like outdoor sports and hope
to be active in at least one the year around. Especially if my work keeps me
inside.
C.
Personally
1. Marriage---I am planning to get
married some day, but at present I don’t know who it will be.
2. Children---Certainly.
II. How do I plan to achieve these things?
A.
Short term plans
1.
Immediate post-CPS plans
I plan to get into some community
co-operative. If this one doesn’t materialize I will look for one that suites
my general requirements and will take me in.
2.
As far as this co-op is concerned
a. Under the proposed plan of
settling in a rural community near some large city. I could assume the
responsibility for the farm work if the group so desired I would also hope to
spend considerable time, perhaps in slack farming season, in a community
wood-shop and machine shop.
b. Under the proposed plane of
seeking employment in some city were certain members could continue formal
education. I would seek employment along carpentry and cabinet-making lines.
Plumbing and metal work also interest me. I have also enough printing
experience to get a job in some small job-printing shop.
B. Long term plan.
These are pretty tentative. Even my
day dreams are a little vague. Here’s what they look like.
1. If our co-op should take up its existence
in a rural community either immediately post-CPS or a few years afterward:
a. The wood-shop and machine-shop
might evolve into a community shop where the local people would come to make
repairs and gagets and I could help them. In so doing I could get better
aquainted with them and perhaps be able to stimulate their thinking.
b. I might take further training
along shop lines and become qualified to teach in a progressive school which
the other members might set up in the community.
2.
If this Co-op fails to materialize I would probably seek another one.
III. Personality traits
These are some things that I have
noticed about myself that might hinder harmonious living in a co-op group. Most
of you have probably noticed them too, and more. My purpose in expressing them
is to aquaint someone who doesn’t know me with my peculiarities and to let you
know that I am aware of them and trying to overcome them.
A. I become irked with people and
tend to become rather bitingly sarcastic.
B. I am not particularly witty but
attempt to be funny all too often to attract attention. My attempts usually
fall flat. My jokes tend to be at other people’s expense.
C. I am likely to be critical of other
people. Consiquently few people make a good ‘first impression’ on me. However,
given a little time there are few people I don’t learn to appreciate a great
deal.
D. I am slow to meet people and
feel a little ill at ease with strangers.
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