STATEMENT
127
The following non-members of the League have also signed the above
statement:
LoUisE BoGAN
ANITA BRENNER
JosEPH CoRNELL
RICHARD EBERHART
RoBERT FITZGERALD
HALCOMB GREENE
GERTRUDE GREENE
WELDON KEES
VrcToR LAwsoN
GoRHAM
B.
MuNsoN
KATHARINE ANNE
PORTER
Please address all communications to: DWIGHT MACDONALD, 117 East
lOth Street, New York City.
A Letter To The L. A. W.
Secretary, League of American Writers,
October 5, 1939.
381 Fourth Avenue, New
Yor~
City
Dear Sir:
Until August 21st, 1939, the League of American Writers functioned
as the most active political organization among American writers and intel–
lectuals. Through its national and regional congresses, public meetings,
pamphlets, questionaires, and statements to the press, it made known its
position on every important issue.
The official call to its congress held last June stated that the League
supported "cooperation of this country with other nations and peoples
opposed to Fascism-including the Soviet Union, which has been the most
consistent defender of peace" and "in general, the defense of a free world
in which writers can function." In numerous statements and resolutions it
called for the organization of a "democratic peace front" against Fascism,
etc., etc.
Despite the world-shaking events that have occurred since August 21st,
the formerly eloquent and ubiquitous League of American Writers has not
been heard from. Nothing on the war, nothing on the Nazi-Soviet pact,
nothing on the partition of Poland, in fact, nothing. Does this organization
still exist?
If
so, has it anything to say to American writers and intellec–
tuals on the following questions?
l.
What is the character of the present war? Is it an imperialist war
or a war of the democracies against Fascism?
2. What is the role of the Stalin regime in this war? Did the Stalin–
Hitler pact advance the cause of world peace or did it promote
Fascist aggression? Does the League approve of the partition of
Poland between Germany apd Russia?
