Writings in the United Amateur, 1915-1922

by H. P. Lovecraft

  THE UNITED AMATEUR JULY 1918

  At the Root

  H. P. Lovecraft

  (Editor Laureate)

  To those who look beneath the surface, the present universal war driveshome more than one anthropological truth in striking fashion; and ofthese verities none is more profound than that relating to the essentialimmutability of mankind and its instincts.

  Four years ago a large part of the civilised world laboured undercertain biological fallacies which may, in a sense, be held responsiblefor the extent and duration of the present conflict. These fallacies,which were the foundation of pacifism and other pernicious forms ofsocial and political radicalism, dealt with the capability of man toevolve mentally beyond his former state of subservience to primitiveinstinct and pugnacity, and to conduct his affairs and international orinter-racial relations on a basis of reason and good-will. That beliefin such capability is unscientific and childishly naive, is beside thequestion. The fact remains, that the most civilised part of the world,including our own Anglo-Saxondom, did entertain enough of these notionsto relax military vigilance, lay stress on points of honour, place trustin treaties, and permit a powerful and unscrupulous nation to indulgeunchecked and unsuspected in nearly fifty years of preparation forworld-wide robbery and slaughter. We are reaping the result of oursimplicity.

  The past is over. Our former follies we can but regret, and expiate asbest we may by a crusade to the death against the Trans-Rhenane monsterwhich we allowed to grow and flourish beneath our very eyes. But thefuture holds more of responsibility, and we must prepare to guardagainst any renascence of the benevolent delusions that four years ofblood have barely been able to dispel. In a word, we must learn todiscard forever the sentimental standpoint, and to view our speciesthrough the cold eyes of science alone. We must recognise the essentialunderlying savagery in the animal called man, and return to older andsounder principles of national life and defence. We must realise thatman's nature will remain the same so long as he remains man; thatcivilisation is but a slight coverlet beneath which the dominant beastsleeps lightly and ever ready to awake. To preserve civilisation, wemust deal scientifically with the brute element, using only genuinebiological principles. In considering ourselves, we think too much ofethics and sociology--too little of plain natural history. We shouldperceive that man's period of historical existence, a period so shortthat his physical constitution has not been altered in the slightestdegree, is insufficient to allow of any considerable mental change. Theinstincts that governed the Egyptians and the Assyrians of old, governus as well; and as the ancients thought, grasped, struggled, anddeceived, so shall we moderns continue to think, grasp, struggle, anddeceive in our inmost hearts. Change is only superficial and apparent.

  Man's respect for the imponderables varies according to his mentalconstitution and environment. Through certain modes of thought andtraining it can be elevated tremendously, yet there is always a limit.The man or nation of high culture may acknowledge to great lengths therestraints imposed by conventions and honour, but beyond a certain pointprimitive will or desire cannot be curbed. Denied anything ardentlydesired, the individual or state will argue and parley just solong--then, if the impelling motive be sufficiently great, will castaside every rule and break down every acquired inhibition, plungingviciously after the object wished; all the more fantastically savagebecause of previous repression. =The sole ultimate factor in humandecisions is physical force.= This we must learn, however repugnant theidea may seem, if we are to protect ourselves and our institutions.Reliance on anything else is fallacious and ruinous. Dangerous beyonddescription are the voices sometimes heard today, decrying thecontinuance of armament after the close of the present hostilities.

  The specific application of the scientific truth regarding man's nativeinstincts will be found in the adoption of a post-bellum internationalprogramme. Obviously, we must take into account the primordialsubstructure and arrange for the upholding of culture by methods whichwill stand the acid test of stress and conflicting ambitions. Indisillusioned diplomacy, ample armament, and universal military trainingalone will be found the solution of the world's difficulties. It willnot be a perfect solution, because humanity is not perfect. It will notabolish war, because war is the expression of a natural human tendency.But it will at least produce an approximate stability of social andpolitical conditions, and prevent the menace of the entire world by thegreed of any one of its constituent parts.

  REPORTS OF OFFICERS

  PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

  Fellow-Amateurs:--

  The conclusion of an administrative year is naturally a time forretrospection rather than for announcement and planning, and seldom maywe derive more satisfaction from such a backward glance than at thepresent period.

  The United has just completed a twelvemonth which, though not notablefor numerousness of publications or expansion of the membership list,will nevertheless be long remembered for the tone and quality of itsliterature, and the uniformly smooth maintenance of its executiveprogramme. The virtual extirpation of petty politics, and theelimination of all considerations save development of literary taste andencouragement of literary talent, have raised our Association to a newlevel of poise, harmony, dignity, and usefulness to the seriousaspirant.

  Prime honours must be awarded to our Official Editor and OfficialPublisher, who have given us an official organ unequalled andunapproached in the history of amateur journalism. The somewhat alterednature of contents, and radically elevated standard of editorship, markan era in the progress of the Association; since the UNITED AMATEUR isreally the nucleus of our activity and a reflection of the best in ourcurrent thought and ideals. We have this year helped to shatter thefoolish fetichism which restricts the average official organ to aboresome and needless display of facts and figures, relating to thepolitical mechanism of amateurdom. The organ has been a literary one, asbefits a literary association; and has been conducted with a soundersense of relative values than in times when amateurs seemed to placeelections and annual banquets above art, taste, and rhetoric.

  The publications of the year have been distinguished for their merit,general polish, and scholarly editorship. The percentage of crude matterappearing in print has been reduced to a minimum through the careful andconscientious critical service rendered both by the official bureau andby private individuals. The artistic standard of the United has evolvedto a point where no aims short of excellence can win unqualifiedapproval. The classics have become our sole models, and whilst even themost glaring faults of the sincere beginner receive liberalconsideration and sympathetically constructive attention, there is nolonger a seat of honour for complacent crudity. Genuine aspiration isour criterion of worth. The spirit of this newer amateur journalism issplendidly shown by such magazines of the year as =Eurus=, =Spindrift=,=The Vagrant=, and the official organ.

  Just before the close of the present term, several new publications haveappeared, amongst them a =Vagrant=, a =Conservative=, and Mr. Moloney'ssplendid first venture, =The Voice From the Mountains=. Early in thenext fiscal year will appear =The United Co-Operative=, the fruit ofthis year's planning, edited by Mrs. Jordan, Miss Lehr, Mr. J. ClintonPryor, and the undersigned. A revival of manuscript magazines,inaugurated by the appearance of Sub-Lieut. McKeag's =Northumbrian=, isin a measure solving the problems created by the high price of printing.Next month the undersigned will put into circulation =Hesperia=, atypewritten magazine designed to foster a closer relationship betweenBritish and American amateurdom.

  Judges of Award for the Laureateship contests have been appointed asfollows: Poetry, Mr. Nixon Waterman, a New-England bard who needs nointroduction to the lover of lofty and graceful expression. Verse, Dr.Henry T. Schnittkind of the Stratford Publishing Co. Essay, Prof. LewisP. Shanks of the University of Pennsylvania. Study, Mr. J. Lee Robinson,Editor of the =Cambridge Tribune=. Story, Mr. William R. Murphy of thePhiladelphia =Evening Ledger=, a former United man of the highestattainments. Editorial, Hon. Oliver Wayne Stewart,
Associate Editor of=The National Enquirer=.

  In doffing the official mantle after a year of executive endeavour, theundersigned must express regret at his inability to serve in as vigorousa manner as would the ideal President. He is acutely conscious of hisshortcomings in a position which demands constant care and exertion, andwhich imposes a strain that only the robust are perfectly qualified tobear. It would be impossible for him fully to express his gratitude tohis faithful and capable colleagues, to whose unremitting andfaultlessly co-ordinated efforts all the successes of the present yearmust in justice be attributed. Valete!

  H. P. LOVECRAFT, President. June 26, 1918.