# The O-Wash-Ta-Nong/Volume 3/Number 1/United we Fall - Divided we Stand

United we Fall - Divided we Stand
There may be a mystic lure to some about this consolidation of all amateur press organizations into one association. The only way a consolidation could be effected, it must be admitted, is for all members of all associations to accept and support such a plan. Should a few members not wish to join a new and enlarged association, what is to stop them from organizing one or more independent associations?
Some day “planned economy” may even reach its tenacles into the field of our hobby, and force changes, or even obliterate amateur journalism on the grounds of its being competitive, sponsoring freedom of speech and individualism, and because of its not being necessary to the nation’s welfare.
There are at present about two hundred and twenty-five active members on the National’s list, I estimate nearly as many more for the United, and about half as many for the American, thus arriving at an approximate five hundred amateurs.
This total is under normal for the two older organizations. The National should be around the four hundred and fifty mark, and the United, not far behind. So a healthy condition, based upon this assumption would give a consolidated membership of nearly a thousand.
Up to this point the idea looks interesting, as naturally the income from dues would assure the publishing of a monthly official organ and, leave some for recruiting. Still, the added work made necessary by such a large number of members would need to be on an efficient basis with the services of a paid secretary. While this might be effected on a low salary basis, without office costs other than stationery and incidentals, even so, it would be a serious load.
Granted we could hurdle these obstacles, there remains the question of supplying upwards of a thousand copies of each paper issued, mailed to as many different addresses. How many would mail 1,000 papers ​in a personal mailing?
We could have a mailing bureau as we do now, to settle this phase of the problem, granting that our publishers would open their hearts and print from two to several times the usual number which they now print. A subsidized mailing bureau might offset this to some extent.
Such an organization would lean more toward adult work, and would be less attractive to youth. In our less highly organized organization this has been pointed out as a disadvantage to progress many times. The attraction for youth must be foremost.
The National has experienced one split in its membership over the result of an election, while the United has had three, or more, and very likely a larger association would be more subject to such divisions, with even better prospects for the dissenters to survive.
Personally, our objections are that a Greater Amateur Press Association would make a “business” of our hobby so much of its lure to us, would be gone. Such a condition might help to interest more people, but commercialism would gradually make conditions different. “The days of chivalry” for our hobby would be gone forever.
We have been a member of the United, and one of the best friendships we ever made in the hobby was with a United member. We have never believed in depreciating any amateur association, feeling that we were all riding the same hobby. We see no reason for not following a “live and let live” policy and giving only good natured rivalry.
The forgoing comments are our own personal views. We have no idea how many others feel as we do, or how many disagree. It would be interesting to have some letters on the subject, and we will be glad to print them.
By G. W. Macauley