The Daily Missoulian., 1917-08-12
A New
Social
Invention

Definite action for a public forum
| in Missoula will hc taken this week by
| several citizens interested In free dis
cussion of social and political questions
as a means to unity in the present ma
tional emergency. In this connection
tho following article, which appeared
in the Independent of May under the
signature OF Agnes S. Rrundin, nsso-
Gintc secretary of the Congress of
Forums. will be of interest:
The Industrial age is producing new
kind OF man. The tendency in n ma
chine age Is mechanical. yet today
there is evolving new typc--the type
which is eliminating tn" idea Of the i'm
possible. With the Imagination born
oi living in nm age OF experiment and
invention. mon are making an expert
mcnt Of democracy. TO establish the
possibility that human beings can con-
troll the social and economic conditions
under which they exist. This expert
ment is called the Open Forum.
Peter cooper. who established Coop
cr Union In New York City, In 1854. was
probably reaching further into the fnI-
inre than he realized: and when
Charles Sprague Smith held the first
forum meeting in 1897 a beginning in
applied democracy was made which
was to gain momentum until today
over 100 open forums throughout the
United States and Canada are in .tc-
tive existence. with prospects OF a ma
tional movement OF unrcalizcd scope
and influence
The movement is especially active in
and about New York and Boston. where
the New York Congress of Forums and
the Boston Ford Hail foundation oper-
ate. Twenty five New York forums
got together in Febraury. 1916, and
formed the Congress of Forums. Inc.
with headquarters at II West Eleventh
| street. for the purpose Of co-opera-
. tion and to assist other forums which
! were being established The congress
built up n national advisory board of
, representative men from the various
! political, economic educational and re =
! ligious groups VINO see in the move
| ment a democratic method which
! promises to have a large share in shap-
| ing the national thought of the future
and in bringing about an adjustment
between different conflicting elements
| in society. The congress has Il staff
! of workers in charge. who are doing
their utmost to respond to the hun
| dreds of inquiries on establishing new
| forums which have come into the of :
! flee from all parts of the country dur
| ing the past few months.
While the orthodox churches are at
| tanlipc 70 h. Sniyfnp1 NoA1S n the
people, while the schools are failing to
keep step with modern industrial life,
! the open forum is here as a democratic
| institution of the people. From the
! open forum platform the expert de-
| livcrS his message to people of every
| race. of every shade Of political and
! religious adherence who in turn. may
| nncstion him. discuss with him, or
differ with him. To gain some idea OF
the real worth oi a problem affecting
the welfare Of society. Nor is the wei
come limited 10 the expert and the
practical man: it includes the man with
n vision "A plan untricd.
| Who're q forum has been in opera =
tion for any length Of time. II decided
| effect upon the people has been no.
ticcd. There is more tolerance toward
! other views. more sympathetic interest
| in the lives of others. regardless of race
or religions: more knowledge OF ideas
other than those expressed In partisa
newspapers. In churches. in schools or
! In the home. Here men ana women
! think for themselves. feel a new self
| confidence. a new self respect. new
responsibility toward themselves and
! toward society. In truth. here Is tn"
| now democracy which every America II
! has held as an ideal and which has
! caused the oppressed Of every land ia
| look to America as n land of promise