May 19, 1964
Hon. Phillip Burton,
1622 House Office Bldg., Box A,
Washington 15, D. C.
Dear Congressman Burton:
I wish to thank you for your communication as well as the list of Agricultural bulletins. I marked a number of them and then noticed a preference for the limit of five. However I wish to use these bulletins in my giant project: “How California Can Help Asia.” And perhaps, from the news below you will be willing to obtain them.
But it is even more from your assignment on the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee that many of the projects before me will be of interest to you both as a member of this committee and otherwise.
On May 15-17 inclusive, there was a gathering of scientists from all parts of the nation discussing problems of “Food and Civilization.” And it was most timely that one or the main projects discussed was introduced by Prof. Revelle, Dean of research and Director of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at San Diego whose subject was: “Salt, Water end Civilization.”
It just happens that he covered almost the same territory I did; faced the same problems, but has not a clear picture of solutions. Dr. Seymour Farber came up to me during the convention and said, “Well, you had your problem discussed.” I told him, “Yes, I am going to send Revelle a complete report and send you a carbon.”
Prof. George L. Mehren, who was long connected with the University of California and is now Asst. Secretary of Agriculture also spoke at length and brought up problems—not answers—and I believe I can give him some answers. In turn, he has extended a willingness to give all assistance and introductions when I reach Washington. Although I am now going to Western Pennsylvania, I am waiting for colleagues from Pakistan before going on to Washington and New York—which may take place later in the year.
On the final day Dr. William Vogt, the well known conservationist, not only spoke but read my name and work into the record. He gave particular attention to the work of Ford Foundation and I happened to have a copy of their efforts in India with me—I have been their guest.
What Prof. Mehren did not know is that a colleague of mine is planning to go to Pakistan if arrangements can be made, to handle the problems of saline soils and salt water conversion. He is Bryn Beorse and has done research on these subjects at Berkeley, Richmond and UCLA. Mehren is very pessimistic about salt-water conversion but this week’s copy of “Time” has a whole advertising page devoted to it.
Recently Dr. Bothmann of the American Friends of the Middle East came and spoke of the impasse on the Jordan waters. During the discussion I presented my program which is a combination of the efforts of my friend, Beorse and myself. It was accepted at once by the speaker and the audience and more information was requested. It has been my experience (nothing second hand here) to have discussed these matters in detail with UAR officials, with at least one Saudian Arab and with men on the staff of General Burns looking after the Palestine refuge. They all agreed that the programs preferred would mean a recognition of Israel by the Arab world—with some psychological but not territorial changes of policy. But all efforts to have even the slightest paper accepted by Americans and British and especially those on so-called “Peace” organizations have been sharply rebuffed—they have refused even to examine these schemes.
My own thesis holds that the solution of the water and soil problems of California would lay down patterns to be followed elsewhere, with or without direct aid. Unfortunately, the wonderful survey of Dr. Milton Fireman of the University of California, now at Davis, has been pigeon-holed and this is not the only wonderful survey that has been pigeonholed—first person direct knowledge, no hearsay.
When I returned from my first tour of Asia, every report was accepted by the late Hon. Henry F. Grady who was still alive—and then dead-ended, excepting for Asia Foundation. The direct experiences of American citizens in Asia which criss-crosses, in any respect, so-called “foreign policy” is a priori rejected.
All one has to do is to read the works of Nicol Smith on Tibet and then that of Lowell Thomas. We believed Thomas, we rejected Smith despite his “Burma Road” and we have “lost” one country in Asia after another and will continue to do so, so long as the State Department, regardless of party in power, considers some Americans as “more equal” than others.
I have met now perhaps half a million Asians all told and this conference of scientists, if you please, has been the first one that recognizes the facts of life. And adhering to water problems alone, we must come to grips with this reality.
The State Department is also officially unaware of a recent peasants’ revolt in East Pakistan. It came over the fertilizer problems and the pseudo-attempts to solve (?) them. This thing also occurred in Hong Kong and S. E. Asia and is one of the factors—concealed of course, for anti-American feelings with which the Russians are not the least concerned.
Sometime the practicing farmer has more answers than the “experts” and I have discovered some in turning the State. A group of farmers—and previously the Four-H members, can do, will do as much as any other group in facing some actual problems of actual people of the actual world.
On May 28 the World Affairs Council is devoting his luncheon meeting to
problems of
contemporary China and I have invited my, or shall I say, our good friend Kwock
to attend.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
772 Clementina St.,
San Francisco 3, Calif.
February 26, 1968
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California 94110
Dear Mr. Lewis:
This will acknowledge and thank you for your recent letter and the copy of your letter to Dr. G.P. Malalasekera.
I appreciate, as always, the benefit of your views. The free and open discussions of which you speck are essential in a free society and I have confidence that truth will always survive in the free and open market place of ideas.
Kindest personal regards,
Sincerely,
Phil Burton
May 14, 1968
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California 94110
Dear Mr. Lewis:
This will acknowledge and thank you for your recent letter and the enclosure of your letter to Mrs. Henry F. Grady.
Mrs. Grady is one of the fine ladies of San Francisco and I was most pleased that she had decided to take an active part in Senator Kennedy’s campaign.
I appreciate, as always, your most candid views. Kindest personal regards,
Sincerely,
Phil Burton
June 7, 1968
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Mr. Lewis:
Thank you very much for your letter regarding making friends in Asia and also for the copy of your letter to the Senators from California.
As usual, you present a great deal of interesting information and observations and you may be assured that they will be kept in mind as these international matters are considered in Congress.
Best personal regards,
Sincerely,
Phil Burton
June 24, 1968
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis 410 Precita
San Francisco, California
Dear Sam,
Belatedly, thank you for your assistance in the primary and your participation in my reception. Your friendship and support are most sincerely appreciated.
Kindest personal regards.
Sincerely,
Phil Burton
July 17, 1968
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California 94110
Dear Samuel:
This will acknowledge and thank you for your recent letter. I appreciate, as always, having the benefit of your views.
I thought you might be interested in the enclosed copy of my most recent remarks on the floor of the House when voting for supplemental appropriations for Vietnam.
Sincerely,
Phil Burton
Member of Congress
Congressional Record
Vol. 114 No. 99
Washington, Tuesday, June 11, 1968
House of Representatives
HON. PHILLIP BURTON
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The War in Vietnam
Mr. BURTON of California. Mr. Chairman, it is regrettable that in addition to the major thrust of this supplemental appropriation bill, which provides funding for escalation of the war in Vietnam, that there is included in the bill additional routine funding of various domestic programs, which domestic programs I, of course, support.
If these domestic program funding items were in a separate bill, as they normally are and should be, I would vote in support of this supplemental bill-but such is not the case.
Mr. Chairman, as I did on May 5, 1965, again on March 1, 1966, and again on March 2, 1967, I must once more rise in opposition to a request for supplemental funds to pursue the war in Vietnam. All that I have said before on these occasions could be repeated and reaffirmed now. It is true now and it was true then, that “we pursue a futile attempt to achieve, by force of arms, solutions to problems which are not primarily military but essentially political, economic, and social.”
The cost in lives, in human sacrifice and suffering, in dollars which could be more wisely and humanely spent and in terms of the almost irreparable damage we do the fabric of our own free society, must cause us to reassess the role we have assumed, for whatever reason, in Vietnam.
At a time when this Nation, mourning the tragic death of one of its vital, young leaders, seeks answers to the causes of violence within our society, is it not apparent to all but those who dare not see, that this war bears great responsibility for the atmosphere in which we find ourselves? By our conduct, we have affirmed that in the affairs of nations, war and violence are acceptable instruments in solving differences. Is it any wonder that in the affairs of men, resorting to violence becomes more frequent?
Do we not collectively bear some responsibility for demeaning the value of human life by our actions, which in the first 5 months of this year cost 8,342 Americans, 8,645 South Vietnamese and 107,941 Vietcong and North Vietnamese lives? Are we not as a people and as a society brutalized by so gigantic a slaughter of humanity?
The numbers continue to rise. U.S. casualties for the period 1960 through 1964 were 255 fatalities, an average of approximately four per month. In 1965 they rose to 1,365 or about 114 per month. 1966 saw 5,008 deaths, average 417 per month. In 1967 the toll rose to 9,378 averaging 781 per month. Through May of this year, U.S. fatalities totaled 8,342—an average of 1,668 American deaths per month.
Even as we have moved to the conference table the scale of the war we wage continues to escalate, to become more brutal. As negotiations commenced in Paris on May 13, U.S. combat deaths for the period May 12 to June 1 were 1,409 and 8,839 wounded in that same period.
In a war that General Westmoreland just this week said could not be won in the classic military sense, we continue to sacrifice our youth and brutalize our society.
In a decade which opened with hope and promise, we have seen, in large measure, that hope give way to despair and promises remain unfulfilled as more and more of our resources were drained for war.
The efforts to rebuild our cities have been diminished as moneys are spent to destroy cities and the countryside of Vietnam.
The efforts to relieve suffering and the ravages of poverty in our own society have been subjected to curtailment and cutbacks as the drain of dollars for the war has taken its toll.
We can know the direct Defense Department expenditures on the war but the
additional costs of this policy are incalculable; 1965 saw $103 million spent
on the war, 1966 $5.8 billion, 1967 $20.1 billion, and conservative estimates
for 1968 project an expenditure of $28.1 billion, which many
believe will be as high as $30 billion.
Troop strength reflects this same escalation. On May 5, 1965, when I voted
against the first supplemental appropriation, we had 42,000 men in Vietnam. At
the end of 1965 we had 165,000 men committed in Vietnam. There were 389,000 in
1966. There were 486,000 in 1967 and 533,000 as of
June 1, 1968.
American wounded figures reflect this same continuing upward spiral; 6,110 wounded in 1965, 30,093 wounded in 1966, 62,004 wounded in 1967, 50,470 wounded during the first 5 months this year.
Yet with this continuing expenditure of money, increasing commitment of troops, the wounding of more and more men, the loss of more and more lives, we continue to sink deeper and deeper into this conflict. Even now as negotiations take place we are asked today to vote more funds for war.
Can we hope that negotiations will be fruitful in the face of this action?
Let us pause and reflect on the course that we pursue, the price we have already paid, and the apparently open-ended commitment we are repeatedly asked to supplement.
Is it not time to say let us disengage?
Is it not time to act in such a way as to de-escalate the conflict?
How much more of the lifeblood of this Nation must be shed?
How many more needs of our people must go unmet and promises of a better life go unfulfilled?
How long must we wait before we heed the voices of men and women of good will who across this Nation call for peace?
It is my conscience and their voice which I respond to today in once again voting against funds to pursue and extend this conflict.
February 11, 1969
To the office of
Hon, Phillip Burton,
450 Golden Gate Ave.
San Francisco, Calif., 94102
Attention Mrs. Kennedy:
My dear Suzan. Confirming our telephonic conversation. There is something in my private life that may become public and once it becomes public may prove to be a veritable powder keg. Playboy Magazine for March 1969, out in about two weeks, has a long article on the cults of California (evidently this magazine is quite unaware that I was once a professional reporter in this very field).
A leading article almost begins with reference to “Sam Lewis”; they call me by this name, no objection. They also give the residence but refer to this house in a most untrue, unfair, and misleading manner. Part of the article is quite true being almost verbatim what I actually said but scoffing at this and referring both to myself and to certain persons in the audience in manners to which the medical profession could take offense. There is much difference between criticizing the foibles or even the character of the person to giving him a medical diagnosis—in this case totally untrue, and printing it for public consumption.
I do not know about many of the cults referred to. I am described as a Sufi, which is true. I belong to the same movement as the Presidents of India and Pakistan and to notables of other countries generally referred to as Islamic. My work in the field of religions has been enormous. I never speak against any religion; in fact I am leaving the house shortly to lecture on Jesus Christ and mystical Christianity.
None of this would matter but—there are more Sufis in this world than there are Vietnamese Buddhists. There are more Vietnamese Buddhists that there are Israelis. I am not alluding to quality; I am referring to general statistics, quantitative numbers.
Our foreign office and our press and what we call “realism” is not concerned with the hard facts of life. Thus at the moment the Iraqis are deliberately persecuting and I mean persecuting Jews—I mean Jews per se and not just Israelis. The center of Sufism for all practical purposes is in Baghdad. Sufis had much to do with the establishment of this country (vide Gertrude Bell). I know what I am talking about and I know far more, regrettably, than too many men in the foreign office holding high positions. They are interested in policies not facts. I am interested in facts and the policy of the foreign office is not in my hands.
But if and when a copy of Playboy gets into the hands of any Iraqi or for that matter Arab, or if there is a suit against Playboy on this matter there will be hell to pay.
I am not in politics. There was a delegation from a Jewish Sunday School here last week. I regret to say I found them more interested in Sufism than in their own faith. I regret even more to find their leaders interested in my personality which is a matter of no import. What is of importance is to bring peace and understanding into this world. There are no signs of it in the press and our common views on general foreign policies need not be discussed here.
I feel it proper to write to the State Department. I have never gotten any satisfaction from the State Department. All warnings about attacks on our embassies, etc., have been shunned. Of course I do not know what the present administration desires. I am all for the Four Power Pact to bring peace in the Near East, but I can hardly be reconciled to a foreign office which ignore its own citizens.
Furthermore, and most unfortunately, my being connected with the real Sufis of the real Orient has resulted in my being excluded from presumable East-West Conferences in this country. We have already lost the good will of most Asian and African Nations—there are plenty of Sufis on both of these continents.
But I do not wish to take any action yet which might be detrimental to a progressive cause. I am therefore writing this before I send anything to senator Cranston’s Office. Nor shall I write anything to the State Department yet until I can properly advise Sen. Cranston. In another day I knew the complete California delegation to Congress. What is needed, however, is the acceptance occasionally of hard fasts not of personalities.
It is regrettable also that the B’nai Brith, organized to prevent defamation against Jews, does not agree with me that any and all defamation is indefensible.
I do not know how clear this is. There is plenty of time. The March issue of Playboy may not be out for two weeks.
Otherwise, all my affairs are going along very well indeed. Why, I may be able to deliver a large packet of votes next year. This is not a very comforting approach to a policy, but it is opportunistic and will not be ignored.
With kindest regards,
Samuel L. Lewis
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
Feb. 18, 1969
Hon. Philip Burton
House office Building Washington, D.C.
My dear Phil:
It used to be that only a million dollars could make suggestions, and now it is a million votes. I have never intended to work openly in the fields where you are engaged but the way matters stand now I am consciously or unconsciously bringing recruits both intentionally and unintentionally. My campaign “Joy without Drugs” is gaining more and more adherents, practically all young.
I am now appearing in the Haight-Ashbury district and expect soon to be in Golden Gate Park. So far the police have not objected to my efforts. So far the Fourth Estate has ignored it all. But Playboy magazine has not. There is an article “Cultsville USA” in the March issue and I am mentioned in it. Our first impression was to seek some emolument for derogatory remarks. But considering the fact that in foreign affairs, Asian ones in particular, we are so far from the objectivity Rand-McNally must have, that the mere fact of being mentioned is something.
I am enclosing a copy of a letter to the State Department. It may also interest you that after Time said we were getting nowhere in the Paris negotiations, I wrote them that I have yet to meet a Vietnamese with whom I have not reached almost immediate understanding. This has perplexed Time. But it has not perplexed the Vietnamese. I have been invited by them to address the School of Languages and also the general public in and around Monterey because of my background in Asian Philosophies of Asians. This is what I am doing for the young here and now.
Fortunately, there are now departments and courses at the University of California which permit, nay invite, objective studies of the Asia of reality. This will help us go a long way toward establishing peace or at least understanding.
Cordially,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
March 29, 1969
Hon. John Burton,
5144 State Capitol,
Sacramento, Calif. 95814
Dear Assemblyman Burton:
This is to acknowledge your report for the month of March and as an encouragement to let you know that by and large I am in full accord and agreement with you on every single subject, down to details, with one possible exception and even here we may not differ:
San Francisco State College: I have been unwittingly an eye-witness of dramas occurring both on the Berkeley and San Francisco campuses and under our very strange culture this is considered the very worst background from which to make remarks. In crime we expect only eye-witnesses or those involved to testify; in the campus brawls it is totally different.
I am not only in favor of stopping “political absenteeism” from controlling colleges and universities. I am in favor of stopping all absenteeism but do not know how it can be done.
No doubt you agree that the acumen of students today is much greater than a few years back. You may also agree that the acumen of instructors is high—I am of the extreme that the universities have the highest intellectual and sometimes even the highest moral and spiritual leaders of the day. This is based on having visited many campuses but especially being in California.
I do not agree that the representatives of the Fourth Estate have any such backgrounds—intellectual, moral or spiritual. We cannot argue on the last two points but the control of intellectual institutions by non-intellectuals or those of much less knowledge is the biggest obstacle to our social and scientific growth. Men who could not pass college examination tests have the “liberty” not only to speak freely, but to advise and even control. While those who are qualified to give such tests are seldom heard from.
Equal Rights on Air for University Students: I think some legal means must be had that every radio and television station which provides any time to any non-student in regard to any subject under discussion on any campus should be by law compelled to give equal time to some student.
We have on our statute books laws or requirements which compel TV and radio stations to give equal time to disputants on political problems, especially partisan ones. We have no such laws in regard to student matters.
In the case of San Francisco State, plenty of time is given to TV officials, to senior minority leaders, to supporters of far out groups who themselves are not usually enrolled at the college, and very little time is given to the students themselves or to the officers of student bodies who certainly represent the majority of students insofar as there is any form of representation.
When I was at San Francisco State we had a student revolt. It succeeded. It was a student revolt, not a revolt provoked from the outside. In this generation, too, I have friends who lead successful student-revolts. Not only were these revolts successful but no property damage was involved, no outsiders of any kind.
If we are going to let outsiders—quasi-communists, editors, news reports, etc., etc. and a flock of etc., to have time on the air in any way I believe we must provide time for a few students, especially their elected officers of their student bodies. We have today everything but representative governments involved in the campus brawls.
It is interesting that the majority of students at the Berkeley campus and also the majority of students at the San Francisco State campus have not even been given minority time on the air. Until, of course, it was all over and the issues became dormant (not settled, but dormanted).
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco. Calif.
April 9, 1969
Hon. Phillip Burton
House Office Building.
Washington. D.C.
Dear Phil:
The Problem of Our Asian Relations (cont.)
Lord Snow has predicated two cultures, which he calls humanist and scientific. The same trend is found in the remarks of several of the columnists in the local “Chronicle” who, while they belong, because of their professor to the ‘humanist’ group, nevertheless realize there is a vast difference between the subjective “realism” of the day and actualities.
Recently the Hindu students had a picnic and not a single one of our local “experts” on Indian culture was there. And I had reason to look up some items in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and found not a single one of these “experts” listed. I easily passed my “entrance examination” to this more important institution.
We now have the continued plights of Pakistan and the prolonged impasses in the Near East and Vietnam. In facing these problems everything is of importance but basic facts and basic factors. We read continuously of “left wing” leaders in Pakistan, where there are practically no social service laws, no suitable labor laws, no grand movements which we have seen in this country and especially since the regimes of the late president Roosevelt (and to a certain extent the Democratic president that followed him.) We prefer to be muddled or misled by “important” persons than to have information at our command.
After my meeting the other night a friend appeared and told us that the CIA had offered large sums to anybody that would teach Oriental Philosophy to diplomats. I think I have already told you, that one received nothing but blastings from the Foreign Office for attempting a Pakistan-India peace feeling and they called in Kosygin.
We have made a timid step forward in the Four Power talks on the Near East. These must be implemented. Our Nation, misled by newspaper reports, and particularly newspaper reports from British and European sources, has no basis to bring about a better understanding excepting the one policy which we have absolutely and adamantly refused to consider: Call in consultation those Americans who have lived in the countries involved.
We have spent untold billions in Vietnam and lost many lives simply because our Foreign Office and press adamantly and absolutely refused to accept the reports of my long deceased friend, Robert Clifton, who lived there. And even now we have refused to accept the work and even existence of Rev. J. Eugene Wagner of this city, secretary and companion of the aforesaid Robert Clifton. Rev. Wagner may have been the “guru” of the Maharani of Sikkim, but we do not permit a “little fact” like this to interfere with our “foreign policy,” or reliance on European and British newsmen for our “information.” Any English or European news reporter may have access to our Embassies and USIS centers and be listened to carefully. Americans are not so treated. They are “interiors.”
We cannot have peace in the world until we have information and until our American citizens abroad are treated as full human beings. Nor can we have exchange and understanding until we listen more to Asians (and others.)
I was told by various leaders of the so-called “Third World” group here that they wanted Asian courses taught by Asians; African courses taught by Africans, etc. on the same or similar basis that we have European courses taught by Europeans. Of course this may not all be candor or honesty but it is well worth considering. I am glad to say that my last classes in Asian problems were addressed only by Asians and by Americans who have lived in Asia and studies with Asians.
In the scientific part of our culture facts are wanted and information is sought. In the non-scientific part of our culture prestige and pressure are to the fore. It might be well for us to learn a little about both Arabs and Israelis and stop pious sentiments. Now the pressure is to get into Biafra. Where will it end?
The Oracle will be out shortly. I am told, which has some material from this person. It will mean sooner or later that the young people will accept the experiences of the little man who has been there, rather than the opinions of the fly-by-night important persons. My audiences are slowly but steadily increasing in numbers and even my financial circumstances are eased. I do not have to beg any more, but to see war after war, misunderstanding after misunderstanding arise when we could have the information and knowledge if we adapted methods akin to those of the sciences and scientists, is not going to pass unnoticed. The generation gap is only too often a gap between “realism” and Reality.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
cc-ISGS
cc-Cranstone
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
May 2, 1969
Hon. Phillip Burton
House Office Building, Washington, D. C.
Dear Phil:
There are two dominant arguments in contemporary “Logic” which are money and followers. In the law-courts and in scientific conferences, conclusions are reached from evidences but generally not otherwise. And this is one of the main causes for the “generation” gap which is not so much a generation gap, but that the young, compelled by their elders to repeat: “One Nation under God with liberty and justice for All” (which was not the Pledge of Allegiance by us oldsters) have actually come to believe we should have One Nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Oldsters are they who want the words, and juveniles are they who want the reality.
Every single week this year without exception my income has gone up slightly and the total of audiences has gone up slightly. This, of course is not news. Three hundred young people causing a fracas on the Berkeley campus is world news and no nonsense. Over three hundred, considerably over three hundred being turned away from an Indian film festival, and not a word in the press! I can tell you that KPFA and the Tribune are brothers under the skin and both are staunch supporters of “realism” as against Reality.
I now have no less than eight sessions a week trying to present the Asian-Asian philosophies to the American people, at least to the young. The last effort has been the hardest—out in the Haight-Ashbury district, but yesterday the audience reached at least 40 and not a challenge. One had to acquaint them with some hard facts of Asian history—not generally taught— and then stressed the hard, hard fact, that “left,” “center” and “right” have alike universally refused lectures and papers on Vietnamese culture. No wonder Hon. Hugh Scott wants out; a lot of people want out. If we are going to tangle ourselves in somebody else’s backyard we should at least learn whom that somebody else is. We have refused; our whole culture has refused excepting … (which is very important).
Someone told me that the State Department has offered high sums for anybody that could instruct the foreign office in Asian philosophies. Of course one does not know what is going on but this is hardly in line with “foreign policy” no matter which party is in, or for that matter if any of the minority groups would come to office. “Realism” is utterly far from Reality.
Now The Oracle is out. This also began as a Haight-Ashbury adventure, and somewhere along the line it failed. Now almost the whole issue is dedicated to this person or to his closest friends and associates, something which “realists” will have to accept even if they do not accept “us.” One does not know what the sale will be but a copy will soon be in the hands of your San Francisco office. Why, even my picture is in it and I am in the cartoons, but a greatly changed “front” so my old friends and acquaintances will not recognize me excepting for my short height. (I still have the stentorian voice which persists.)
How California Can Help Asia. This, of course, is not news. A number of years ago I called on the official historian and told him his history was marvelous but his “problems” were terrible because every single one of them had been faced and even solved by professors or teams of the “multiversity.” You never heard about that.
Now my relations with the professors at both the University of California and San Francisco State has reached a high plateau. And I have been moved to find a department at Berkeley which has listed all the literature and Projects of the professors and is going ahead on this theme. This is only one of the examples of accomplishments which, of course, is not-news. Everything encountered lately at the University is contraction, including the solution of most of the problems aroused bySilent Spring. (I have been a professional spray operator and horticulturalist too and therefore am not welcomed at discussions in this field. We seem to want excitement and problems and not solutions; and we have the solutions but try to impress editors and publishers!)
Fortunately, the Alumni Association is beginning a campaign to publicize accomplishments, so much greater than the “excitement” procedures which have convinced the Birchites that education is nothing but a process in subversion. The extremists agree in blatancy, and also in a suppressing information.
With The Oracle out and with the May celebration at my Novato place I may never be in obscurity again. We are combining the Buddhist Wesak Day with effort to restore the old May Day festival. We have a pole and a number of dances choreographed by myself. We intend to work to restore old folk festivals. At the opposite pole of the year we wish to restore All Saints Day and get rid of this blackmailing “tricks or treat” which has no foundation in history or mythology.
The Oracle is also for my American-American philosophy. I think there is a whole page for Emerson. I am for Emerson, Whitman, James, Pierce, Thoreau, Hawthorne and a lot of forgotten men and here I find an enormous portion of the young in accord.
Oriental Documents. So far have been unable to find a publisher or professor willing to accept until recently. I studied Chinese Buddhism under the Great Master, Tai Hsu, whose fame and efforts are not being resurrected. My present teacher in Buddhism, the Korean Seo Kyung Bo was also a disciple of this great man. My theme that we might learn Oriental philosophies from Orientals will not be changed. We have to adopt the same attitude toward Asians as we do to Europeans only I, born in this city, have always looked to Asia. And still do.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
cc: Lim P. Lee
cc: Arthur Hoppe
May 16, 1969
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Sam:
This will acknowledge and thank you for your recent letter. It was, as always, good to hear from you, and to get the benefit of your views.
Kindest personal regards.
Sincerely,
Philip Burton
June 2, 1969
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Sam:
Thanks very much for your letter which was most interesting. I do hope you will continue to keep me posted.
Sincerely,
Phil Burton
Member of Congress
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California 94110
October 1, 1969
Dear Sam:
This will acknowledge and thank you for your kind letter. As always, it is good to have your views.
Kindest personal regards,
Phil Burton
Member of Congress
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco. Calif.
October 4, 1969
Hon. Phillip Burton
428 House Office Building,
Washington. D.C.
My dear Phil:
Thank you for your letter of the 1st. I am acknowledging it because it gives one the opportunity to send a copy of a letter just written to Ted Sorenson which just appeared in the Saturday Review.
I personally believe, along with Lord Snow, that we have two cultures; one depending on participation and other on opinions. And generally the opinions of important persons are placed way above the experiences of lesser persons. And calling this land a “democracy,” it is causing endless confusion.
In the worlds of science and technology on the one hand and in the law-courts on the other, only participants are presumably permitted to testify. But in the vast areas of the so-called “social science” prestige alone matters.
You must understand then, that the young are in revolt and now this person, among others, is being called on more and more by the young to express his experiences (which elders spurn) and philosophy (which is not so important but which elders also spurn and for that reason it is most welcomed by the young).
As matters stand I should be going, along with associates, to Istanbul next year and I am waiting to find out whether we go to New York or Washington first. I cannot ask you for more time than may be available, but should be assigned to some secretary or colleague to place the cards on the table.
Sooner or later my biography or autobiography will appear and it will make Zola’s J’Accuse look like a Sunday school theme. The young are not going to stand for these endless wars—from which small groups profit. They want a world in which they can live and let others live. And what is going on in the class-rooms of the colleges and universities never gets into the papers. It is sublime.
Faithfully,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif.
October 17, 1969
Hon. Phillip Burton
Federal Building,
450 Golden Gate Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif. 94102
My dear Phil:
I have been watching very closely news concerning your efforts especially in behalf of peace and understanding. There are some curious types of rank dishonesty, such as the Heart papers claiming to show a way out of the “generation gap.” And it was refreshing to find some newsmen also in the protest lines.
At the present moment my affairs are prospering in most directions and point to attendance at a conference of all the world’s religions at Istanbul, Turkey, next year. It is a sad thing that this conference has to be held outside the boundaries of a land which regards Thomas Jefferson as perhaps the greatest of its founding fathers. We simply do not permit an open conference of the world’s religions, although the theme was first offered in Chicago at the Columbian Exposition in 1893. It seems that since then any effort in that direction has to be supervised by the State Department.
True, there was a reason for this that the Japanese Government used presumably prelates as spies prior to the War. But we still exclude representatives of certain faiths, or what is worse, have non-American, Non- Asians dominate the teachings of some of Asian religions in the great institutions of the land.
My immediate reason for writing was the receipt of a letter from a Vietnamese friend. I shall try to provide a program for him some Sunday night soon. I am not only for peace through friendship with the Vietnamese people, I have met more and more civilians who have visited that unhappy land and concluded that they are beautiful people. And we, despite our spending billions of dollars, have not given a single thought to the contributions of the Vietnamese to world-civilization.
I have been one of the chief speakers at The Family Dog at Ocean beach and spoke to, I understand, 1500 young people. I have given them two aphorisms which our Hearts simply cannot understand:
(a.) Youth of the World, Unite, You Have Nothing to Lose!
(b.) Dance Together instead of March Together!
I shall soon be reappearing in the Haight-Ashbury district. My work with the young is to instruct them in the real cultures of real Asia, and very gradually this is seeping through the minds of men at home and abroad, with the climax, presumably next year.
The news of my affairs plus the rejections by previous generations is also reaching the leading poets of the area, who themselves are becoming more and more steeped in Asian cultures. My general theme to American people has been the integrations of American-American philosophy with Asian-Asian philosophy. This looks very simple, but I never met a USIS librarian abroad that was acquainted with the books on American philosophies by Americans (Emerson, Whitman, the James family, Pierce, Keyser, Reiser, etc.) This is too complicated and specialized to take up.
But what is not so complicated is that I am actually attending classes at “Hayakawa” State College as an authority on Asian culture! And my relations with the American-born instructors in all branches of Asian cultures is a friendly and warm as it was not with non-American, non-Asian “experts” who are gradually disappearing.
Yet it is this sort of person who has brain-washed our “Peace Cops” recruits and misled them.
I believe that the youth of America is more intelligent than the youth of previous generations or even previous ages. With all their shortcomings, I see in them the hope of the world.
At least the Hitler government had “gauleiters,” who were trained in the cultures of lands they in intended to invade. We just invade and the excuses about Laos are both more comical and more potentially tragic than anything in previous history.
I am sure if the weather had been better the turnouts would have been greater all over the country. There is so much going on that does not reach the press or radio-TV. There is a vast difference between the “destroy property” invaders of our campuses. They seize the headlines, but the student bodies all over the country, by their unreported elections, are showing exactly where the trends are.
I shall keep you informed of any physical movements. My visits to New Mexico and any appearance before the young here may be indicative of what may at presented to a world conference, not dominated by our press and foreign office.
Faithfully,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
October 20, 1969
Hon Phillip Burton
Federal Building
450 Golden Gate Ave.
San Francisco 94102
Dear Phil:
I hope you saw the article in yesterday’s paper: the British commentary on President Nixon. This person stands in such utter contrast to that very great soul, the late Winston Churchill. In one sense I feel a capacity to contrast these two men, for I was already aware of Churchill by 1903, not exactly yesterday. I was also a friend of former congressmen Jerry Voorhees and lived at Whittier at one time, so I have excellent vantage points.
A great man has great vision and can work wonders. A little man is very glib. To assure world peace and tranquility Churchill both conquered and surrendered. Mr. Nixon seems quite incapable of either. I think you can carry it on from there. My birthday has just been celebrated; about 100 young people took part in the party at Novato, my Marin home. 50 others showed up Saturday to a party given by me, not for me, in this city. As I have been writing Art Hoppe, my campaign to become a Pied Piper is something of a wash-out, only the young show up, but more and more and more—every week more. Old people stick to “realism”; the young want realities and not war.
We are working on programs to foster better American-Asian relations and all signs point to the situation that Asians and young Americans will accept one another. The older people may continue to accept our Hearsts, our Nixons and our warmongers. Sooner or later they will have to face a type of judgment which they cannot understand. This week I am speaking at “Hayakawa State College.” Even that master-mind cannot prevent the enrolled students from finding out a little of the realities of this world. I shall keep you informed.
Sincerely,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif.
November 19, 1969
Hon. Phillip Burton,
House Office Building,
Washington, D.C.
Let Us Have War! (by the successor to President U.S. Grant)
Dear Phil:
I have nothing but new and impossible news. It is all news, it is all true and it is all impossible. I have long given up trying to reach either the State Department or the press. Now I don’t need the press. But there is a certain truth in the Vicissimo’s charges, for once a Fourth Estate man says anything, that becomes super-gospel truth, and it takes an army of testimonials to change that. For that unreason I am leaning over backwards for Mayor Alioto, for I was long ago brain-washed, and quite wrongly it would appear, that a man is innocent until he is proven guilty. Not when the Fourth Estate enters, no sir.
At the same time the Vicissimo has convinced me I must join the next moratorium, for I was also brain-washed to believe that this country was formed so we could have a government to listen to redress for grievances and now that we have dissolved President Grant we might as well take in Washington and Adams and Jefferson also; besides they wore long hair.
Last week I met in turn a Chassid Rabbi from Jerusalem, the chief Vietnamese “Zen” Master residing in this land and a teacher of Indian spiritual dancing. All fell in with my “impossible” Dances of Universal Peace. And besides, this is the land of “freedom,” opportunity,” etc. I am preparing to present these dances outside the United States, but under the direction of an American Institution, The Temple of Understanding, which is being built near Washington.
They have sent for a world conclave which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, next spring and they have already accepted and will want over forty years researches, besides the hard facts of real events in this presumably objective world. As I have written before, the direct story from Vietnam years ago was absolutely corroborated by Dulles’ appointment secretary but we hold on adamantly to that American scripture, “A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur’s Court” and therefore the war must go on and on and on because the script says so.
I am already scheduled for at least one Vietnam Day at this house, perhaps next month, so we can listen to a Vietnamese. We have heard the Hawks, we have heard the Doves, we have heard the Hawks and Doves and Squawks, but never, never a Vietnamese!
It is remarkable that there are pages and pages on the moon exploration, but hardly a word on the significance of the latest election in our most “loyal ally,” i.e. the Philippines. The government represents a majority who voted against any more western-controlled Asian policy. They seem to be withdrawing their army and unilaterally.
I personally believe our greatest mistake this whole century has been the way we have ignored the thoughts, the words, the appeals of that really great Oriental diplomat, Carlos Rumolo. I think he has put it so plainly. But it is not only our warmongers but so many, even, of our anti-war people who seem incapable of listening to Asians, which must be part of any program toward peace in and with Asians.
Our totally blind spot in considering peoples of other lands as our equals is going to get us into further trouble, or else cause the rest of the world more trouble. Only “Asian Student” has mentioned the conference of Nations, Muslims and others, who have protested against the sabotage on a sacred Mosque in Jerusalem. It is not mentioned in the press; neither Agnew nor those whom we criticize touch that subject.
We are piously saying that the Israelis and Arabs should get together—all pious words, words, words, words and more wars. What Jewish leader in this land seems willing to meet with Arabs, and for that matter what Arab leader with Israelis! The only difference seems to be that the Arabs distinguish between Jews and Zionists and non-Arab Muslims do not. They are anti-Jewish. And we are so afraid that the Russians will get in.
I tell you, Phil, the Russians will get in. I myself was sent on a peace feeler mission, from Pakistan to India and got the usual from the foreign office. So they called in Kozygin. If we do anything (but continue to give and receive peace awards) it will be a new step. It is our recalcitrance which is building the Russians up. We have no Teddy Roosevelts today who can have any Portsmouth conference, and our Republication leaders, they especially, are about as anti-Roosevelt as anti-Grant!
Now, I am not only getting ready to attend an international conference held outside the domains of the United States, but have received an invitation from a group in New England to further elucidate on views and knowledge, which views and knowledge might at least do something more than the present American policies of (liberty, democracy and humanity plus peasants, shut up!) The peasants are not going to shut up, Phil, they are going to confer as they are already.-3
The war protesters include those very brains which make this Nation great. These men are not only not in sympathy with the Administration and the V.P. but are far from the super-encyclopedic commentators against whom the Vice-President protests. The brains, the informed men, the really educated scientists and literati are going to express themselves despite the administration, despite the press and the radio-TV monopolies.
The call either to go to New England or to work with the young there is following the call to go to Istanbul and then back to various parts of this country.
Nothing is going to be gained by suppression. I admire the Greeks. I have studied Greek civilization for many years and am a great admirer of Greek food and Greek dancing. But not the suppression of freedom by scions of this marvelous people either at home or abroad.
Another group in New England of Christians (evidently) want some cooperation. I tell them and I am sure you will re-echo this, that we need nothing more today than
Blessed Are the Peacemakers.
I shall keep you informed. I am steadily but regularly getting a larger following. I am working on “Dances of Universal Peace,” rejected, of course, by the respectable of all sorts, but being joined by more and more of the young. Last week, in turn, had the most lovely meetings with a Jerusalem Rabbi, a Vietnamese “Zen” Master and the Hindu lady who teaches the spiritual dances of her land. The “respectables” don’t want them—the young welcome them and they welcome the young.
Youth of the World Unite, You Have Nothing to Lose.
Faithfully,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
February 6, 1970
Hon. Philip Burton,
428 House Office Building,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Phil:
I have just received copy of your remarks regarding the 1970 session. On the whole I am quite satisfied with your stands on nearly every subject. I am, and a lot of others also, concerned with problems of conservation and having another home in Marin county, especially with Point Reyes.
I am having no trouble at all with the young. For years have been writing Art Hoppe, that the campaign to be a Pied Piper has been a dismal failure—only the young show up. My following in basic endeavors is slowly but steadily increasing. The main item is “Dances of Universal Peace.” There are now two proposals by others to have “this work” cinematized or televised—these proposals are out of my hands, but two others, to have them choreographed, etc.
Part of the latter is in connection with the present visit of former Professor Richard Alpert of Harvard University, who now it known as Baba Ram Dass. He has been successful in reaching audiences of thousands and also raising thousands of dollars for his efforts, which will benefit me personally, directly and indirectly. Thousands come to hear him and not a word in the press and I don’t know if the radio or TV has bothered.
The subject has its overtones. I am being called from this district on several missions, one of world-wide importance and two of national importance, but am remaining here because my brother is hovering between life and death. Either his recovery or demise will benefit me. This would lead me also to Washington; that is why you are being informed.
Am attending a class on the problems of Southeast Asia, lead by Prof. Kosicki of the University of California. The class discussions are as unlike what one reads and hears as the actual campus revolts at Berkeley were unlike the reports thereon. I am expecting also to have a Vietnam day either here or in connection with one of the local campuses in the not distant future—Vietnamese speakers!
The sad fact, Phil, is that our people are being kept totally misinformed about the beliefs and feelings of foreigners, and for my part, especially Asians. And I hope to arrange a real peace meeting anent Palestine here in June. You may wish to have an observer. And you can bet the meeting will between the humanity concerned and not between egocentric “experts,” commentators and ivory-tower dwellers.
The rest of my affairs are also prospering, so I do not have any days off at all.
Cordially,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
February 13, 1970
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Sam:
This will acknowledge and thank you for your most recent letter.
As always, it is good to hear from you, and to have the benefit of your views.
Kindest personal regards.
Sincerely,
Philip Burton
Member of Congress
March 24, 1970
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Sam:
This will acknowledge and thank you for your recent letter and for your courtesy in sending me a copy of your correspondence with Art Hoppe.
I hope your trip is most productive.
Kindest personal regards.
Sincerely,
Philip Burton
Member of Congress
March 9, 1970
Hon. Phillip Burton
House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Dear Phil:
I am enclosing herewith a copy of a letter to our good friend Art Hoppe. The tragedy is that the seemingly humorous report is based on actual facts given by eye-witnesses and participants who, not having the proper credentials, have never been taken seriously. The sad and bitter truth is, as Dr. Malalasekera said before the United Nations, “How can you trust a nation which will not trust its own citizens.” The learned gentleman was absolutely correct, he also being privy to the actual facts upon which the Hoppe letter is based.
No doubt we have a CIA, but we do not have an intelligence system, central or otherwise. And, if you dare to challenge that system, you are for practical purposes blackballed or blacklisted; and a person who has had to face real communists where they were not supposed to be and find them operating not in accord with “secret agent,” “mission-impossible,” etc., is too often regarded as worse than a nuisance, and I am not talking nonsense. Apparently, the only purpose the Laos complex has served is to give us an excuse not to interfere in the Nigeria-Biafra mix-up.
There is no question that there are insidious forces working in this country, in all kinds of troubles going on. But I don’t know what we can do, and I, myself, am not going to do, because I know darn well factual reports are not accepted, and newspaper rumors often are. Anyhow, I now have my Passport for Switzerland and England, and shall be given the floor, as I have not been locally, and I shall work, not for resolutions—the old game—but for peace and understanding.
Recent correspondence and local events indicate that sooner or later, large numbers of our citizens will because more concerned with truth than with ivory tower opinions from well known power structures. As I told Susan Kennedy the other day, not only are the young listening to me, but it is possible that I may be televised before the year is out.
At this writing it does not appear I shall be able to visit Washington on this trip, but will, nay must, keep you informed. And one of the things we are planning on my return is a meeting between actual Arabs and actual Israelis who have preserved mutual regard and friendship, something a diplomat cannot understand and a newsman won’t.
Sincerely,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
cc San Francisco office
March 9, 1970
Mr. Sam L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Friend:
Thank you very much for your letter. I always find your communications very stimulating.
Peace and friendship,
John L. Burton
April 14, 1970
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Sam:
This will acknowledge and thank you for your recent letter.
It was good, as always, to have the benefit of your views, and I sincerely hope that your travels were most productive.
Kindest personal regards.
Sincerely,
Philip Burton
Member of Congress
Boston, Massachusetts
April 22, 1970
Hon. Philip Burton
House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
My dear Phil:
I am writing you under the most favorable of circumstances and am sending a copy also to our immediate neighbor to the south, The Hon. Paul A. McCloskey Jr.
As you know, I have been to Geneva where the first steps were launched to real peace in Palestine with benefit of clergy, literally, and without benefit to diplomats, generals, and New York Times super-experts. I think if we can clear these pompous self-supermen out of the picture, something can be done be done to establish peace on earth or at least a portion of the earth.
I return home at the end of the week and hope to establish, by the opening of the fall semester, a scholarship for “Peace in Palestine” through the Department of Near East Language Studies on the Berkeley campus.
This journey has been enlightened and brightened by three things:
A. the ease of communication to and from the top ecclesiastical and spiritual leaders of this actual world.
B. the growing acceptance of this person by the young people. There has been no generation gap anywhere. The methods used, of course, are anathema to every sort of dialectician and sociologist of every camp, and they are just are successful as they are obnoxious to those subjectivists who prate about “realism.”
C. a very large increase in my monthly stipend due to deaths of relatives, etc. and coming at a time also when my incomes from my own endeavors are rising.
This means I may come to the eastern seaboard later in the year, including a visit to Washington. As soon as I return to San Francisco, I will repair to your headquarters and then will consider seriously those things which are mutually acceptable to your good self and neighbor McCloskey.
Cordially,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
cc McCloskey
April 26, 1970
Hon. Phillip Burton
428 House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
My dear Phil:
Many thanks for your letter of April 14.
You will find carbons of two letters recently written which will give you some backgrounds of recent endeavors. At this writing everything looks very propitious and auspicious. There are a number of very necessary private matters, but also there are a number of more public campaigns.
I have noticed your name in several of the newspapers in the eastern part of the country, connected with what may be most worthy projects. I shall try to visit your San Francisco office tomorrow, both to report and to learn more of what you are doing.
Generally speaking, you have the youth of America with and for you. I write from firsthand experience and not from the mere private judgment of agreement.
Cordially,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
May 28, 1970
Hon. Philip Burton
House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
My dear Philip:
This is just a letter of expression of good will and cordiality. I have to go away again, this time to the state of New Mexico. I shall be in charge of a summer school to teach organic gardening, and the Asian Philosophies of Asians. It is notable, and noticeable, that in these days when we have dared to intrude into another land, we know nothing about these peoples, and seem to care less, other than to see they do not adopt any philosophy, or for that matter religion, which does not stand in good with the personalities in charge of our rather vague foreign policies.
I have felt very uncomfortable ever since the days we emotionalized the Kellogg-Briand pact to declare verbally there would be no more war and along with that accepted a philosophy so akin to that of the late Adolph Hitler, that one sometimes wonders why we entered World War II at all. Fortunately, we have a district dominated by those who have humanitarian outlooks, and most fortunately we have adhered marvelously to such outlooks.
My own efforts have been in the direction of what used to be called peace—that is, to get peoples to fraternize with each other. The hollowness, the shallowness, the duplicity of the present administration shows up in that we have established and are increasing cultural exchange with Russia, while at the same time using the very existence of this nation to foment mass-murder of strange peoples. And we do not have any such sort of cultural exchange with nations and races that have historically contributed so much. And it is here that youth will not accept the decisions of age.
We are going to have fraternization, be it through religions, through a new or old political or social philosophy, or even through botanical derivatives, long used for peaceful purposes. The local police are today blaming almost all crime on what they call “the new Left.” Only yesterday it was marijuana or something else. Tomorrow it will be something else again. Rape, murder, and what used to be crimes in the past are increasing numerically, while the so-called law-enforcers pretend to be horrified because the youth of today are pursuing the same policies as their ancestors in the Boston area two centuries back. What was good enough for those people??? I don’t think we have to say any more.
My own successes with the young seem to be due to the simple fact of keeping in close touch with their hearts and minds. I think you understand this very well yourself. I expect to return here in the month of July, and am not forgetting for one minute the splendid efforts in behalf of real liberty, real democracy, and real humanity.
Most Cordially,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
Lama Foundation
Box 444,
San Cristobal, New Mexico, 87564
June 10, 1970
Hon. Phillip Burton,
House Office Building.
Washington, D.C.
My dear Phil:
This is written from high in the Rockies where I am engaged both in teaching the Oriental Philosophies of The Asians and cooperation in organic gardening.
Just returned from a rather successful trip to Albuquerque and Santa Fe, where I have two new audiences. You would think, if we are going to invade a country, we should learn a little beforehand of the cultures and ethos of the people. The Germans did much better: they had Gauleiters who trained themselves in the geography, culture, social organization, etc. of the people they either invaded or proposed to invade. We do nothing of the sort, we just invade.
I have been very unhappy ever since the Kellogg-Briand Pact, wherein we emotionally abolished war and began murdering each other at a tremendous rate. There are no more wars, Russia into Czechoslovakia and we into whatever Asian land that strikes our fancy. The Japanese, even if they did not have Gauleiters, at least studied the economic geography of the lands they later invaded; we study nothing, we just invade.
This brings up two subjects: the need to know something about Asian peoples; and peace, whatever that is. It is remarkable with all the blowing, that among the few countries we have anything like cultural exchange are Russia and Israel, both of which, if not exactly communistic, have strong leanings that way. Whereas other lands, which have greater cultures than Israel and Russia (and I am not belittling either), we have not recognized, culturally. Warning is of no value. The elections in Ceylon we bypass, as if they did not occur. It seems that we either deliver lands over to the military or landlords, or ignore them.
The time has passed when we can continue to regard Asians as second-class human beings. Now my contacts are increasing and also, I have been receiving apologies from important persons and organizations who were “too busy” to grant interviews. Never mind the past, this is a situation and when I visit Washington and the East Coast, I shall probably have a number of introductions that will facilitate matters.
I am working for peace in the Near East, based on a study of history, religion, water supplies, desert reclamation, etc. and I am about to establish a scholarship at the University of California therefor. It is remarkable how the various receivers of “peace awards” keep quiet when called upon to face realities.
This all prepares one for striving for actual peace and opens both ears and hearts of the young.
I have first-hand knowledge of the affairs at UCB, UCSB, San Francisco State, New Mexico and Harvard, to say the least. I do not get my ideas from the ideas of a celebrated commentator, of from the “experts” who react to that commentator or the editors who react to the “experts” reacting, or from the Vice President. The young are in revolt because they are not considered. Full consideration is given to the writers and important people. But by now I have met representatives from most parts of the country and many think that the other sections are slack with their protests.
I am equally concerned with what has happened to the old science of Ecology. Every sort of litterateur and commentator is horning in and confusing real problems, real issues and real solutions. Everything is becoming emotionalized and personalized. Everybody blames everybody else.
I have heard there has been a “Holy Men’s Jamboree” in San Francisco. It only needs a catalizer to start something which may bring a general strike of the young, quite different from that envisioned by Marxists. I have always said the world cannot remain half dialectical and half free. The dialecticians are divided and the youth are becoming united. And if they can be persuaded to go to the polls this November, do not be surprised.
Cordially,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
cc Hon. J.S. Cooper
cc S.F. Office
July 24, 1970
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Sam,
Thank you for your recent letter in support of my efforts to restore reason and peace both at home and abroad.
I appreciate this support and your candor deeply and am glad that things are working out well for you at last.
Sincerely,
Phillip Burton
Member of Congress
July 28, 1970
Congressman Phillip Burton
House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Dear Phil:
I recently received a letter of thanks from you for my effort in promoting peace. I considered the matter closed and then…. This afternoon I was dictating a long, and what I thought, important letter to Bishop Myers of the Episcopalian Cathedral. It was in the direction of what I called “The Nathan the Wise” Plan for Palestine. In the middle of it, we were interrupted by a telephone call from a man who plans to promote such a scheme. And we were hardly through, when we received a long distance call from a Rabbi from Jerusalem, now living in New York.
I think I have written you that a publisher, who is a friend of mine, will put this out. I have lost interest in the press and so-called peace organizations in this land. I do not propose to have another experience like the 33 rejections of my article on Vietnamese Buddhism. The press and the State Department will continue their “democratic” practice of considering that the opinions of the big men who have never been there are more important than the experiences of the little men who have. But I am very much afraid, Phil, we are either going to have violence or a real peace crusade led by the young themselves.
I now have all the personality contacts I need everywhere in the world. I am only hoping that I may not have to write articles which may make Zola’s J’accuse look amateurish. The young are associating with each other, and their elders write horrible subjectivisms which are received as news.
Although I may have to go to Washington before the Fall campaign takes place, we may even be demonstrating for you, and if not, otherwise, with my “dances of universal peace.” These dances, inspired by the late Ruth St. Denis, are now being presented in many parts of the land, and probably more so, before long. I also have excellent Washington connections. And I am encouraged most of all by the long distance telephone call, just received, from the Rabbi returning to Jerusalem.
I have been writing a lot of “not news” to Art Hoppe. I am not, of course, operating contrarily to any effort by officials to bring peace in the world. I understand the Jewish people and their religion or non-religion; I understand the Arab people and their culture and religion, and ignorant emotions. But, I well realize the impossibility of even trying to convince newspapers and publishers of sound solid facts which don’t fit into their nonsensical pro or anti-Marxist dialectics.
Faithfully,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
August 3, 1970
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California 94110
Dear Mr. Lewis:
Thank you for your letter and copy of your letter to Art Hoppe. I certainly hope that peace will be restored in the Middle East and an end to the killing and hatred will take place.
Sincerely,
Philip Burton
Member of Congress
August 8, 1970
Phil Burton
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Phil:
This will acknowledge your letter of August 3.
I had intended writing you to enclose copy of letter written to Reverend Lowell Ditzen of Washington. This important clergyman is the stepfather of Senator Tidings, and the way matters stand, I may be his guest the fall of this year.
You may recall that when you were elected I wrote: “It is not what your congressman can do for you, but what you can do for your congressman.”
Everything in both my private and public life is progressing marvelously. This covers many items not alluded to in the letter to Rev. Ditzen; e.g., peace in Southeast Asia. Also, local affairs which should redound to your benefit. We can’t stop the nonsense of the press and TV discussing “generation gaps.” To me it is entirely “reality” vs. “realism,” whatever that last word means. I think you understand that many aged persons are interested in their dreams and imaginations which they call “realism” while the young want truth.
Cordially,
Samuel
Samuel L. Lewis
August 17, 1970
Hon. Philip Burton,
House office Building,
Washington, DC
My dear Phil:
“Every ten years a Noble peace prize,
Every five years another war.”
While the “peace” organizations and winners of awards are running to cover concerning both Palestine and Vietnam, I have again had to abandon any idea of any day off. Once a man told me I had the best plan for the Near East he had ever heard of. His name was Gunner Jarring. Some Israelis and some Arabs agreed. That is all.
Since writing Senator Cooper, my unrecognized followers have arranged two dinners, one called by “Jews” and the other by “Arabs.” They will probably take place within a month. If Art Hoppe of the Chronicle returns, he will be invited. The only other way to gain publicity in the “Judeo-Christian Ethic” is to have marijuana or pornography or a brawl or something off color. But I am having Jews and Christians who really believe in God read the book of the prophet Malachi, which is, of course, quite out.
Tomorrow, I expect to visit the Department of Near East Languages on the Berkeley Campus to establish a “Peace Scholarship.” My own small funds mean a modest scholarship. As a member of class of 1918, I am supposed to give $50 (or more) a year. I am now able to start with a thousand dollars, but the way things are improving it may be much more.
This, of course, does not make that “news” either. I know of endless wonders performed by professors on the various campuses, but nothing is news unless the police are involved. Neither the “New Left” nor the Regents seem to have any idea of the wonders of class-rooms and laboratory and other creative efforts. These things are definitely not-news.
But, my editor will be back in September and there will be the opportunity to have published not only from this person, but from a lot of others real history—not news, but history.
At Geneva, the “great” Sir Zafrullah Khan, whom we dare not approach, was sat down and sat down good and hard. A lot of “nobodies” came up with wonderful ideas and plans, not rhetoric, not emotion, not garbeldy-gook.
Philip, the young are going ahead. It is wonderful. They are doing a lot of things besides “grass” but what is “grass?” The “experts” don’t know anything about it; “experts” don’t want to know anyhow.
The war of “Reality” vs. realism can have but one ending. Watch and wait and see.
Faithfully,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
August 31, 1970
Hon. Phillip Burton
House Office Building
Washington, DC
My deal Phil:
Since writing Senator Cooper, I am pleased to report everything is coming along marvelously well. I have just received a cordial letter from a second Jerusalem Rabbi at a time my young friends are making considerable progress in their efforts toward peace and understanding.
The program which Gunner Jarring listened to was originally taken by me to Washington at the request of the State Department. They made a special appointment for me which was later confirmed on my arrival, but when I came to the office designated, there not only was nobody there, but no note or anything, and it cost me hundreds of dollars for this trip.
Nor did the State Department take me seriously when I warned them incessantly of a pending Arab attack on our Embassy, which took place. Nor does the State Department ever answer any letters from me, including my signed application for the Peace Corps. No wonder we are where we are in foreign affairs.
The only time the State Department ever listened to me was when the communists let me off in Lahore to run some errands and it happened these were quite near the consulate. When they telephoned the Pakistani security police, every one of my statements was confirmed. All of this is going into my autobiography. Or, as the celebrated Dr. Malalasekera of Ceylon said to the UN, “How can you trust a government which does not trust its own citizens?” But I don’t care anymore. The young are with me more and more and all my efforts out here are growing, and I am hoping to leave for the East Coast late in September.
Cordially,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
cc: Senator Cooper
November 4, 1970
Honorable Philip Burton
House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
My Dear Phil:
It has been necessary to cancel my visit to Washington, but mostly for good reasons. I became involved in the politics both of New York State and Maryland and found myself—I am sure you would have found yourself—on some losing sides. But some things are being accomplished.
There is a revolution coming on in America. It is a revolution also against the very word “revolution,” which is being used by conflicting forces in power to apply to the use of force or violence. It does not cover very radical or entirely new outlooks. This you can find. among the young, and I have certainly been meeting the young, more and more and more. “We,” in a sense, are taking comfort in the fact that the vast majority of the young people who have been found in minorities will still be alive in 1972, and this does not hold quite so true of their fixed-minded conservative opponents of various camps. On the whole, I am quite satisfied with the election, including, as it does, some repudiation of the almost despotic attitude of personalities in power.
It is this very revolution, so to speak, which is making me return home. I am now engaged in five projects all gaining ground, sometimes financially also gaining ground: 1) organic gardens and health food stores 2) joint Israeli-Christian-Arab functions (no more crap about peace by subjective, “realistic” power-complex people) 3) expansion of my “Dances of Universal Peace” (have to do it in Central Park again Sunday) 4) my teaching of Oriental Oriental philosophy, not derived from European dialecticians admired by the previous generations of Americans 5) my autobiographical notes, for which there is a publisher.
The same feelings which dominate the vast majority of the students and professors of the University of California are now gradually coming to the surface in the universities I have visited in the East. Neither Vice Presidents nor ivory-towered “experts on every subject,” seem to have any ideas of either the outlooks or practices of the vast majority of really cultured people. In 1920, I predicted the real world war would be between the professors and commentators; we have come to that. And I think, Phil, you recognize that professors and students have more votes than Vice Presidents and their mutually despised ivory-towered commentators. These are all off the earth, away from humanity.
There is no bad news other than the defeat of certain people you probably admire. We will be working for real peace in the Near East the last few days we remain in New York.
Faithfully,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
December 8, 1970
Mr. Sam Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California
Dear Sam:
Congressman Burton asked me to contact you.
I would appreciate very much if you would call me at the office: 556- 4862 ,or drop by some afternoon when it is convenient to you.
Sincerely,
Sue
Susan Kennedy