The World Tomorrow (magazine)
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''The World Tomorrow: A Journal Looking Toward a Christian World'' (1918–1934) was an American
political Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...
magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
, founded by the American office of the
pacifist Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ''a ...
organization
Fellowship of Reconciliation The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR or FOR) is the name used by a number of religious nonviolent organizations, particularly in English-speaking countries. They are linked by affiliation to the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR). ...
( FORUSA). It was published under the organization's The Fellowship Press, Inc., located at 108 Lexington Avenue in New York City. Prior to June 1918, the periodical was titled ''The New World''. It was a leading voice of
Christian socialism Christian socialism is a Religious philosophy, religious and political philosophy that blends Christianity and socialism, endorsing socialist economics on the basis of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus. Many Christian socialists believe cap ...
in the United States, with an "independent, militant" editorial line.


Editorial and staff history

Through the years, ''The World Tomorrow'' editorial masthead was a melange of rotating names and titles, with differences between full-, part-time, paid, and unpaid editors and staff never made particularly clear. However, titles aside, the editorial constant at the magazine from 1922 to its closing was pacifist Devere Allen, generally listed as "managing editor." Over the years, writers and editors for the magazine included a number of prominent figures in politics, religion, journalism, and the arts. From 1918 to 1921,
Norman Thomas Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was an American Presbyterian religious minister, minister, political activist, and perennial candidate for president. He achieved fame as a socialism, socialist and pacifism, pacifis ...
, six-time
presidential Presidential may refer to: * "Presidential" (song), a 2005 song by YoungBloodZ * Presidential Airways (charter), an American charter airline based in Florida * Presidential Airways (scheduled), an American passenger airline active in the 1980s * ...
candidate for the
Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of America ...
, served as the magazine's first editor. In 1921, Thomas moved to secular journalism as associate editor of ''
The Nation ''The Nation'' is a progressive American monthly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper ...
'' magazine. Walter Fuller, originally styled "editorial secretary" in the early ''The New World'' in 1918, was later given the title "associate editor." He did the actual work of editing for Norman Thomas, and was paid a regular salary. In February 1920, he moved on to become managing editor of ''
The Freeman ''The Freeman'' (formerly published as ''The Freeman: Ideas on Liberty'' or ''Ideas on Liberty'') was an American libertarian magazine, formerly published by the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE). It was founded in 1950 by John Chambe ...
'', although his name remained for a while on the list of members of the board of ''The World Tomorrow''. When Fuller collapsed and died of a
brain hemorrhage The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...
in September 1927, Norman Thomas sent a glowing eulogy to the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
, for whom Fuller was editing ''
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
''. Devere Allen, who edited the magazine for more than ten years, from 1922 to 1934, was a
Socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
pacifist activist. He championed
nonviolent resistance Nonviolent resistance, or nonviolent action, sometimes called civil resistance, is the practice of achieving goals such as social change through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political noncooperation, satyagraha, construct ...
while member of the
Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of America ...
in the 1930s and founded the World-Over Press after leaving ''The World Tomorrow''. In 1926, African-American novelist,
Wallace Thurman Wallace Henry Thurman (August 16, 1902 – December 22, 1934) was an American novelist and screenwriter active during the Harlem Renaissance. He also wrote essays, worked as an editor, and was a publisher of short-lived newspapers and literary jo ...
, became an
editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, a ...
at ''The World Tomorrow'' after serving as managing editor at ''The Messenger'', a political literary magazine, where he published fellow
Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African-American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the ti ...
writers like
Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. An early innovator of jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harl ...
and
Zora Neale Hurston Zora Neale Hurston (January 7, 1891 – January 28, 1960) was an American writer, anthropologist, folklorist, and documentary filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-20th-century American South and published research on Hoodoo ...
. John Nevin Sayre was listed as editor of ''The World Tomorrow'' from 1922 to 1924, and then as associate secretary from 1924 to 1935. Sayre was an Episcopal minister,
peace activist A peace movement is a social movement which seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war (or wars) or minimizing inter-human violence in a particular place or situation. They are often linked to the goal of achieving world p ...
, and
author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...
who helped found the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. Sayre's brother, Assistant Undersecretary of State Francis B. Sayre, had
Alger Hiss Alger Hiss (November 11, 1904 – November 15, 1996) was an American government official who was accused of espionage in 1948 for the Soviet Union in the 1930s. The statute of limitations had expired for espionage, but he was convicted of perjur ...
reporting directly to him at the
State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs o ...
but declined to testify on his behalf. His brother married the daughter of
Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...
. Militant English peace activist and
suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to vo ...
Evelyn Sharp wrote for the magazine in the early 1920s and was listed as its correspondent in England. Anna Rochester was a FOR member who served as editor-in-chief from 1922 to 1926, then resigned in 1927 over political differences. Within a month, she received an invitation to join the magazine's board, which she declined. Kirby Page, listed as editor from 1926 to 1934, was an American
Disciples of Christ The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...
minister, an author, and a peace activist. Prominent American
theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...
and commentator on public affairs
Reinhold Niebuhr Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (June 21, 1892 – June 1, 1971) was an American Reformed theologian, ethicist, commentator on politics and public affairs, and professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years. Niebuhr was one of Ameri ...
contributed to the magazine in the 1920s and then became a part-time editor. Niebuhr became an
anti-communist Anti-communism is political and ideological opposition to communist beliefs, groups, and individuals. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, when th ...
in 1940, after starting as a leftist minister in the 1920s (indebted to theological liberalism) and a new
neo-orthodox In Christianity, Neo-orthodoxy or Neoorthodoxy, also known as crisis theology and dialectical theology, was a theological movement developed in the aftermath of the First World War. The movement was largely a reaction against doctrines of 19th ...
theologian in the 1930s. Grace Hutchins, the life partner of Anna Rochester, was also a FOR member who worked for the magazine. Hutchins served as press secretary (1924–1926), business editor (1925–1926), and contributing editor. Esther Shemitz, later the wife of
Whittaker Chambers Whittaker Chambers (born Jay Vivian Chambers; April 1, 1901 – July 9, 1961) was an American writer and intelligence agent. After early years as a Communist Party member (1925) and Soviet spy (1932–1938), he defected from the Soviet u ...
, and Shemitz's close friend
Grace Lumpkin Grace Lumpkin (March 3, 1891 – March 23, 1980) was an American writer of proletarian literature who focused most of her works on the Depression era and the rise and fall of communism in the United States. The most important of four books was he ...
worked for the magazine in the 1920s. Hutchins and Rochester were their art patrons, supporting Shemitz's painting and Lumpkin's writing, e.g., publication of '' To Make My Bread'' (1933). A. A. MacLeod, later a Communist member of the
Ontario legislature The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA; ) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly are given royal as ...
, served as managing editor until 1933. In the 1930s, Paul Douglas, an
economist An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...
at the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
and later a
United States senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...
from
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, served for a time as editor. Henry Noel Brailsford contributed a weekly feature in the 1930s.


Resurgence and demise

In August 1932, when many weekly magazines were reducing their publication frequency to monthly, ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' reported that ''The World Tomorrow'' would go from a monthly to a weekly format. "The times in which we are now living demand a sustained emphasis upon religion, pacifism, and socialism, and... no other American journal is concentrating upon this combination." It noted that its editors included Page, Niebuhr, Allen, and Douglas. However, the magazine did not long survive the departure of Devere Allen in 1934. ''The World Tomorrow'' was subsumed by the Fellowship of Reconciliation's quarterly journal ''Fellowship'', a publication which continues to this day. The Fellowship of Reconciliation's website simply states:
By 1934, its circulation had risen to 40,000. ''The World Tomorrow'' was succeeded in 1935 by ''Fellowship'', edited by Harold Fey; later editors included John Nevin Sayre,
Alfred Hassler Alfred Hassler (1910–1991) was an anti-war author and activist during World War II and the Vietnam War. He worked with the U.S. branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR USA), a peace and social justice organization, from 1942 to 1974. Ea ...
, William Miller, James Forest, and Virginia Baron.


Publishing history

According to holdings at the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
, the magazine was published as follows: * Monthly: January 1918 – July 1932 (suspended May–September 1926) * Weekly: September 1932 – April 1933 * Monthly: May–August 1933 * Biweekly: August 31, 1933 – July 26, 1934 For the first five issues of the first volume (January–May 1918) its title was ''The New World''. The complete run of ''The World Tomorrow'' from 1918 to 1934 is available as item 23 in the ''Library of World Peace Studies'' edited by Warren F. Kuehl. ew York Clearwater, 1978–1982. 1242 microfiches. The Library of Congress' holding starts with vol. 1, no. 6 dated June 1918 and ends with vol. 17, no. 15 dated July 26, 1934.


References


Further reading

* ''The World Tomorrow,'' New York. Vol. 1 (1918) (partial)

Vol. 2 (1919)

Vol. 3 (1920)

Vol. 4 (1921)

Vol. 5 (1922)

Vol. 6 (1923)

Vol. 7 (1924)
, Vol. 8 (1925) , Vol. 9 (1926) , Vol. 10 (1927) , Vol. 11 (1928) , Vol. 12 (1929) , Vol. 13 (1930) , Vol. 14 (1931) , Vol. 15 (1932) , Vol. 16 (1933) , Vol. 17 (1934) {{DEFAULTSORT:World Tomorrow Biweekly magazines published in the United States Monthly magazines published in the United States Weekly magazines published in the United States Christian socialist publications Defunct political magazines published in the United States Fellowship of Reconciliation Magazines disestablished in 1934 Magazines established in 1918 Defunct magazines published in New York City News magazines published in the United States Defunct socialist magazines Defunct Christian magazines published in the United States