The Village Magazine includes works from many different years, including the War Bulletins. I wasn’t able to find out exactly when the magazine was printed but there was a short note before the table of contents that gave a future date of January 1926, so I assume that this magazine may have been printed in the 1920s. This War Bulletin was written July 19th, 1909.
When I came across this in The Village Magazine, written by Nicholas Vachel Lindsay, I was very confused. After many pages of beautiful artwork and poetry, why would Nicholas Vachel Lindsay have a section full of creative nonfiction essays? Especially ones like this where he notes that things are left to the reader’s interpretation?
Perhaps Lindsay just needed a place to get his thoughts down, especially the ones that others wouldn’t approve of. He mentions that he doesn’t have “complete freedom of speech” and that when talking to others, he has to censor or filter himself to “please these people.” He pushes his idea of “war” quite strongly. He even gives a disclaimer of sorts at the beginning, saying that “the things that go into the War Bulletin please me only” and then curses the reader for their “stupidity, bigotry, conservatism, cheapness, and impatience.”
I interpreted the “war” part of this War Bulletin (one of I think five in the magazine) as controversial opinions that people would likely have strong opinions about or a reflection of a viewpoint that Lindsay and others had at the time that may have led to violence at some point. Racism was an issue back when this was written and its still an issue today. Speaking as someone who is Chinese American, I’ve never heard of the term “golden-faced” before until I came across this “War Bulletin.” It feels objectifying, like Lindsay is trying to convey us, our ideas, and our culture as something exotic and fascinating. It’s not a good look for Lindsay… and I’m unsure if these are his actual opinions or if he’s making a mockery of our peoples’ opinions.
The majority of the “War Bulletin” is the speaker giving a speech to a large crowd of people about the “Chinese conquest.” They make distinctions between themselves and Chinese people, specifically about science and education. I’m not sure if any of what the speaker says is accurate but I’ve certainly never heard of it.
Good work, Zoe. I think Lindsay’s racial politics were known to come up short. You’ve found a fascinating instance of it!