The Military Underground

Much has been said in the current vogue of “underground newspapers”. They stem directly from “underground movies”, “underground poetry”, etc. They all exist in the nebulous underground, for in the supposed “clear-light” of day they are considered oillegal, obscene and undermining.

It took time, but finally the inconsistency and contradictions of the military system have blossomed into the light of day. The pressing of an I.O. mast hearing for an offense which occurred while a man was on authorized leave and chanced to get picked up by civilian authorities on Nov. 15 in Washington, D. C. Is an illegal suppression of constitutional rights. The publishing of a letter in the P. O. D. Directly assailing the character of five sailors who signed a petition that appeared in the New York Times is libel in the most exacting and graphic sense of the word. (The very fact that it was run in the P. O. D. For four consecutive days is proof positive that it was no mistaken “heat of the moment” decision; but that it was a calculated attempt to assail the character of the men involved and the ad in particular.) The sudden and immoral moving of a man from a job he is fully qualified in, to a job that requires the intelligence of a vegetable (under the guise that “he wasn’t pulling his weight” and “we can keep an eye on him now”) is pure unadulteratyed bull shit.

All of the above instances are examples of the “military underground” aboard Forrestal (the names have not been revealed simply for the sake of protection of those involved). Note: By “military underground” I am not referring to the men involved by the above harrassments [sic], but the instigators and users of the awesome poqwer hidden within the military system; i. e. Your leaders. Why has the military had to turn to underground Mafia-like tactics?

Potemkin, vol. 1, no. 1

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The Military Underground