JF Ptak Science Books   Quick Post

This fine dream of “stability” decorated the cover of an unusual and grasping little pamphlet advocating “stability” in all corners, so t hat the wind compass would always point to “stable” no matter the origin of the breeze.  The idea of stability is really pretty good for kids and perhaps the elderly, but in between it might not be the most beneficial thing to the creative process.  Stable gets you only so far, except that it did once get the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series with a win/loss average just barely above .500–an exception to the rule.

The Stabilization League really meant it–“they” thought that by having everything balanced–trade, deficit, foreign matters, immigration, credit, etc–that the U.S. would be a better place, that taxes would be lowered, monopolies broken up, and stabilization of employment.  I’m not sure how, as this skinny pamphlet is only six pages long, and that includes the cover.  This was published in 1937 and copyrighted by Kenneth D. Wilkins–I don’t see any mention of this pamphlet anywhere, and my copy looks like one of the copyright deposit copies, so circulation of this work was restricted. 

All from:

The only thing I found looking up “The Stabilization League of America” was a reference to the work when its copyright was published, and that’s it.  The author was looking for “1,000,000” members to “finance a national organization”. I’m pretty sure that didn’t happen.

There also seems to be something inherently ironic about a massive call-to-action on the idea of “stability”.