Nexus - 1003 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page 23 of 78

Page 23 of 78
Nexus - 1003 - New Times Magazine-pages

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would not thwart the hope of the race. His voice broke and he whispered huskily that America was going to bring her spiritual energy to the liberation of mankind. Mankind would step for - ward, a mighty step; America could not play the laggard. Fosdick was young, and when Fosdick rose to go he pledged in the name of the younger generation that they would carry through to finish the uncompleted work.” would not thwart the hope of the race. His voice broke and he and a "world in miniature" through which he hoped an "atmosphere whispered huskily that America was going to bring her spiritual of fellowship can be developed". In a 1924 speech to foreign stu- energy to the liberation of mankind. Mankind would step for - dents, Junior spoke of his hope that "some day...no one will speak ward, a mighty step; America could not play the laggard. of 'my country’, but all will speak of 'our world". Fosdick was young, and when Fosdick rose to go he pledged in Inevitably, through Fosdick's urging, Junior became more inter- the name of the younger generation that they would carry ested in supporting the League of Nations. Fosdick introduced through to finish the uncompleted work.” Junior to Arthur Sweetser, one of the few Americans still working at the League, who also encouraged his interest in the world organisa- Sure enough, Wilson's final testament—he died a month later— tion. The impact was clear, with Junior directing the Rockefeller reinforced Fosdick's globalist zeal. Utterly convinced that the only Foundation to grant money to the Health Organization of the League way to ensure world peace was through some form of world of Nations, and later giving some $2 million of his own funds to government, and that only US leadership could make it happen, establish the League Library. During the 1920s he also contributed Fosdick devoted his energies to trying to influence elite and public $1,500 a year to the CFR, then dominated by supporters of Wilson, opinion in that direction. In 1928, Fosdick published The Old and in 1929 provided a further $50,000 towards the Council's new Savage in the New Civilization, which endorsed "a planetary headquarters in New York, Harold Pratt House.” consciousness" and "a collective intelligence". Fosdick argued that The enduring influence of Fosdick's Wilsonian internationalism if nations were to co-exist without conflict, then: "...we must have was also evident in a 1938 address by Junior, in which he made a some centralised mechanism, some established procedure, by which number of observations about the impact of technological change we can determine the understandings and and growing interdependence. In effect, rules of common life... The assertion of Junior predicted the end of the nation- the absolute sovereignty of the state has state, and thus charted a course that his become in our time the supreme . . sons would endeavour to make into a anarchy.""* ° In 1928, Fosdick published self-fulfilling prophecy: The Old Savage in the New With each passing day, with every The Willing Pupil 4_-5nG 9 0 new invention which increases the The greatest aeset in Fosdick's crusade Civilization, which endorsed rapidity of travel and the ease of to draw the US back into Wilson's "a planetary consciousness" communications, cooperation scheme for world order was to be the between men and nations becomes " H Hi H " pious, guilty and impressionable John D. and a collective intelligence . constantly more important. The Rockefeller, Junior. Though the desig- nations of the world have become nated heir to the Standard Oil fortune, interdependent as never before. Junior lacked his father's ruthlessness The hands of the clock cannot be and shrewdness. Loyal to his father's prej- turned back. The old order of udices, Junior had been a staunch Republican, rejecting both Wilson geographic isolation, or personal or national self-sufficiency, and the League of Nations, yet the slaughter of World War I had can never return. The future of civilisation will be determined also seen him toy with the idea of international cooperation. He had by the degree of success with which men and nations learn to embraced interdenominationalism, participating in the Interchurch cooperate, to live together and let live.” World Movement which had sought to combine the resources of all Protestant Christian churches in an attempt to "Christianize the The culmination of Junior's embrace of Fosdick's internationalism world". In Junior, Fosdick claimed to have found a "remarkable was his decision in late 1946 to donate land in New York for the man" of "great sincerity...with a lively sense of responsibility" who headquarters of the newly created United Nations (UN)—the site "wanted to be convinced, not deferred to". Not surprisingly, con- still used to this day. But arguably Junior's greatest legacy was the vincing Junior to embrace his globalist ideology became one of impact of his newfound globalist zeal on his children. The effect Fosdick's goals." was twofold: firstly, he passed on Senior's philanthropic philosophy Although Fosdick's memoirs do not admit it, he was very effective of using Rockefeller wealth to change society, embedding it in a in shaping Junior's worldview. Fosdick's fawning biography of _ plethora of institutions and organisations that gave the Rockefellers Junior suggests that his growing sense of internationalism stemmed "an unrivalled influence in national affai secondly, he estab- solely from a combination of youthful globetrotting and a religiously lished in them an enduring belief in Fosdick's ideology of interna- instilled "awareness of human kinship and of the bonds that unite the —_ tional cooperation and governance, itself based on Woodrow world". Yet, with Fosdick working closely with Junior from the — Wilson's League of Nations vision. 1920s into the 1940s as one of his senior advisers, there is also a Junior had six children: a daughter, Abby; and five sons, John, definite and otherwise inexplicable trend of Junior expressing Nelson, Laurance, Winthrop and David, four of whom would go on increasingly sophisticated internationalist sentiments as well as to play leading roles in establishing the New World Order...and it is supporting the League of Nations and funding the Eastern to those Rockefeller brothers that we now turn. Establishment’s premier body, the Council on Foreign Relations About the Author: (CFR). Inexplicable, only if we ignore Fosdick's tacit - . . . . . acknowledgement that Junior was very malleable—"his opinions Will Banyan, BA (Hons), Grad. Dip. (Information Science), is a writer invariably marked by tolerance, and inflexibility was not part of specialising in the political economy of globalisation. He has worked for were invariably y , Y was not p both local and national governments as well as some international his character"—and therefore open to his suggestions.” organisations, and was recently consulting on global issues for a private Evidence of Junior's conversion to Fosdick's ideology abounds. corporation. He is currently working on a revisionist history of the New One of Junior's initiatives during the 1920s was the establishment of World Order. He can be contacted at banyan007@rediff.com. International Houses for foreign university students. Junior viewed , : . call a eon Continued on page 76 the International Houses as a "laboratory of human relationships In 1928, Fosdick published The Old Savage in the New Civilization, which endorsed "a planetary consciousness” and "a collective intelligence". The culmination of Junior's embrace of Fosdick's internationalism was his decision in late 1946 to donate land in New York for the headquarters of the newly created United Nations (UN)—the site still used to this day. But arguably Junior's greatest legacy was the impact of his newfound globalist zeal on his children. The effect was twofold: firstly, he passed on Senior's philanthropic philosophy of using Rockefeller wealth to change society, embedding it in a plethora of institutions and organisations that gave the Rockefellers "an unrivalled influence in national affairs";* secondly, he estab- lished in them an enduring belief in Fosdick's ideology of interna- tional cooperation and governance, itself based on Woodrow Wilson's League of Nations vision. Junior had six children: a daughter, Abby; and five sons, John, Nelson, Laurance, Winthrop and David, four of whom would go on to play leading roles in establishing the New World Order...and it is to those Rockefeller brothers that we now turn. About the Author: Will Banyan, BA (Hons), Grad. Dip. (Information Science), is a writer specialising in the political economy of globalisation. He has worked for both local and national governments as well as some international organisations, and was recently consulting on global issues for a private corporation. He is currently working on a revisionist history of the New World Order. He can be contacted at banyan007@rediff.com. 22 = NEXUS APRIL — MAY 2003 Continued on page 76 www.nexusmagazine.com