Home Photo Gallery Classroom Documents Editorial!
April 1942
The all inclusive task before the members of the Photo League today, is to use the photographs it makes as a means of mobilizing the people to a greater participation in the war effort. This is the direction which we as photographers must take. This is the direction towards which we must bend all our energies. Time has established two courses which we must follow if we are to fulfill our main task. The first job is to make photographs for the defense project which the League is working on. To make photographs of the people of America as they organize themselves to defeat fascism. As they work together in the red cross, the air raid service, or as fire wardens. Lt. Commander Steichen made the point at a meeting of camera club representatives at the Museum of Modern Art. "Let's go out and make a portrait of America," he said. "You're not going to be able to get into the munitions factories for pictures, of course. But there is other work. Your portrait of America today is in the faces of the people. If you have watched the change that is taking place in the faces of the people in the streets since Dec. 7 I think you will agree that if enough photographs were made all over the country, the good reader of photographs would be able to determine from looking at the pictures just what is happening today. What is happening is very fundamental, and it is only the beginning; it is going to shake us hard." Commander Steichen mentioned in particular the work of the Photo League, whom he called "a serious bunch." "I have been watching them from a distance," he said. "They have given themselves just this kind of assignment; to make a picture of what the war is doing to America." Our second task is to utilize all the resources of the League, our exhibitions, our project, our school, our relationship with other organizations; with the aim of doing the most that we can towards the successful prosecution of this war. This is a very difficult task. It requires more activity on the part of our membership than has been forthcoming till now. This is a national emergency, which must be translated into terms of action on our own home front. We must respond to it by making ourselves twice as active as before. This is especially true of our women members who must train themselves now to take the place of those members who will soon be in the armed forces. So join one of the committees now functioning at the League. Our office secretary will connect you with the committee chairman. Let us use the League as a real weapon towards the winning of the war.
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