Central Catholic High School - Echo Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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ZS THE ECHO cal heresy which says, that liberty is a privi- lege and man nothing more than a social animal, inferior to the government, but estab- lished firmly upon the rock of truth that de- fines liberty and equality as the basic birth- right of each and every individual. It is pro- foundly true that man's unquenchable desire for liberty was never satisfied until liberty and equality were written into the Constitu- tion of the United States of America. Un- doubtedly the writing of our Constitution was the greatest and most deciding political event since the creation of the world, for in that immortal document was created a system of national government, containing a legislative, an executive and a judicial branch, that is, a congress, a President and a supreme court, thereby making it perfectly clear that this is a government of limited power and responsibility. The idea of the Constitution was to form a strong national government and at the same time to pre- serve and to guard carefully the rights of every state and every individual, in other words to harmonize liberty with union. Of Separate Powers. To accomplish this end a government of separate powers was instituted. It was the first time in the history of the world that such a separation had been made in order to safeguard the rights of human beings. The authors of our bill of rights did not propose to place the power of ruling in the hands of a national congress, for they knew only too well a legislature could tyrannize as well as an executive. The people of England have the authority of a government vested in a single legislative body called parliment. To spare our country from such a fate the mak- ers of our Constitution provided for, not one agency of the peopleis wish, but three, and created them as independent bodies. This is a republic and not a democracy. A democracy is a form of government in which all the people decide what shall be done, a republic, a rule, in which all the people are represented. Thus the legislative branch is the most important, for by that means the people express their will and de- cide what measures they wish accepted. The legislative branch is the central organ of government. In the National congress every man of the United States is represented and accordingly has a hand in the management of the nationys affairs. In the establishment of our permanent form of government some advocated representation of the colonies as states, others proposed representation of all the people. The constitutional convention, being very careful to curb or bridle any power which they created, accepted both pro- posals creating a senate and a house of re- presentatives, each to act as a check upon the other. The division therefore of the legisla- tive branch into two separate branches con- stitutes one of the most important features of our nation. The one is composed of men who by frequent elections are always fresh from the body of the people and readily re- spond to every pressure of public opinion. The senators are elected by a larger con- stituency, represent more varied interests and are further removed from the passions and follies of the hour: are always expected to fulfill their office with courage and inde- pendence, to yield a corrective influence upon the laws born of party prejudice or inspired by some utopian dream. One leans toward impulsive action and the other to deliberation and out of this clash comes legislation having not only the wish of the people but also re- specting the rights of the minority a quality which is inseparable from wise and just legis- lation. A Movement For a Change. At the present time in America there is a definite and determined movement to change our representative republic into a direct democracy. lf this proposal ever materializes. ladies and gentlemen, the in- stitutions that we boast of as Americans, the institutions that we love and revere because we are Americans, will be swept away be- cause when a nation disregards the funda- mental law upon which it was founded, that marks the beginning of the peoples decay. Unless this political heresy is checked, the hosts of socialism, reinforced by selfish and time serving politicians and recruited from all the elements of discontent will soon direct their attack against the federal government and gradually sap and undermine the funda- mentals of our free institutions. ln our nation we must have a strong exe- cutive: for a feeble executive implies a feeble execution of government and such govern- ment no matter how sterling it may be in theory must be in practice a bad government. To the chief magistrate of the nation is as- signed the protection of the community a- gainst foreign attack, the steady administra- tion of law, the protection of property a- gainst those irregular combinations which sometimes interrupt the course of justice, the safeguarding of liberty against the as- sults of ambition, of anarchy and of faction. Does the executive office perform these du- ties in a republican sense? The President is elected but once in four years by persons selected for that purpose, he is liable at all times to impeachment or subsequent prose- cution, if he should abuse the high trust the legislative branch would deprive him of all honor, power and glory. NYhat more could be desired of an executive? To Rescue Sovereignty. The supreme court, Hamilton points out, is the weakest branch of the government ,for it holds neither the purse, as does the legis- lature, nor the sword, as does the executive. However, the supreme court is not the weak- est branch of our government, for it is the ultimate safeguard of the individual's rights against the government, rescuing sovereign- ty itself from the possible interference, the possible tyranny of a national congress. It would be exceptionally easy for a govermnent of the people to become the worst kind of a despotism unless there is also a government of law and order. The ignorant people, who are always more numerous than the wise, could enact unjust laws but for two things, one is our written Constitution, the other our third department of government, the judi- ciary. However, that does not mean that the judicial branch is superior to the execu-

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THE ECHO 27 Oratorical Contest The recent National Oratorical con- test on the Constitution of the United States sponsored by various News Publications, brought to the Central Catholic High School, by Francis Cor- bett, the State Championship. Francis E, Corbett lt is a noteworthy event, since 360 Preparatory High Schools with an en- rollment of 32,000 pupils ran the ora- torical race. ln the various elimination contests, of the county, at the Central High School auditoriumg of the l3 Con- gressional District, at the Majestic Theatreg of the Zone, at Manuel High School, lndianapolisg and of the State, at Shortridge High School, Indiana- polis, Francis Corbett won first place. In each of these contests from three to eight participants were entered. The Echo and the students congrat- ulate Frank on his victory. J. McVey, '26. Congratulations VVe cannot find words adequately to con- tey the congratulations which we would ex- irnd to Francis E. Corbett, of this city, on its victory in the Indiana section of the nitional oratorical contest on the Constitu- tim. Fort VVayne is proud of him. She will hope for his continued success in the zone and national eliminations. The competition which young Corbett experienced was keen, bc th in the state contest and in the county ani district preliminaries. That, in itself, is gratifying. Keen competition reflected keen intrest: and interest in the nation's funda- mei tal law, on the part of boys and girls of high school age, is a fact pleasant to con- template. Our congratulations to Corbett and to all those who participated with him in this im- portant study are based principally upon that fact. The prize is of secondary im- portance, when compared with the knowledge acquired by the young people in the pre- paration of their discussions. ' News-Sentinel ll...i01.. Francis Corbett, the winner of the State Gratorical Contest, was the representative entered by Central Catholic of Fort Wayiie. C. C. tas that school is knownl is a sister school of our Central and we wish to con- gratulate both Mr. Corbett and C. C. on their victory, The Spotlight-Fort Wayne H. S. l 1. Prize-Winning Oration on The Constitution The text of the oration on The Constitu- tion by Francis E. Corbett, who, Friday, April 21, won first honors in the Indiana division of the National Oratorical Contest on the Constitution, follows: The government established by the American Constitution is the only one on earth dedicated to the sacred rights of hu- manity. The ancient monarchies refused to recognize or consider the inalienable rights of man. The glory of Greece sprang from the minds of a brilliant few and left untouch- ed the poverty and subjection of many. The power of Rome generated in the imperial privileged classes and the ruling citizenship was a mere handful, while the masses were condemned to inhuman oppression. Slow and Tedious Growth. We have seen the slow and tedious growth of how the authority of a nation came to be lodged in the hands of the common people, instead of an absolute monarchy or a power- ful aristocracy. lt is the termination of the old Saxon principle of human liberty, which took almost 1,000 years to result in the birth of a nation having as its fundamental aim the propagating of human rights. A' nation not based on sovereign rule nor that false politi-

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THE ECHO 29 tive or legislative, but only that, the power of the people is superior to both. Thus summarizing the Constitution, we find Congress may not execute, for its busi- ness is the making of the law, the President does all the executing: the supreme court may not execute, may not legislate, for its business is to act as an umpire and declare what laws passed by congress are constitu- tional or whether any deed done by the Presi- dent is in accordance with the law. To Maintain the Government. 'fIn 1861 President Lincoln said: 'That of the three great points in regard to our government the American people had demon- strated but two, one was their ability to establish it, and the other their ability to administer it: the third then to be considered was, whether they could maintain it.' We have maintained our'government through 150 years of storm and stress, we have sailed the good ship of state upon the turbulent waters of dissension and still we retain our Constitution with its old principles of liberty, equality and justice under law to serve as a beacon of light to the rest of the world. The strength, the greatness, and the duration of a nation lie in the strength and unity of its people. A full knowledge and respect for the Constitution guarantees this unity. So let us then honor and respect this charter under which human rights have advanced further in a single century than they did in all the preceeding vastness of time. Let us love and revere this document of the people. by the people and for the people-a repres- entative democracy. Let us remember it does not mean government under the domin- ion of wealth, of the priviledged classes. Nor does it mean government of the ignorant masses, of the ungoverned rabble or the capricious multitude. It does not mean government of anarchy, bolshevism. or so- cialism. But it does mean systematized, or- cialism. But it does mean a systemized, or- ganized government under a written Consti- tution which in America has been and IS the first and greatest friend the people ever had. ..-OHL Voice in phone- Robert won't be in school to-day, he's sick. Ab. Officer- Very well, who's call- ing? Voice- My father. .io-.- lst spectator- VVhat makes those baseball players at bat so cool?i' Znd spectator- Well, you s e e, theyve frequently been fanned. .-..O-.L Bud- Cfee, isn't that pitcher cool? Mac- Wliy not, look at all the fans around the diamond. Debating After lengthy preparation the de- bating coach, Brother Daniel, C. S. C., selected two representative teams composed of the following Seniors: Frank Parrot. Donald INI u l h a u p t, james Roy with Robert Iiggeman as alternate, the juniors pride consisting of jack M. McYey, Giles Pierre, Frank E. Corbett with Bernard E. Broeker as alternate. The two teams engaged in a debating orgy on April 7. the subject in controversy being Resolved that the United States Should Enact Legisla- tion for the Compulsory judicial Set- tlement of all Disputes Arising in the Railway and Coal Mining Industriesf' Books were torn apart. clothing dis- sected, uncomplimentary epithets hurl- ed and when the din and dust of the battle had passed away the brave judges: i. e., Edward Henslee, Edward Myers and Frank Hogan repaired from the scene of the fray and announced that the juniors had won. Un April 13th at the local K. of C. Hall the juniors defeated unanimously the crack team from Indianapolis. The local Seniors journeyed to Indianapolis but were defeated by one point. At the present time arrangements are under way to schedule debates with Cathedral of Indianapolis and other large Catholic high schools in the middle west. The subject of this debate will be Capital Punishment. Francis E. Corbett, '26. lol Blosser- Do you like hot dogs? Martin- I sure do. Blosser-- You'll find two in that newly burnt house over there. ,LOL-1 Lacy- VVhich act did you like best at the vaudeville PM Lassus- The one that made nie laugh mostf,