Chester High School - Flamstead Challenge Yearbook (Chester, VT)

Page 19 text:

FLAMSTEAD CHALLENGE World Pecrce VALEDICTORY ADDRESS JOAN CASSISTA, 1945 A just peace in our time is our class motto which we chose when the war was still in a crucial state. Difficult and crucial has been the period just pastg the months before us will be the most fateful the world has ever faced-the struggle for world peace. A struggle on the one hand against a powerful reaction group committed to the original status quo and on the other hand the inertia of populations so fatigued by years of war that they can be easily confused that a victory in arms would mean a victory in peace. Political education for peace has become one of the great imperatives of ourtime. It demands coordinated action with educational institutions and organizations of labor and of capital against isolationism, economic insecurity and racial antagonism. But effective action of this sort will have meaning only if the individual can be made to understand that his private security depends upon the development of collective security in this country and the world. Political education for the protection and expansion of democracy is what we all must work for in the months ahead, enlarging the aware' ness of the American citizen of his responsibilities for building a world society that might in the end justify the agonies and sacrifices of this war. While the world is still in the process of being destroyed, a new world is being built at Quebec, at Dumbarton Oaks, in London, Teheran, Yalta and San Francisco. The representatives of the great powers are busy piecing together the Europe that lies almost liberated. The time for action is short-too short when you realize how little has been decided and what remains to be decided. To prevent German and japanese aggression in the future is the first task of the peace settlement, and because of the undermining of German and Japanese might and the overwhelming power of the victorious nations it is certain also to be the easiest task. Far more complicated, and of course more important, is the business of removing the fundamental causes of war and organizing the world for prolonged peace and prosperity. The Dumbarton Oaks conference and various United Nations commissions have been nibbling at this great problem. After this war there will not be another major war for eight or ten years as no nation will have the physical or moral strength to launch it. In this period, the peace will be won or lost. The United States is about to make one of the most important decisions in its whole history-soon a treaty will undoubtedly be offered to the Senate proposing to bring this country into a new league of nations. Such an important step will require long and careful debate in the Senate and it should be preceded by nationwide debate, also. The chief arguments of those who say that the United States should stay out may be summarized as follows: fll The world is still ruled by selfish powers which have not actually renounced the sort of political and economic imperialism and power politics that have tended in the past to produce war, and will continue to do so in the future. QD This sofcalled peace organization would consist of the Security Council dominating and overfshadowing the work and wishes of the lesser allies and neutrals. Q31 Ameri' cans, especially, do not want the new organization to be empowered to make decisions regarding the use of American armed forces without ratification by Congress. Q41 Some alarm is also expressed lest the plan be used to freeze the status quo so firmly that even revolution against a dictatorship, or freedom for a conquered territory, like India, might be impossible.

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Fczculty Left to Right Mr. Damon Barnes - Principal - French and General Science Miss Jean Morse - Home Economics Miss Ruth Sawyer -- English - Latin - Biology Mrs. Elsie Belknap - Commercial Subjects Mrs. Electa Stocker - Junior High School Miss Doris Cutting - History and Social Studies Mr. Franklin Stevens - Science and Mathematics Mr. Harold Lewis - Shop Course, was absent when the picture was taken

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FLAMSTEAD CHALLENGE Those who argue that the United States should join the new organization in gen' eral make these points: Q11 It is true that the new organization is imperfect, but this is an exceedingly imperfect world in which progress is almost invariably made by evoluf tion not by revolution. Q21 If the next organization can get underway we have a chance of doing something about imperialism and cartels, one of the prominent evils of today. This private competitive capitalism operating internationally has produced a world monopolization which will hinder the likelihood of prosperity. Q31 The Vandenberg Plan, which has the support of well over twofthirds of the Senate, would solve the prob' lem of the use of American troops without our consult by confining their use to keep' ing down Germany and Japan. This would prevent the vanquished enemy from creat' ing a new world order. Q41 The new League of Nations contains provisions such as an Economic and Social Council to handle social, economic, labor, and humanitarian agencies which were left out of the old League of Nations. Q51 Everyone knows that civilization cannot stand another war-war with science and technology evolving still more deadly weapons. Q61 Even a chance is better than no chance and is worth taking -a corrupt police force is better than no police force, a reactionary government is better than no government as citizens can clean up or throw out an administration. People should accept the fact that international government and policing the peace are both essential. Once that is accomplished and a sense of responsibility and participation is established, the chance of making something decent out of the new peace organization will be better. Popular support of the plans now being drawn must rest on the modest belief that something is better than nothing. Are we any closer to a permanent peace? Yes, in so far as we have moved nearer a world organization. All over the world people are demanding peace, security, and freedom, and in that sense, time is on the side of the angels. It remains for us to do our part by Hghting with every means within our command for a just peace and a respectful world. The nation must recognize that just as the individual is subject to the law of the nation in which he lives, the nation must be subject to the law of the world of which it is also a part. If a citizen refuses to obey the law of a democratic community, the community enforces the law for the common good. There can. be no orderly com' munity based upon the principle that each nation can do what it pleases. The nations of the world are responsible for world law and if one nation refuses to obey the law it becomes the concern of the world association. Law does not govern a nation unless a nation respects, and works continuously and cooperatively for the benefits of all people. I think we may now say that there will be no general international organization unless the people of the United States are willing to take part in it and give it our power and prestige. The mark of maturity among men and nations is the willingness to assume responsibility. Let us assume it with faith in ourselves, not fear.