Abington High School - Abhis Yearbook (Abington, MA)

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THE ABHIS 3 EDITORIALS OUR NATIONAL SECURITY A short time ago President Truman ordered all government agencies to adopt the security classification system. This means that certain phases of news which are used by the State and Defense Departments are being barred from the eyes and ears of our citizens. If this is being done, how are the people going to know what is going on in the world today? Eventually, their right to the long-cherished freedom will be gone. Then what? In formulating this classification system, the President has given numerous departments, large as well as small, the right to decide for themselves whether they think that certain information which they possess is vital enough to withhold from the people or all right to send out. The present situation cannot and will not allow this. The world, today, is already in a turmoil and the government is making it worse by not letting the public know its own business. The people have a right to know what is going on! If this so-called secrecy continues long enough, there will be a great deal of bribery and other serious offenses on the part of some people, since they will be trying to find out the state of affairs, which appear to be vitally secret. Of course we need national security, but I think that it is being achieved in the wrong way. If we want to keep such and such in- formation in top secret, what is the sense of letting hundreds of thousands of government employees take care of this? Many of our government leaders are not the qualified men they should be. They are not helping our country as they should, but are mistreating it. Many of the leaders of the different depart- ments have entirely different viewpoints on what should be kept secret and what should not! The men for this job are the ones who have a wholesome background and plenty of experience as well as other necessary qualities which would help to make America a better country. In such a critical period as the present one, the people should be better informed of world affairs. If the security classification system should continue, our personal liberties and equal freedom will be in a grave state. We want to know what is going on in order to protect our own national security from Russia and other satellite nations. Thus, we have to do every- thing in our power to keep the United States of America a democratic country. BERTHA RANSONI, '52 BROTHERHOOD A short time ago you, the student .body ol' Abington High School, heard a broadcast on Brotherhood. The program was an interest- ing and beneficial one, but how many of you really gained or retained the knowledge con- tained in it? Ol' course, to many, this idea of brother- hood is elementary. Y'Vc've heard its prin- ciples over and over-associated with our home, our school, our community, and our nation. NVQ are all acquainted with the Golden Rule. YVhy, then, are we living in involved and unpeaceful times? Is it not be- cause the people of today do note carry out or truly understand the meaning of brother- hood anti all that it signifies? The word brotherhood means fraternity, fellowship, or association with regard to com- mon interests. The hood part denotes a state, quality, character, or condition. Thus, we see why it is used in our everyday life! Brotherhood starts in the home in connec- tion with the family, then it grows to the outside, to one's neighbors, thus influencing the community. From the community it spreads throughout the-state and nation and its government. It affects our relationship with those ol' foreign countries, of different colors, races, or creeds. Brotherhood, in the true sense of the word, is not observed by all or else our world would not be in the turmoil in which it now is. If brotherhood were gen- erally the rule rather than the exception, our nation would be a better and safer place in which to live and our children could grow up without the fear of war, and its resultant disaster. YV ith the theory of brotherhood penetrating the hearts of all people, all over the world, there would not be this condition of misun- derstanding between America and the people of other nations. XVouldn't the universe be a fresher place in which to live, if we, as the future citizens of our nation, should begin today to live a life of service, love and brother- hood? Brotherhood of man is essential if we are to survive in the troublesome world of today. After all, what is the sense of friend against friend and brother against brother? - He that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth. PATRICIA BENSON, '52

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4 THE ABHIS WORLD AFFAIRS r At any time the Third World VVar may erupt. Of all wars Qin respect to the number of participantsj it will probably be the long- est, most mobilized, and largest of all wars. Many things are hindering the attempt of nations to establish World peace. Two things are outstanding: they are the Suez Canal trouble and the Iranian oil dispute. The Suez, first interoceanic canal, is a con- necting point between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. In 1859 a French company began building this great waterway. After ten years of hard work the canal was completed. Seven years after completion, the British bought a controlling one hundred seventy-six thousand shares of the total four hundred thousand shares. A number of years later, the canal was enlarged. After its enlargment there were more than six hundred thousand shares of which more than two hundred sixty thousand belonged to Great Britain. During World YVar II the total income of this great water- way was more than one billion francs. Be- cause of this income the British are trying to keep control of this land. Because the Suez is on Egyptian land it is not rightfully on the land of Great Britain. During the time in which this country was a great power, it de- cided to protect the canal zone. Recently, however, Britain has become a Great Britain that is no longer great. During its decline in power, Egypt's power has been rising steadily. The British are therefore faced with an imme- diate crisis from which it is possible that the Third World Xvar may erupt. The Iranian situation is one of far more importance than the Suez Canal trouble. In it are involved both the Iranians and the British. The cause of the difficulties is that Iran wants to gain complete control of its oil fields. At present the British are controlling this vast area of oil land. This land brings in a considerable amount of income for the British government. Annually this country's oil fields yield almost all of the oil used in Britain, Mfithout this oil many thousands of British oil workers would be jobbers. Also, the British would have to pay for oil many thousands dollars more per year than they would if they owned it themselves. Because of the oil cost the British have ample reason for trying to hold these resources. They know, too, that, possibly, if they lose this land, the dreaded enemy of peace, communism, may once again benefit by conquering the Iranians, who are still considerably weaker than the British. I firmly. believe that the British will do everything in their power to stop this great catastrophe. CARLETON LUKE, '54 WHAT IS AN AMERICAN? just what is an American? Is he the young businessman who is hurrying down a busy New York avenue or is he the older farmer in the small western town? I-Ie is bothg in fact, he is every citizen in the United States. His ancestors were the forefathers of our country: it was they who built the foundation of America. By fighting for freedom and justice they helped build America. Every person who is interested in the laws, the freedom, the people who run our govern- ment, and the person who fights for our coun- try is truly an American. He may be black or white, rich or poor, doctor or lawyer, farmer or merchant, school teacher or steel worker, minister or priest: regardless of the work he does, he is still one of the iron pillars that support our country. The people who take an active part in our government and help to make new and better laws, the people who are sincerely interested in America are Americans. An American is free to live, to speak, to work, to write, or to worship as he wishes. Aren't you glad you are an American? CHARLOTTE BLAKE, WORLD WAR III It is believed by many that a third world war has been going on for five years during which time Russia has been winning and the United States, losing. The real beginning of this war was on March 12, 1947 when Presi- dent Truman proclaimed the plan to stop the spread of Communism. Joseph Stalin accepted this as a declaration of Mforld War III anti formed his plans accordingly. Russia then took Czechoslovakia and Poland and strength- ened her hold on Rumania and Bulgaria. Now in China it has proved profitable for her in that she has lost no lives but has succeeded in bringing China into the Communist em- pire. In Indo-China and Malaya Communist- inspired guerilla wars are being fought. The preferred Russian procedures are by means of propaganda, for the purpose of gaining control of other countries by changing the people's ideas, and wherever it is necessary inciting them to fight their shooting wars for them. Their propaganda is working in nearly every country in the world.