Athens Area High School - Athenian Yearbook (Athens, PA)

Page 18 text:

During the period of the war our people have been robbed of their food to feed the starving nations of Europe. That was no more than right. But now. after the war. these foreigners will flock to this country after being so hard pressed during the war. But they are needed in their own country to till the soil and feed themselves. This is what most of them will do if they are shut out from this country and food will again be normal in this country. In Russia and in other nations of Europe there are a class of people who are always looking for trouble and are never satisfied. The Bolsheviks are a good example of this class. Their aim seems to be to make trouble. Some of them have invaded this country, causing strikes and political unrest among the working classes. If an immigration law were passed restricting all immigration to this country for a period of five years, this class of men would be shut out until the time when the country is normal again. For these reasons, as an after-war measure, as a preventive against civil strife, I am convinced that a law should be passed to restrict all immigration to this country for a period of five years. HINTON COOK, ’19. NEGATIVE Such a law as proposed by my opponent is not necessary, first because of the labor conditions at the present time. Wages are exceptionally high, but not high compared with the high cost of living. Each day the papers bring the glad news of thousands of our boys returning from their adventurous days of trench life to their positions which they held before the war. Thus there will be little demand for foreign labor and consequently the tide will be checked, if not stopped, until again the demand for more labor arises. Mr. Howe, who has studied immigration from every viewpoint, states that opportunities in their own country equal those to be found in the United States and prevent most European immigrants from feeling the impulse of immigration. Men and women do not tear themselves up by the roots, take ship and begin life anew amidst unfamiliar surroundings in communities of which they do not even know the language in the mere spirit of adventure. They submit to terror and discomfort, yielding to the hope of immigration only because they find conditions at home unfavorable. If home conditions become attractive, even if they become endurable, few will leave familiar conditions for those to be found here. It was the spirit of immigration that brought the United States into existence and has so well developed it into such a prosperous nation. Still at the present time the labor force depends somewhat upon the number of immigrants. Without immigration the United States would be more than twenty years later in progress than she is today. Such a law would be offensive to other countries and thereby would be a source of renewed trouble and a danger which should be avoided at the present day. Under the present peace terms all nations are to be at peace with one another. Why exclude from your presence those whom interest in the United States has drawn from foreign countries? Considering reasons above stated there is no firm ground upon which such a, law might be laid. GEORGE BARTON, '19. 16

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THK HIGH S('HOOL BOVS’ AUXILIARY Although the High School Boys’ Auxiliary has not been as active this year as the High School Girls’ Auxiliary, it has raised proportionately about as much money for war work. They subscribed and paid $50.00. The money was raised through the five different groups into which the Auxiliary is divided. Each group had food or candy sales during the year and raised its allotment independently of the other groups. Although the war is over there is as great need of service as before. There is so much to be done in relief and reconstruction work in Europe that we should not consider slackening our efforts in aiding the suffering multitudes of the war-ruined lands. In fact, the whole world must be rebuilt on a firm and substantial basis. The Auxiliary has had photographs enlarged of Floyd E. Arnold and Howard A. Delaney. These, with a suitable inscription, will be placed on the walls of the high school auditorium as a token of the appreciation of the Athens High School for those who were willing to give up all that we might enjoy the benefits of peace. Here’s hoping that the boys of next year’s high school will stick to their auxiliary work and make it as influential and as thoroughly efficient an organization as the High School Girls’ Auxiliary. HOBEHT HORTON, ’19. SHOULD IMMIGRATION TO THK UNITED STATES BK PROHIBITED FOB FIVE YEARS? The late European War has brought to the surface many old questions and chief among these is the problem of immigration. Yearly there have been throngs of people from all the nations of Europe and Asia pouring into this country. Do these people tend to make conditions better in this country or worse? One thing that we do know is that the greater majority of foreigners lower the sandard of wages in this country. They do not spend so much as the American born citizen and so are able to work for less money. Would not the lowering of wages be a dangerous move at this time when prices of food and other necessities of life are so high and men have been used to such high wages during the last few years? Such moves cause panics, and panics are what we are trying to avoid. Therefore, would it not be well to take some means of prevention? In five years the country would be normal in prices and wages. Would it not be a wise preventive to restrict all immigration to the United States for a period of five years? Our soldiers are beginning to arrive home. They must have something to do. and most of them will take their pre-war jobs back. This will necessitate that the person who held the job for the period of the war should find work elsewhere. If a throng of foreigners are pouring into this country they. too. must have work. While jobs are scarce enough now. they will be even more so if immigration is not restricted and we will have a class of men who. if they do not find work, will find some evil to do and the result would be a large class of criminals. The war had hardly ended when the work of reconstruction began. Cities and villages are being built over again. Men are needed for various tasks and those already over there are best fitted for the work, for they know the country better. If immigration to this country were restricted for a period of five years, these men would stay at home and go on with the work of reconstruction, who otherwise would come to this country, inexperienced and penniless, to be dependent upon our people. 15

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AD VICK TO THE JUNIORS Juniors, we have watched through your high school course and have seen your raults and of course have noticed that there is a chance for impro.emeiu. Now is is time lor you to enter into your Senior year. You will be looked upon as a leaner, and you are to set an example for the lower classes. Do you tnink tnat you are capable of doing this? Now it is time to consider upon some sort of advice 11 om an older class. We know that you are all stars along athletic lines, but get some life into your class and work together. It seems that every one works for himself. For instance look at your class party in the gymnasium; not half of your class mem-neis there. You will have to get more spirit than that before entering into the realm of Seniorship. To President Leon Cooper, we advise to pay more attention to class matters and not so much to other school affairs. As for cleverness some of you get the “boobie” prize. How about the night that some of you tried to get away with the punch bowl downstairs? Why don’t you pay more attention to the lower classes and get them interested in school affairs? Follow Mr. Hunt’s example. Mr. Blostein is always displaying such a knowledge of almost everything in general that you can hardly walk through the halls without hearing him. It would be a good idea to start in business. Why don’t you set up an ice cream stand? You could surely induce your customers to buy them. Then if you needed an office force you could And several among the Juniors who have had experience in that work. Why, there would be Kathryn Birney; she is certainly well qualified. There is a rumor going about that Frederick Root is going to start a theatre down in Milan. Pretty good idea, there would be Rheta for pianist! 1 have noticed that some of your class members act as if they were holding a “Quaker meeting.’’ Look at Dorothy Stevens and Kathryn McClarty, always so quiet, but when playing the piano they make more noise than a menagerie. Also Mr. Casper, before thinking of being a Senior, should learn to light a Bunsen burner. How about it? Mr. Catlin, don’t spoil your splendid studious course by staying up in Sayre too late nights. Isn’t Athens good enough for you? And there is Letha Kinner and Arleigh Wiggins, two of the most popular young ladies of the Junior class. How could any one help but to agree to this? But why don’t you forget about it? Mr. Lurcock, they say is going to write a French dictionery. That would be fine. I am certain that you could get ample assistance in the Junior class or even you might find help in the Second Year class! Why don’t you take political economy, Mr. Miller, and devise some sort of a carrier for your bicycle, so that you can bring Mary Moore back and forth from school. There’s your chance, “Jim.’’ It is believed by some that you come back as an animal or some kind of an insect. If this is the case, why don’t you find out what Fred Kosel came back as. There is Pauline Lynch, who appears to be a very brilliant investigator, she might be able to tell you. Well, I guess that we will have to compliment Essie and Ruth Dibble on their cooking, noticing that they spend considerable time in the kitchen. Keep it up, girls, more than one girls has made world-wide fame for her wonderful doughnuts that do not make their consumers sick for eating the hole, or even you might win 17