Coplay High School - Coplayite Yearbook (Coplay, PA)

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As a result of war and to reward the veterans for their sacrifices, liberal pensions are paid. During President Harding’s administration a bill for the increase of pensions was passed by both Houses, but when it was subbitted to the President for his signature, it was vetoed. Recently it was again brought before President Coolidge, but he also vetoed i as his predecessor had done. The passage of this bill means a considerable increase in the sixty-eight percent, used to pay off the old war debts. President Coolidge says that the expenditure of sixty-eight percent, of the taxes must be diminished and not increased. The burden on the taxpayer at the present time is heavy enough and unless taxes can be raised by revenues Pres. Coolidge does not see his way clear to sign the pension bill. This bill would have meant a fifty-eight million dollar increase in our taxes. The bonus bill which had been an important issue since the World War was recently passed by Congress over the president’s veto. This will, no doubt, greatly increase the debt that is yet to lx paid for past wars. Out of the public treasury is taken twenty-five percent, of the taxes which is appropriated for the improvement of our naval defense and the army, or in other words, for future wars, when it could be used for better purposes. The taxpayer who shoulders the burdens of the taxes receives in turn only six percent, for his welfare. It is rather astounding when one contemplates the fact that ninety-nine percent, of the taxes are expended for past and possible future wars. One would think the intelligence of the nations would arouse itself and face the situation squarely. Had it been possible to settle these questions of honor in the past by other means than by the blood, our country with all her glory, would be more glorious still, in view of the fact that that the money eaten up by that great menace—WAR—could have been devoted to the welfare and peace of its people. And to the future—to posterity—is given the balance of the taxes which amounts to one percent. One percent, for the education of the young people—the future citizens and rulers of this land. The American public does not want to shirk the responsibilities of the taxes, but the American public does want to have the taxes used for a good purpose and used properly.

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embarrassment to the government and at the same time prove satisfactory to all classes. The most popular plan today is the one submitted by Secretary of the Treasury, Mellon, but of which there is some doubt of its passage by Congress. This plan would mean a reduction of tin taxes by more than three hundred million dollars. But the most interesting phase of this discussion of taxes is the expenditures of the tax money by the government. Recently the government issued statistics which ought to interest every American citizen. It is estimated that sixtv-eight percent, of the public fund goes to wars that have already been fought . We are still paying the debt incurred by these wars which were originally started by nations that took pride in the fact that they were among the more advanced and civilized nations. Tn looking back over the expenditures made during the late World War we can see what an enormous amount of money was taken out of the treasury. Some of the facts of the last Wilson administration as revealed by a Congressional investigating committee gives us only a slight or approximate idea of what was taken out of the treasury. $176,000,000 spent on poison gas and powder plants which produced neither gas nor powder. $4,000,000 for ships which were not in use, and hundreds of ships were sold at a small fraction of the cost. Furthermore $1,051,000,000 was spent for aircraft construction and $1,191,000,000 for artillery with the result of having only 3,214 aeroplanes and 133 American-made guns on the firing lines at the date of the armistice. $8,000,000 of the people’s money was used in partisan administration propaganda, and President Wilson spent over $1,691,000 on his trip to Paris, a loose accounting for which was made upon the insistent demand of Congress. This was the price paid for President Wilson’s signature to the treaty which the American people repudiated at the first opportunity, the treaty itself having brought untold suffering to humanity without the slightest compensation to the American people. These facts are not given to belittle President Wilson’s administration, but to show how the public funds were used to pay war debts.

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SCHOOL ROTES Evelyn Peters, Editor, ’24. A motion picture, “Silas Marnerwas shown to the school children of both schools in the Pastime Theatre on May 2. The picture is very educational and is a classic in the High School. The Annual County Prize Speaking Contest was held at Coopers-burg, April 25. The contestants were divided into two groups. First group consisting of three year High School pupils and second group consisting of four year High School pupils. Evelyn Peters was chosen as C. II. S. representative at the Contest and was the winner of first prize in the first group. The Music Department of the Coplay Public School presented a musical play entitled “The Shut-Up Posey,” in the Pastime Theatre, May 8. 1924. Mrs. James DeGroot, Director of Music. Mrs. Foster Weitknecht, Accompanist. CAST OF CHARACTERS Mother Earth.....................................Evelyn Peters Angel of Wild Things.........................Alice Trankley Spring.......................................Adele Trankley North, South, East and West Winds...........High School Boys Sun and Moon Maidens.......................Fifth Grade Girls Rainbow Fairies....................................Third Grade Girls Daisies and Buttercups............................Fourth Grade Girls Easter Rabbit ...............................Ernest Kunkle Violet ......................................Lorraine Peters Forget-me-not ...............................Evelyn Stewart Jack in the Pulpit...........................Harry Hallman Dutch Boy....................................Jerry Newman Shepherdesses...............Junior High and High School Girls Shut-Up Posey ...............................Burnetta Beltz Four Woodsmen...............................High School Boys