Des Moines Technical High School - Engineer Yearbook (Des Moines, IA)

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CLASS ORATION The XYorld War, Peace, and the League of Nations For centuries nations have been at war, yet for centuries they have been trying to preserve peace. This gigantic problem has confronted the leaders of the world and it has not yet been solved. The monster war has continued to advance. Although war produces a few beneficial results, no man of normal intelligence will deny that it is detrimental to the welfare of society. It diverts the energies of the nations engaged in it into unpro- ductive channels. It plunges nations into debt and annihilates their youth. It demoralizes their public spirit. In the midst of a splendid attempt to stay its rapid advance, the world war came. America was caught in the meshes of intricate European entangle- ments through her commercial, rather than political, relations with the na- tions of Europe. Such energetic action, and such unity of purpose had never before been known in the history of America. America gave her heart and soul to win the war. One million American boys and men marched forth with sorrowful hearts but determined souls to end war by war, and make the world safe for democracy. Eighteen XYest High boys marched gallantly with them, and now they lie, our honored dead, in foreign fields, in foreign soil. Many a khaki clad American lad died with a smile on his lips, contented, because he felt that he had fought and died in the last great war the world would ever know, and because he knew he had helped to free the people of the world from the powerful grip of the tyrant's hand. Our activities at home were, perhaps, even greater than those abroad. Each man, woman, and child did something in service for the noble cause. Vlihen the enthusiasm reached its highest pitch the armistice came. Amer- ica rejoiced amid showers of confetti and lusty shouts of the happy multi- tudes. The peace conference was held at Paris. Germany was stripped of all her power. Boundaries were adjusted and new nations were created. But most important of all was the introduction of a plan which, looking into the future, would make sure that another such war could never occur. It called for the formation of a league of nations, which league was to arbi- trate the quarrels of nations by means of a world court and enforce, if necessary. its decisions by military force. Today all the leading nations of the world belong, except the United States of America. Our congress re- fused to join because it believed our forces would be called upon to fight in quarrels which have little or no bearing upon the welfare of our nation. In our position we keep company with Mexico and Russia. Nine years have passed swiftly since the signing of the armistice. Yet it seems as though the recollection of it were but a distant memory. The tumult of the war has ceased. Men and women have returned to their peaceful pursuits. As we look back upon the war, sorrow saddens our hearts. Wie see the result of the war and feel our increased responsibility. Did the war end war? Did our soldier boys make the world safe for democ- racy? No, I believe not. But they made a wonderful beginning. It re- mains for us, the living, to complete their unfinished task. Many of us have thought our duty done when we won the war. Sad it is, indeed, that many labored during the war to put an end to war and oppression, but ++ ++++++ +4 Eighteen

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PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS VVe are the last pupils who will be so honored as to receive diplomas from VVest High. It is a great privilege and we should make the most of it. As we look back we see many great men and women listed among the Alumni of our school. ls not this sufficient incentive to make us strive to succeed? XYe are the last of XYest High to have the chance to carry its name to the heights. Let us work and labor to bring only honor to this last class of ours. XYest High has given us something which is priceless and which it is our duty to use. Our education can make successes of us if it has taught us to work, if it has taught us that success lies in helping others and making this world a better place for those who follow us. lf we are to do this it is for us to consider seriously some of the prob- lems confronting the world today. First, it is our duty as coming citizens to try to understand each otherg and by each other I mean not only those of us who are present, but all the millions of young people in the many lands whose environment is dif- ferent from ours. XYe should attempt to realize how our French friends feel concerning debt settlements and tariff lawsg how foreigners feel about our immigration laws. We should study the matter so that we can do the right thing concerning the foreigners and our own manufacturers and laborers. lt is also our duty to spread our doctrine of equality all over the world so that all our brothers and sisters in foreign lands may have equal chances. This would remove much of their discontent and prevent many disagreements which start wars. , Then we must strive to become a nation of law observers, so that our National Constitution shall remain supreme, and all acts and amendments under it shall be honored and obeyed. It is, of course, a great tempta- tion to mock some of its laws and make light of them, but this is very disastrous. lf the law were not good and necessary, it would not have been passedg therefore, we must obey it because of its worth. Also, it tends to decrease the worth of all other laws, if one is disregarded. So it is evi- dent that we should obey the law because disobeying brings such dire re- sults. lt is taking an awful responsibility for one young person or any one person to say something is wrong which at one time the whole nation said was good and just. ln addition we must, as future employers and employees, strive to be fair so that the industrial difficulties of today may be eliminated. We must, as future workers, strive to be fair to our employers by giving them as much work as we can. As future employers, we should study living condi- tions and costs, and give our workers sufficient income that they and their families may live decently and have some pleasure in life. Correspondingly, the worker must learn to save and budget his income so that he can receive the most good from it. As employers we should study hygienic problems so that our workers might work in the conditions which will be best for their health and likewise give them the highest efficiency. As you see, then, it is a very serious problem to live today. and its solu- tion must demand our fullest attention. -NIILTON BLANC. 4 44+ Scent tcm:

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+4-++4+++ +++ refuse to labor with equal effort to preserve the peace whose tranquil em- brace fosters the prosperity of our nation. Our duty is not yet done. lt is for us to abolish forever the institution of war and the oppression of the weak by the strong. lf we break faith with those who died, they will not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields. From the war we have learned that problems which confront Europe confront us alsog that trouble in Europe means trouble in Americag and that wars in Europe or in any other part of the world are bound to affect the destinies of our nation. The common belief is to the contrary. For years we have followed the advice of XYashington, who says in his fare- well address, Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue a different course. XN'hy quit our own to stand on foreign ground? XYhy, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, en- tangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalry, interest, humor, or caprice? It is our true policy to steer clear of perma- nent alliances with any portion of the foreign world. VVashington's advice, if such a person as I may be permitted to comment upon the words of so great a man as our first president, was sound under the conditions of those times in which he lived. But conditions have changed. Today a huge steamship may cross the Atlantic in less than a week, compared to the two months it took the fastest ship to cross in the days of XYashington. Today airships can cross that mighty span of water in less than forty-eight hours. Telephones, the telegraph, and radio connect us with the most remote parts of the world. How then, does the fact that we are separated by a body of water from the rest of the world place us in a position aloof from the rest of the world? The nations of the world are bound so closely together that. as the motion of one drop of water affects the motion of the other drops surrounding it, the troubles of one nation alone will affect the destinies of the other nations of the world. For this reason all future wars will in- volve the whole world as did the last one. lf we are agreed that our nation will be affected by disturbances in other parts of the world, why should we not join the League of Nations, an organization which is wise enough to arbitrate justly, and has strength enough to enforce its decisions? If we do this we have kept faith with those who lie in Flanders fields. ln conclusion, peace is a divine blessing to the people. Surely any sacri- fice on our part to secure and preserve it will be of great service to hu- manity. The time has come when America must realize that she is a part of the world and not a world in itself. Th world war was fought to end war and make the world safe for democracy. Eighteen of our own boys fought and died with this purpose in their hearts. Have these, our gold star boys, died in vain? No, God forbid. lt is for us to carry on their unfinished work. Let us take renewed courage and exert all our efforts to complete their task. Let us not be stubborn. Let us be fair and square. Let us, trusting in God as our helper, fall in with and aid any plan which, although calling for a sacrifice on our parts, will make the world safe for democracy. -Honiara Kixc. HHH :'++++4++++++ Ninctrvn