Granite City High School - Warrior Yearbook (Granite City, IL)

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4 4 ARVIGLA BRAMMEI, Balpliirtnrg (Condensed) The nations of the world are each others neighbors. It is to their interest that they should understand each other. In order that they may understand each other it is imperative that they should agree to co-operate in a common cause and that they should so act that the guiding principle of that common cause shall be even handed and impartial justice. That is undoubtedly the thought of America. We believe in certain great principles, that any nation that can maintain order and govern itself has a right to its independence and a right to work out its own destiny— the principle of nationalities. We believe in the spread of Democracy not only as beneficial to the people governed, but because auto- cracies, oligarchies, and the doctrine of divine right of kings are menaces to the world’s peace. Booking at the commercial side of this question, it has been stated that the struggle for trade leads to war. This need not be true, but conducted as it has been conducted in the past, war is the logical result. The high principles of liberty and humanity apply to commerce as well as to politics and the most useful service we could render any league or alliance for the enforcement of peace is to stand against the adoption of commercial methods which lead directly to war. Have you ever let yourself consider for a moment what would be the effect on the world, on this country, on yourself, if the Germans effectively- blockaded our Allies with their submarines and starved them into submission’’ It would rank with the most stupendous calamities that ever befell this troubled world. If by any remote chance the Germans should prove successful there would be no peace and security in the world until the politi cal ideas that dominate Germany were exterminated. If she should succeed she would destroy the whole fabric of human society, intercourse, communica- tions and relations between peoples. °u r States ’ under OUr President - has recognized this great truth that should Germany win the war, democracy would be trampled in the dust and the l nited States would be looked upon with scorn and be no longer con sidered one of the greatest nations of the World. In realizing this she has allied herself with other democratic nations and has taken part of the ' burden on her shoulder and is endeavoring to successfully establish world wide democracy. Democracy, which has proved to be one of the greatest blessings to mankind, in so doing her duty she will make that famous clause of the Gettysburg address apply to all the world That all nations, under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that this government, of the people for the people, and by the people shall not perish from the earth. 1918 MAY 1918 Sun. Mon. Tue, Med. Thu. Krl. Snt. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31