Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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f reserves; to develop these men physically, mentally, and morally. The most time is put upon the infantry drill in this couise. The second course is the White Course which tries to qualify privates as. ' non-com- missioned officers; to provide preliminary training: for commissions in the Reserve Corps, and to provide further military training for civilians. Any man over nine- teen and under thirty-five years of age is eligible. The Blue Course is the third course and the most advanced in camp. Its object is to provide more advanced training for non-commissioned officers of the Regular Army, National Guard, Enlisted Reserve Corps, and civilians, with a view to their appointment as officers in the Officer’s Re- serve Corps. Anybody who is over twen- ty-one years of age and under thirty-five is eligible if he has completed the Red and White Courses or their equivalent. In brief, all the courses have the de- finite object of carrying out the exhorta- tion of Robert E. Lee when he said, “Make your sons Americans.” If we suc- ceed in our doing this, — in converting the army of the youth of this country into real Americans, imbued with the ideas of justice, morality, and right, we shall be accomplishing a great work indeed. GEORGE BEAN THE JAPAN-AMERICAN QUESTION Kipling once wrote: “Oh East is East and West is West And never the twain shall meet Till Earth and Sky stand presently At God’s great Judgment Seat” It seems to me that these lines, in con- nection with the Japanese question, are quite appropriate although I don’t sup- pose that Kipling had any thought of the Japanese and Americans in mind when he wrote them. Ever since 1880 there has been a steady increase in the number of Japanese coming to this country, the ma- jority of which remained in California. At first all Japanese were allowed to en- ter this country but in 1908 a “Gentle- men’s Treaty,” as it was called, was formed at the suggestion of President Roosevelt between Japan and the United States. In accordance with this, Japan has issued passports to only the better class of Japanese. Now an immigration bill has been passed, a clau e of which excludes practically all Japanese after Ju- ly first. In fact the only Japanese who will be admitted are professors of col- leges, ministers, and students. Now let us consider some of the pre- vailing views against this act. Some think that the “Gentlemen’s Treaty” was suffi- cient, and they oppose further restriction; others think that this treaty leaves to the Japanese that which we ought to do our- selves, namely the choosing of who shall and who shall not enter this country. Nevertheless this treaty has been of some aid, for the statistics show that during the year 1909-10-11 and 12, the excess of Japanese emigrants over immigrants was about 6,000. Then too, this exclusion policy, espe- cially the recent passing of the immigra- tion bill containing the Japanese exclusion clause, partly because of its aim, partly because of the spirit in which it has been carried out, is keenly resented by the Jap- anese nation as shown by the paragraphs from seven Japanese newspapers, printed in a recent issue of “The Literary Di- gest,” All of them represent the Japan- ese people, as a whole, as highly indig- nant and insulted, and only one is at all conciliatory. This resentment may or may not lead; to international complications between Japan and the United States, and although there is little doubt as to the outcjome, if it did, it would at least be an added burden to the United States. It is this consideration doubtless which has influenced President Coolidge’s at- titude toward the Japanese clause of which he disapproved and asked that it be deferred until 1925. Now let us consider some of the ar- guments set forth by those who feel that the United States is justified in adopting a rigid policy of exclusion. In the first place, the Japanese, being accustomed to 20

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L ning Hig-h School for the help and edu- cation they have given us. Classmates: for the last four years we have worked and played together to gain an education. Tonight our pathways separate. Some will go on to higher in- stitutions of learning, while others will find a path of usefulness more directly. Let us not forget, however, that all these paths lead to the stars. May we benefit by the lessons we have learned, and in ap- preciation for what those interested in our welfare have done for us, demon- strate to them and to the world our pow- er to reach the stars through difficulties “Adastra per aspera. EDNA PEABODY. CITIZENS ' MILITARY TRAINING CAMP The Citizens ' Military Training Camps are the direct outgrowth of the Plattsburg camp started in the years before the World War. These camps were attended, (by several thousand citizens in these years. On June 4, 1920, Congress took the essen- tial features of the Plattsburg camp and incorporated them into legislation provid- ing for the coordination of military and civilian agencies in a comprehensive sys- tem of national defense. Under the pro- visions of this act the War Department is authorized to conduct each summer training camps for American citizens be- tween the ages of seventeen and thirty- five years. The purpose of the camp is to bring together young men of all types, both native and foreign born; to develop clo- ser national and social unity; to teach the privileges, duties, and responsibilities of citizens ' hip; to show the public that it will develop their sons physically, men- tally, and morally. The training camp brings together men of all races who are or ii tend to be citizens of the United States. This tends to make one under- stand the man next to him and to help make better foreign born citizens. The men are brought together socially. This is accomplished by having entertainment for all the men, such as moving pictures, dances, and other similar amusements. Discipline in camp is enforced — never harsh, but strict. Order, neatness, and sanitation are required from all. Each man cleans his own outfit and every week inspections are held at the camp which compel the man to rely upon himself, to have himself and his outfit, as the saying goes, “spick and span. Every man in the camp is required to take physical ex- ercise for a prescribed amount of time each day. Besides this, athletic contests are held in running, jumping, hurdling, and all other sports. All these things tend to make the man alert and self-reliant. One of the main purposes of the camp is to train men to be fit to become sol- diers if necessary. As Andrew Jackson said, “Our principal dependence for pro- tection should be upon the citizens of the Republic. This shows what one of the greatest presidents of the United States thought about the necessity of training the citizens to be soldiers. This means that every man physically fit should be ready at any minute to take up arms for his country. As General John J. Persihing once said, “Upon every able-bodied Am- erican citizen there rests an obligation to keep himself fit, and in time of peace pre- pare to defend his country in time of need. The training camps have been established with this idea in view. The camp al.so developes a greater and more intense love for the country among the men. They are able to see more clearly the benefits which are derived from the goveirnment. This patriotism must be developed, for, as our late pre- sident Warren G. Harding says, “We need a new birth of patriotism in our Country, and it is developed in the training camp. The men are also taught to have a regard for the rights of others, thereby tending to decrease the amount of crime in the country. There are three courses of instruction at the camps. The first of these courses is the Red Course which tries to equip men for the service as privates in the 19

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frugal living- and long hours of work, can underbid and outwork white men as la- borers. They will work under any con- dition however unhygienic they may be, and all this of course tends to lower the standard of work. After the Jap is em- ployed, he is not satisfied to remain a la- borer but as soon as he learns the “ins and outs” of the business, he leaves his employer and goes into business for him- self. He is quite satisfied with much ‘.maller profits and because of this he can undersell his white competitor every time and often ruin his business. In real estate deals, the Japanese use some rather underhanded methods, to say the least. One Jap may lease a farm at a fair rental, and then being satisfied with small returns, he deliberately im- poverishes the land. The white owner is induced to sell and the Jap buys. Where- upon he begins to cultivate the land pro- perly and to hire more Japanese. In a short time the farm is bringing in good profits. In the cities a Jap will buy a house in a white section. Because of his poor care and untidiness the value of adjacent property falls, and more Japan- ese buy. Thus it ' continues until finally it results in a Jap “quarter.” Then again they are very unreliable. They may sign a contract, and when the work is perhaps half finished someone of- fers them better wages, and they leave the contract job for the other, often caus- ing a considerable loss to the contractor. They are also quite vindictive. If they feel that they have been wronged, and they are very sensitive, or if they cannot secure a piece of land which they desire, they will usually find a way to injure either the man who caused the trouble or his business. It is stated, too, that tbe Japs have too great a love for their own country ever to become real Americans. They always think of their country first and themselves later, and it is because of this intense patriotism that some claim ' that the Jap- anese could never become true citizens of any other country. In such places as Vacaville and Florin the Japanese have established almost en- tire communities which continue in Budd- hist religion and Japanese national cus- toms. Someone has called the communi- ties “cankers in our body politic.” Of course these conditions described are true more particularly of California and the Picific Coast section, but the problem there is a serious racial problem which threatens to involve the whole country. It is a question which must engage more and more the attention of thoughtful men and women. There is little doubt in the minds of most people as to whether or not we have the right to pass an exclusion law because first, the Americans own the land of the United States and theirs is the right to say who shall and who ' shall not live here; second, Japan herself set the exclusion example by not only excluding Chinese coolies but even by exporting them; third, Japan will neither allow Americans to become citizens of Japan nor to hold land there. On the other hand the United States is the last nation in the world to become involved needlessly in war. Summing up the situation, the general sentiment of the country seems to be that although we desire to maintain friendly relations with Japan as a nation, we feel at the same time that American ideals and principles must not be sacrificed. JARVIS CARTLEDGE HISTORY OF CLASS OF 1924 It was a few days after Labor Day in the year 1920 that a group of pupils just graduated from the eighth grade the proceeding June stood before the gates of Manning High School. It was several minutes before we found the courage to enter but it finally came to us and we did so. The proud upper classmen looked upon us with contempt and disgust. We with- stood their looks all right, but when it came to initiation, — well, it was quite a different story. 21