Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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depths of the carved balcony, there lay what appeared to be a little heap of yellow silk, stained with red. Dorothy Dunn, ’29 SPRING EVENING The warmth of spring is in the eve- ning air, A drowsy bird chirps from his leafy nest ; The world is peaceful, and all things at rest. Gray shadows, creeping o’er the meadows fair. Chase the last sunset colors from the hillsides bare; And, shining high up in the pale blue evening sky. The first star of evening, like a tiny winking eye Twinkles softly, and invokes a si- lent prayer. Thus as night comes on, and time for sleep Draws near, the air is cooler, and breezes softly blow. Ah ! to lie and watch the trees and stars till slumber deep Steals from the land of dreams to the earth below ! And so, at last, the earthly balm of sleep Comes with the night wind and the moonlight’s glow. D. Dunn, ’29 Graduation Essays AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS Stanley Machaj When George Washington was elected to the presidency of the United States for his second term, he was asked by the French govern- ment to help France in the war in which she was then engaged against England, Prussia, and Aus- tria. Washington, foreseeing the troubles that would befall his coun- try if he entered this war, issued a famous Proclamation of Neutrality. In this proclamation he stated that it was the policy of the United States to keep out of the complicat- ed hostilities of Europe. From this proclamation we con- clude that our first president wish- ed that our country would not in any way mingle with the affairs of foreign nations. But, could a na- tion as growing and prosperous as the United States keep out of the affairs of foreign countries? This policy of neutrality was all right so far as Washington was concerned, and we find that he kept his country out of troubles through- out the remainder of his second term. Our relations with England were then slightly strained as a natural outcome of the Revolution, but every argument was settled peaceably. This policy does not hold true however with other presidents and we find that our country was some- times forced into mingling with the affairs of other nations. In 1812, when Madison was president, the United States were forced to en- gage in a war with England, Mon- roe, our next president, issued the famous Monroe Doctrine. He was forced to issue this document as a result of a silent threat that the Holy Alliance in Europe was mak- ing to subjugate the rebellious Spanish republics in South Ameri- ca and to colonize the western hem- isphere. This move, he thought, would not only endanger the peace of America, but also hurt our for- eign trade and commerce. The Mon- roe Doctrine is sometimes called “the cornerstone of American for- 8

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ceiling glistening in the light which filtered through the shaded high- arched windows, reflected a pale light from its white marble surface. A dark skinned woman was re- clining on a brocaded couch near the center of the room. A ray of light shone in her smooth ebony- black hair, and great carved jade earrings hung nearly to her should- ers. A loose robe of yellow silk was held at her neck by a gold chain, and her tiny feet were encased in jewelled sandals. But no splendor, however great, could disguise the mingled pain and unhappiness in her dark eyes. At the foot of the couch sat a swarthy Burmese ser- vant, wrapped in a dark brown gar- ment, her black hair smoothed back behind the two gold circlets which hung from her ears. On a sweet- toned native lyre she played softly, endeavoring to dispel her mistress’ sadness. At length the mistress stirred. “Please do not continue playing, Sanhli, for I am tired.” Immedi- ately the flute-like notes were stilled, and the servant bowed to the floor in token of obedience. Then nothing could be heard in the room but the plash of a fountain in the gardens beyond the court- yard and the faint rustle of silk as the mistress tossed feverishly on her pillows. Her head ached most painfully, and sleep seemed impossible. How she hated this land — and everything in it! She hated the old maharajah, her husband, — the gold and jewels that he heaped upon her in wor- ship of her beauty were like coals of fire on her soul. Oh, to be back in her homeland, among her be- loved hills, — with her own people ! In the bitterness of her mind she cursed her beauty, and wished that she had been created with a face so plain that the maharajah would never have been attracted to her, — though she was fearfully aware that there was another thing that 1 wanted — the Mundullah pearl. On the third finger of her right hand gleamed a pearl whose tiny milk- white perfection put to shame the gaudy jewels which surrounded it — like a white rosebud among red poppies. This, at least, she could have as a reminder of her home- land, provided she could keep its famed beauty from the eyes of the maharajah’s spies. This perfect gem had been handed down to the women of her family for more than a hundred years — faithfulness to ancestral tradition had kept it se- cure, while its fame became wide- spread. ;i; IK :i; :i: :i; ;!; The Indian moon, a great silver ball, rose slowly over the horizon and up into a sky of deep blue, sprinkled with the silver dust of many stars. It touched the delicate carved balcony which looked out over the maharajah’s gardens, and turned to liquid silver the tumbling water that rose from the fountain in a glistening spire. A woman ap- peared on the balcony — a woman clothed in golden yellow, upon whose hand the Mundullah pearl gleamed in the moonlight. On her face there was an expression of loathing, fear, and at the same time, determination. Her hands trembled, and in her eyes there was a look of desperation. Slowly, tremblingly, she took from her jew- elled girdle a tiny dagger, its gold- en hilt flashing like the eye of a wild beast. With hands that shook, she removed the pearl ring, and with the aid of the knife, took the gem from its setting. Then — suddenly, she put the pearl into her mouth and swallowed it. A look of tri- umph, of revenge, perhaps, came into her eyes, and with her lips in a firm line and her face turned toward her homeland, she plunged the dagger into her heart. The Indian moon rose higher, and jwhen its beams penetrated the 7

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eign policy” and since the day that it was issued its content has been stretched far beyond its original declaration of protecting the terri- tories and governments of Central and South American republics. It has been even used to the extent of settling boundary disputes and financial problems between the na- tions of Europe and the smaller re- publics of South America. Our next foreign interest of im- portance was the Mexican War which was a result of the fact that Mexico refused to recognize our an- nexation of Texas. A treaty was drawn up with England which pro- vided that the United States and Great Britian should jointly guar- antee the neutrality of any canal built across the isthmus of Central America. During the latter part of the nineteenth century Pan-Ameri- canism, the affiliation of countries of North and South America, was a strong point of discussion. This discussion resulted in a Congress of nineteen Latin-American republics at Washington in 1889. At this congress subjects of mutual inter- est were discussed and a Bureau of American Republics was formed in Washington to keep us informed of the fortunes and doings of our neighbors in Central and South America. In 1898 Hawaii became a part of the United States by an- nexation and the century was closed by our participation in the Spanish- American War. And so, in spite of Washington’s and Monroe’s efforts to keep their country out of foreign questions, we find that the nineteenth century was filled with interests concerning the United States and other countries. By the year 1900, Americans came to realize that they no longer had the choice whether or not they should be a leading factor in the great events of the world. The for- eign events in which America took part up to 1900 proved this conclu- sively. Although the nineteenth century was an age of much importance to the United States in foreign affairs, the period from 1900 to 1929 is of more importance to us because of the questions confronting us today which must be settled by the pres- ent generation. In 1900 an association of men in China called “Boxers,” resenting the growth of foreign influence in their country, gained control of the ter- ritory around Peking and began a reign of terror. America, who had military troops stationed in the Philippines, was able to furnish 5000 men to help put down this re- bellion and rescue the foreign le- gations which were besieged in Pe- king. Our secretary of state, then John Hay, took the initiative in dealing with the question of the punishment of the Chinese and of the adjustment of the outrage. By taking this attitude in the treatment of China, America gained the sym- pathy and confidence of the world. From then on she was considered by all other countries as a nation to be reckoned with in all events con- cerning the world in general. Ever since the days that America was founded as an independent na- tion, the outstanding cries of her people that rang in the ears of all other people, were “liberty, justice, and peace.” On April 6, 1917 the United States declared war on Ger- many. She was forced to this ac- tion because, as Wilson said, “the world must be made safe for dem- ocracy.” Before this date German submarines had sunk many neutral ships, among which were a great number of American vessels. To insure our liberty and to stop this great plunder of American lives and property on the sea we entered this “great war of the nations.” No one can say we were wrong in so doing. Seeing that she was unable to hold back the allied forces any longer, Germany was forced to de- clare an armistice on the eleventh 9