Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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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

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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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of November in 1918. Shortly af- terwards many of the belligerent nations signed a treaty of peace. President Wilson drew up the four- teen points in this treaty stating the conditions under which the Ger- mans should surrender. Germany promised to carry out these four- teen points but when the treaty was brought back to America for the ap- proval of the senate, it was not passed and was declared void. At a later date Germany signed a sep- arate treaty of peace with the Unit- ed States which was approved by the Senate of America. The war brought forth many in- tricate problems and affairs. One of these is the problem of the settle- ment of war debts and reparations. The United States, one of the rich- est of countries at the time of the beginning of the war, loaned great sums of money to the nations tak- ing part in the war. At the end of the struggle many of the nations in- debted to the United States were in very poor condition to repay be- cause many of their homes and lands had been devastated. For a period of about ten years after the war some countries developed them- selves to the extent that they paid their debts to the United States while others have made efforts to do the same. France alone however is dis- contented and hesitates to pay her debts to America. She is trying to convince us that what we did for her during the war was nothing but our duty as an ally. For this rea- son she is withholding her pay- ments. Germany is bound by her signing of the Treaty of Versailles to satis- fy the allied powers in regard to reparations. In 1924 Charles Dawes, representing the United States, drew up a plan by which Germany was to pay the allied pow- ers a certain amount yearly for rep- arations. Germany and the allies agreed at first to this plan. The Dawes Plan, however, did not set a date on which these payments were to be stopped and for this rea- son a body of experts, representing nations who have an interest in this affair, are holding meetings at the present time in Paris. Germany wants to know how much she is to pay and how long a period she has in which to pay this amount. While the Dawes Plan is indefinite in re- gard to these points, the present conference in Paris is aimed to fix them definitely. Article 1 of the Versailles Treaty provided that a League of Nations be formed as an international union to guarantee justice to all peoples and make future wars impossible. This league was formed and most of the nations of the world are now represented in it. America is one country which is not a member. There are many good reasons for and against the United States join- ing the League and whether or not we shall join remains to be seen. Since we are not members of the League it is impossible for us to be represented, as a nation, in the World Court because this court is a product of the League itself. Another important and interest- ing subject of today is the one of immigration. The prosperity of America has from a very early date attracted many immigrants. These came from all parts of the world and in such numbers that it was nec- essary to make laws prohibiting so many people of foreign countries to come into the United States. One of these laws was passed in 1924; it provided that 2 percent of the people of another country already here in 1890 might come into the United States. It also provided that after June 30, 1927 the total num- ber of immigrants coming into the United States in any fiscal year would be 150,000 based upon foreign born totals in the Unit- ed States in 1920. It prohibited immigration into this country to those people who could not 10