McAdory High School - Yellow Jacket Yearbook (McCalla, AL)

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THE YELLOW JACKET prosperity of even tin lowest form of humanity. But as it stands at present, our political system is rotten, and every body knows it. N'o wonder, look at the public servants who are able to sell for bribes, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of public property. We can drive from our continent this poltical corruption, that comes like a thief in the night, bv honest efforts to save the nation from sorrow, sin and degradation, by the help of your brave, ambitious manhood and womanhood. Mother America needs you today as never l efore. for the world is running mad. running t » God knows where, with the undemocratic political leaders as the guiding wheel of life, that steers you under its corruptive banner and then it’s too late. You cannot turn back you’re going fifty-five miles to the hour and just bcyoncl, only a hundred1 feet from you is the precipice that ends that which you thought worked so well. What the force of wind and rudder is to the ship, our varying emotions, ambitions, aspirations, and passions are to us. These are the tilings that constitute tin- power of human force, which can influence all types of humanity better than a teacher can influence her pupil. Ibis power differs in different individuals, as the winds on the ocean differ to the ship, hut by the power of human will we can steer our little boat of Politics safely to the Island of Reform situated in the middle of the Political Ocean. One of the most desired human passions is ambition. Phis human force of ambition with a Lincoln’s conscience to guide it. saved a republic, but with the same force guided by Benedict Arnold, it sought to Ik tray the nation. f.et tts consider ourselves launched on the sea of life, we may go slowly at first, hut gradually we grow stronger, we quickly gain control, feeling that we’re at last going in the right direction. The wind may blow a gale, and we feel, as many do. that we cannot control our emotions. But if that comes, let us have courage to take in sail, to fight the storm and instead of going willingly to destruction brace up and try again, and this time strangle to death America’s horrible, most dreaded and determine beast. Political Corruption. We. the Class of ’24. standing eventually on life's threshold, ready to plunge into life's work a mighty ambitfon; we as future men and women of America will probably never enter this grand old institution again, because life is beckoning to us t » become famous, t«» capture old political corruption and wipe out his memory and we will, for we have that determination that knows no defeat. Then you can write on our epitaph this our motto: “We worked to shun the word Evil and to win the name Paine!’’ And with this our guide: I f you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs, and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance for their doubting too; Twenty One

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TIIE YELLOW JACKET Oration POLITICAL CORRUPTION Weighing upon the American people of today and tomorrow is the one great subject that has demanded more attention than any other. It is the subject of “Political Corruption ’ It claims America’s business consideration and undivided attention. Living under a government today in which the organized finance is the chief | o ver. we will learn more atout this thick-skinned moral and physical animal, whom it is our business to eliminate. Public ownership should be defended on every side, to keep it out of the hands of the ungodly political grafters, the management of America’s future business. The |x»litical grafter is the most determined fighting l»east in our democracy. For instance, in the great Tea-Pot Dome Oil Scandal, he is the central figure, trying to gain control of the oil system, to rule in such a way that it is akin to despotism. Hut we will, by the last drop of American blood that runs through our veins, crush out of existence this scandalous system of authority and give to the public it’s dues of a well-spent life. The way to kill this dreaded creature is to over-whelm the power of numbers through the ballot, by the voters, whose work it; is to help hamstring this political corruption in the African fashion, by dropping him over Life’s Cliff, to seek an untimely death among the leaders of Hades. The Christian Religion does not constitute the life of selfish, incompetent, unworthy, leaders whose sole joy is robbing the American people of the many millions, daily that are needed for its’ support. In a land where colleges are endowed by financial corruptionists and where trustees discharge professors to please plutocrats, the suggestion of a fashionable boycott is pathetic. The strength of the trust owner and the political corruptionists lies in the control of natural monojKilies and national necessities. Public streets, electric lighting and endless other monopolies are sold by political bosses tu the highest bidder. These bids are disguised bribes, which are a curse to « ur nation and by future American citizens will Ik- stamped out forever. An ( i! Dome Scandal, is only a bigger, more vicious bribe that few can luckily bid for. If every good and worthy citizen of the United States will devote bis energy to developing ideas of public (state, city and national) ownership, it will within a very few years become a dominant idea. With universal cooperation we can, and VK WILL bind and skin this big financial rhinoccrous. called political corruption before he really knows what has happened. The thing for you to do is to spread your convictions among your fellownien. Don’t 1 c contented with the fact that you know the truth. Don't be satisfied with exjxmnding your doctrines in your family circle, but Ik- as energetic in the defense of public ownership as the financial bandit and corrupt politicians are energetic in furthering their interests. Public ownership would practically do away with corruption in jxditics because it lowers taxes, benefits business men and for us all it increases the Twenty

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THE YELLOW JACKET If von can wait and not he tired by waiting, ( r being lied about don't deal in lies. Or being hated, don’t give away to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor too wise; I f you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim. If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools. Or watch the things you gave your life to. broken: And stoop and build ’em up with wornout tools; If you can walk with crowds and keep your virtue. Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you. If all men count with you but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run. Yours, is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—what is more, you’ll l e a man. And—what is more, you’ll be a man. my son! Raciiei. Pace. Twenty Two