Medina High School - Medinian Yearbook (Medina, OH)

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It was following the World War that the need for security between nations became evident if peace was to reign. The horrors of the war determined in the minds of the people that peace should be their aim. Since the war, the League of Nations has been organized; the Locarno Treaties have been, signed and several disarmament conferences have been called. Thus the idea of security has become one of the stepping stones to international peace. While I have touched upon the three forward movements that at present tend toward the establishment of international peace, yet, the thinking individual must recognize that they in their broadest interpretation, can be designated as nothing more than tendencies toward peace. As yet, permanent peace is an ideal of the remote future toward which both individuals and nations may, through the coming generations, strive; and which they may vision as an ideal to be more or less per- fectly realized in the long distant future. But, permanent peace as an institution among, not only individuals, but nations as well, must be built upon elements of character which must be instilled into the heart and mind of practically every indi- vidual of every nation before it can be realized. Thus, if the United States and other nations desire to bring about a condition of permanent peace and be leaders in this sort of a movement, it must build into the lives of its people a spirit of tolerance, good-will and unselfishness that will enable them to meet not only as individuals, but as nations in a friendly, amicable and open minded manner without petty hatreds and with a recognition on their part that the spirit of brotherliness and good-will is more essential to prosperity and happiness than anger, hatred, bigotry and selfishness. The realization of such a program is truly ideal- istic, but with the accomplishment of such material wonders as we have recently seen come to pass where the people of this continent may talk to each other and may even visit with each other in a few hours time, who knows but that this breaking down of distance barriers may be a long step forward in the occomplishment of international peace. Thus we enter world affairs in one of the most progressive ages of History. We must, therefore, consider our future carefully. May we fully appreciate the possibilities which are laid before us and may we accept the challenge to maintain the high standards set by our forefathers in national and international affairs. Nineteen

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THE MEDINI AN President’s Address By Charles Smith For centuries man has thought and talked about ending war. In the last hun- dred and twenty-five years he has not only talked but acted. In this action the United States has been a leader. During its history the United State s government has resorted to arbitration in a large number of cases with twenty-five different nations, and has negotiated the so-called Bryan treaties with thirty nations. There are three equally important factors in the triangle of world peace. One might be labelled “Arbitration” or outlawry of war and the enthronement of peace- ful, orderly methods of settling disputes; another might be called security — by which is meant a feeling of safety, a feeling of confidence in the goodwill and peaceful in- tentions of neighbor nations; the third might be named limitation of armaments, a phrase which loosely explains itself, though nations differ in interpreting it. Each of the three factors is dependent upon the others. All three must be developed in proportion to complete the triangle. At present war is an institution — well established, respectable, legal. The world is organised for war, not for peace. The right to wage war on behalf of its honor or vital interests is regarded as one of the most sacred privileges and duties of a nation. International law does not question the right. So all pervasive is war as an institu- tion that permanent peace will be an idle dream until the legal status of war is removed and it is branded as a crime under the laws of nations. So the delegat- ing of war is one step toward international peace. This can be and is at present being achieved through general international treaties or by a series of treaties be- tween two or more parties whenevr the nations have the will to do so. The first grave weakness of the outlawry program, however, is found in its undue reliance upon judicial agencies, and its comparative neglect of political action. Agencies, such as the League of Nations and the international Labor office, are just as urgent- ly needed as are judicial bodies, and for a long time to come, will be called upon to deal with the most menacing international controversies. The Supreme Court of the United States could not have functioned effectively without the legislative and executive branches of government. Thus the delegating of war will not necessar- ily insure world peace but is only a step in that direction. The question of disarmament has been continually discussed since the war. In 1921, a five power naval limitation conference was held at Washington at the request of President Flarding. Five years later a similar conference was held at Geneva, to which all European countries sent delegates. Just recently President Coolidge sent invitations for another conference to be held at any convenient place and as soon as possible. The Washington Conference of 1921 was able to do little more than to secure agreements regarding capital ships at the 5-5-3 ratio as regards the United States, Great Britain and Japan, leaving for discussion at Geneva the ratios of France and Italy. It is not something to be acquired in a day but persist- ent effort will gain in the end.

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THE MEDINI AN Valedictory By Ellen Nichols Friends and Classmates: We cannot but have some few regrets as we gather here this evening to bid farewell to our high school days. A part of our lives is forever gone with the sun that set today. Wish as we may, we cannot retrace the steps we have now taken. As Omar said in Persia many years ago: The moving finger writes, and having writ Moves on; nor all our piety nor wit Shall lure it bac to cancel half a line, Tfor all our tears blot out a word of it. But after all, this is not a time for vain regrets for the things we have left undone. It is rather a time to take stock of the things we have accomplished during our four years here. It is a time to cast up our accounts and to note the balance we have left. Of course, it is to be hoped, we have gained some little knowledge of books. Books contain a vast treasure of wisdom because ' in them are collected the great thoughts of great men down through the ages. They give us, at once, in a compact form, the benefit of the united experience of hundreds of men through hundreds of years. The study of their successes and failures and of the knowledge they acquired may serve to set our starting-point a little farther along the road. Perhaps even more important than book-knowledge, although it is not listed in the school curriculum, is the experience we have accumulated for ourselves. Knowl- edge handed down and learned by rote is all very well, but it will never be so real, so vital to us as that, that we slowly sift out of the bumps and knocks life gives us. Education — a happy combination of these two — is important to a full and com- plete life. It gives us a wider window on life and teaches us tolerance — an apprecia- tion of the other fellow and his work although they both may be as far as the poles from us and the ideal for which we are striving. It will be one small step towards progress when men learn to really know their fellowmen and the good that is inevitably in them. Our contacts during high school days will always remain one of the most precious memories among our souvenirs. We owe a debt of gratitude that will never be paid to our teachers who have borne with us thus long; and who, along with lessons in the intricacies of English, Latin and Math, have taught us invaluable lessons in the art of living. If they have been often discouraged by our seeming insensibility to good counsel, may they find consolation in remembering that practice is always more potent than preaching. Twenty