Memorial High School - Humanist Yearbook (West New York, NJ)

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IH-swgariulwl rswra ll order which depends for its success upon the co-ordination of the larger groups and the subordination of the individuals comprising each group. The same situation confronts these groups as was met by the early stone men. To secure one want, another must be given up, one liberty must be sacri- ficed to receive a more desirable privilege. Thus we have the individual, as an individual, subjected' to the rule of the whole for the general advancement of the whole. To furt-her this end we have governments which control the activities of individuals with reference to internal order and social welfare. The group must sacrifice the needs of many of its units, there is no other way to progress. All this leads to the curtailmcnt of the freedom of each group for the good of the whole. An individual cannot act but for the general advancement of the group to which he belongs. This is the basis of our social and political order and' when this fact is realized, an end will come to the petty, internal bickerings which but lead to chaos. This is not a theory which confronts us, it is an established principle. To realize how far governmental control extends over the units of the national group, it but requires a return to the hectic days of 1917-1918. At the order of Congress, money, food, clothing and lives were commandeered for the continuance of policy. Thousands donned khaki and marched away into the red maw of death. Our daily lives were destroyed, public utilities were put under the regulation of the government. Free speech, the greatest privilege of democracy, was banned and those who opposed the commands of the government were sentenced to spend their time in prison. All this was accomplished without any great upheaval such as characterizes several other nations. It provides conclusive proof that the indi- vidual is subjected to control by the whole and it is the greatest achievement in the history of political and social order when individuals willingly sacrifice their personal freedom for the sake of group progress. In the flagrant violation of laws of which the Prohibition Act is representa- tive, the result may be seen of an egotistical few placing themselves in opposition to law and' order. Without regard to the merits or demerits of the Prohibition Act, it must be obeyed. In so much as our political bodies are representative of the will of the majority, then the greater part of the American people desire pro- hibition. Every time the law is violated, it is more sand thrown into the bearings of our social machine and, at this time, there is enough sand clogging up the progress of our nation. 'Now is the time to effect a cure of this evil and the best remedy is the educa- tion of the unheeding few to the fact that an individual cannot act but for the general advancement of the group to which he belongs. There are two methods to insure this remedy and the first is the present system of spending enormous sums to protect us from the bootleggers who swarm near our shores. The trouble is that the greatest menace is from within and the net result of these expenditures is a great deficit which must be carried by the American citizen. This method is unsuccessful, impracticable, unbusiness- like and un-American. ' Page Twent y-seven

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X l 1' A ff - ,' ,if 1,1 .- ,- wk, is ji S hs, S . X ' ff we ff X X x M V, . . ,5 -X X I ffffxx QW0 IBHSW 5 1312 s 4 ff X W qv VW p L N SQ Liberty and the Man EFORE the portals of these great and prosperous United States, there stands a great statue presented by one freedom-loving nation to another, dedi- cated to political liberty for which a struggle has been going on since man began to exist as part of a social group. It does seem paradoxical that in the search for political liberty, man has lost control over his own liberty, for no longer does an individual exist as an individualg he is now part of a great social machine by whose laws he is governed. Wherever there are man-made conven- tions to guide or control society, there cannot be a state of absolute liberty. What is liberty? According to one authority, it is, Hthe state of being free from the control of others, but in our world such a state of affairs is called anarchy. Can we do as we please, when we please? Are there not officials especially appointed to see that we do not do what is wrong in the estimation of society? Therefore, it is obvious that we do not enjoy personal liberty, nor can we enjoy such liberty under the principles by which our modern social order exists and progresses. The only time in which there was an ideal state of freedom was in p1'e-l1is- toric ages, before men began to band together for protection and for food. Mr. Stone Man wandered about, choosing his route in relation to his food supply. One cold rainy day, he discovered the comfort derived' from using a cave as a protection from the elements and he used it henceforth as his permanent home. As he returned from the hunt, one spring morn, he found his cave occupied by another stone man of about the same strength. Thinking it useless to fight, he approached with the following treaty, Give me back my cave and I'll assist you if anyone tries to seize your cave, likewise, you must help me if someone seeks to occupy my cavefl Nothing loath, the second cave-man assented and, with this treaty, came an end to the ideal state of absolute liberty for the individual. As time passed, man began to form into small groups which competed with one another for existence. Smaller groups grew larger as the struggle for life drove bands together for mutual aid, and today we have a vast, complex social Page Twen I y-six

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Iii . In 4ltlllUlhll llST4 An end can be brought to disorder by the rising of that great flood, public opinion. It is this force which is the decisive element in social and political reform and can accomplish more than the Whole United States Navy. The time to strike, is the present. Let the word pass from group to group. tilt is against the principles of Americanism to countenance these illegal traders. Thumbs down on their operations. Let it ring from all pulpit-s, all newspapersg let radio proclaim it throughout our land. Then an end will come to this evil which threatens to undermine our democracy and' the souls of our forefathers will sigh with relief, and lie down, satisfied that their work was not in vain. -MORRIS SILVER. 1? X J Page Twenty-eight