North Bay Collegiate Institute and Vocational School - Northland Echo Yearbook (North Bay, Ontario Canada)

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THE NORTHLAND ECHO 25 at least, a minimum of honesty, sin' cerity and, above all, a spirit of toler- ance. Democracy is what the late Governor-General, Lord Tweedsmuir, called the best system of government which the human mind yet devised, but he warned us that it is also the most difficult. Democracy commands our personal responsibilityg it ensures uS freedom, but its price is eternal vigil- ance. PIIETBY and VERSE STORM ON LAKE NIPISSING Marian Alford The sun casts down its lurid rays And mercilessly beats the sand- Transforms the placid water-ways To liquid gold from Samarkand. And blue of sky meets green of hill Wnerc parching forests wait the e'en, When cooling breezes, whisp'ring, tell Their secrets to the evergreen. Then comes the noon. The silence seems Oppressive and foreboding, clouds Are gathering fast. The sea gull dreams On distant shores as darkness shrouds The drowsy bays. Advancing sheets Of dancing drops in glee, skip light O'er foaming sea. The wind hurls fleets Of tender leaves with furious might. With frenzied scream the sea gull seeks The shelter of some friendly place Protesting loud with raucous shrieks All 'birds on wing to hideouts race. A chipmunk scurries 'neath a stumpg A rabbit furtively lopes past To peer from some deceptive clump Until the rain abates at last. An interlude as raindrops spit, Then thunder breaks asunder skies Blue flames shoot through the glo-om and hit A spruce, that wounded, crumples, dies. The elements clash with mighty strength The wind howls louder, wailsg then shrill It beats down rain and now at length The birches quiver and puddles fill And shiver ceaselessly. Small streams Are coursing down to meet the shore And mingle fearlessly with waves That beat and splash with angry roar. Then comes a hush. The silence seems Oppressing and foreboding clouds Are fading fast. The sea-gull screams To distant shores. The breezes loud In whispers die on .still sweet air. A timid ray of sun breaks through Experimentally and then With glorious radiance, in pastel hue A rainbow awes the land of men. Its fleeting spell is broken when, As colours fade and bid farewell, VVe hear the cheerful warbling wreng The storm is o'er and all is well. TOMIKO There is a place in the northwoods, a paradise to me, A little lake, a laughing stream, it's there I long to be. In September, I'll remember, all the splendour that I saw, The gold and crimson maples, so perfect! Not a flaw! The silv'ry birch stood stalwart, in their raimcnt best, The pine and sumacs fondly the nearby hills caress'd, A little in the background a rugged rock I see, The trees that grow upon it, stand like sentinels to me: My precious paradise they will guard, of that I do feel sure And, when my head and heart are weary, it's there I'll find a. cure. As the moon swings high in a starlit sky, It's the boot of an owl I hear, And right then I know, no matter where I go, I'll always cherish thoughts of Tomiko! -Anonymous THE DUD John Wyatt, Form IIIC He wasn't so progressive He called himself a dud, Waiting till they told him what to dog But for all this fame, He played a clean straight gameg And every task he always carried through. Later he joined the anny, He told them he was a dud, But his captain had a different point of viewg Although he might not get his cross, He would never be a loss, If he'd wait until they told him what to do. He wasn't so progressive He called himself a. dud, And he waited till they told him wha.t to dog But he won his cross, And he never was a loss, Because his courage always helped to pull him through.

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24 THE NORTHLAND ECHO their knowledge and discuxion of public questions. As a result of these policies, Europe is today plagued with Nazism and Fascism, systems of government that are anti- democratic, anti-liberal, anti-humanist and anti-pacifist. They are also anti- religious, although German Nazism at the same time does not fail to claim that Hitler is performing God's purposes for Democracy, on the other Germany. hand, cannot be anti-religious, for it and Christianity go hand in hand, making neither social nor racial distinctions and therefore permitting a great variety of individual expression. The dictators, taking advantage of Pacifism and internal conditions, substi- tuted the army for the Christian method of peaceful arbitration. They increased their military preparations and kept pub- lic opinion in a state of nationalist pas- sion. While the dictators were develop- ing their war machines. the Democracies were preaching Pacifism according to Christian principles, and repeatedly pro- claiming that their desire was peace only-i.e.. that the world must remain as it was in 1919. Thus, when the high tension was reached in the crisis in the middle of the 1930's, the Democracies remained at a disadvantage and beheld the tragic sacrifices of Manchuria. Abyssinia, Austria, Spain and Czecho- slovakia. The dictators interpreted these pacifistic outbursts as admissions of weakness and of readiness to keep the peace at any price. The declaration of war by Britain, France and the British Dominions against Germany, subsequent to I-Iitler's brutal attack on Poland, must have caused grim realizations for thc Fascist dictators. But despite these post-war pacific poli- cies, the Democracies failed to make Democracy international by removing the causes of war. As a result, today we are again engaged in a second struggle to make the world safe for Democracy. If Christianity and Democracy are inseparaible, so too must Democracy and freedom be inseparable, But, unfor- tunately, when war begins, freedom ends. According to the policy of our govern- ment, what it terms hostile opinion, must be controlled because it hinders the successful prosecution of the war. Most people are willing to admit that some restrictions are necessary. But, how are we to interpret the phrase hostile opinion ? Does it imply hostility in the methods with which the war is being waged and to the end at which it aims? We must remembcrthat once our right of criticism is withdrawn, once our gov- ernment becomes a semi-dictatorship, it commits all the natural follies of a real dictatorship. Our politicians should not be the only people free to criticize our war policy. To many of them their party and its future is far more important than the successful prosecution of the war. There- fore, I believe that if anyone criticizes the national policy and supports his criti- cism Iby evidence that there is need for it, he should not be looked upon as unpatriotic or disloyal. The notorious Padlock Law, for example, passed in the Quebec Legislature, is an indication of the extent to which those in power may abuse Democracy, even in peace time, while preaching its maintenance. The sponsors of the law declared that it was an act to suppress subversive and com- munistic activities. What the term com- munism means was left for the former Attorney-General to interpret. The great problem facing the Democ- racies today is not only that of exter- minating the dictators, but also that of preserving Democracy at home. The economic strangulation of Germany by the British blockade, which is slowly but surely 'having its effect, and the growing superiority of Britain and France, both in the army and in the air, will inevit- albly bring Germany to defeat in spite of her striking power. But victory will not ensure the triumph of Democracy if it is not backed by a sensible peace treaty making the resort to dictatorship unnecessary. A new peace treaty must be based on an attempt to answer the legitimate demands of the economically weak world powers. For humanity will revolt against the idea that the World has to pass through a conflagration every 20 years because those demands have not been satisfied. We must remember that the only way to get rid of war is to destroy its causes. If Democracy is to survive and fulfill its purpose, it must extend its funda- mental belief in life, liberty and the pur- suit of happiness to the economic and social life of all national groups. It must also extend this belief to countries less fortunate than ours in their econ- omic and financial conditions, thereby making Democracy international, and at least trying to remove the major causes of war. Internally, Democracy must also repair the faults of modern industrialism and capitalism and readjust the mal- distribution of wealth. Concluding this brief survey of Democ1'acy, we realize that it gives us the right to know, to utter and argue freely, according to conscience. But these rights can only be prese1'ved if there is, in thc majority of individuals I A

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26 THE NORTHLAND ECHO BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATA tHonorable Mentionl Don Beaumont, III Collegiate PART I There was no wild acclaim of joy, Vifhen the running fight was overg Slowly she passed the harbour buoy, The end of the pirate rover. The Admiral Spee, as British prey. Chased in on the tail of the breezep Seeking retreat, ignoble defeat From rulers of the seas. YVith armour pierced and courage spent, And valourless her crew: Their silent lips spoke not contentp Their piracy was through. In neutral port they stayed full time VVhile diplomats debatedg Outside the blue horizon line The British Bull-dogs waited. And as the southern sun went down Upon a southern sea, 'Ihat once proud ship left neutral port: Unknown her destiny. Thus logged in naval annalsg The Admiral Graf Spee By her own crew was scuttled, The modern German way. Thus, British might had won the right, And swept the seven seas. Now Hitler's boast adorns the coast For Nazi memories. PART II Through London to the Guildhall, 'Round the famous Marble Arch, Our King and Queen smile tributeg Our naval heroes march. Salute to H. M. Exeter, For her most gallant fight, To Ajax and Achilles brave, The brawn of Britain's might. 'Mid blaze of pomp and pageantry, And Lord Mayor's feast superb, The conquerors bold are toasted By Churchill's praising word, The band strikes up with Hearts of Oak p Ten thousand people cheeringg And through the mist of years there broke The face of Nelson peering. For British skill, plus British will, Had won again for-England. The seven seas are Britain's slillg All hail to gallant England! LIMERICKS There was an old man named McSneard VVho said, It is just as I feared: Four larks and a wren, Five ducks and a hen , Have constructed their nests in my beard! -C. Jeneroux There was a young lady named Maisie. Who considered that eating was crazy. She didn't eat for a week And now she's a streak All ready to push up the daisies. -H. Hall There was a. young man from Trout Lake Who claimed that his wife couldn't bake, One taste is enough Of that horrible old stuff - And he broke his right foot with the cake. -D. Kenny There was a young skier named Phil, Who fell in a. crumpled up mass He tried a.ll in vain To deaden the pain Of the fall that he took on the hill. -D. Kenny A musician who liked to co-mpose, Wanted much more to propose: As he asked for her hand, She said, I can't stand Your parrot-shaped, rosy-tipped nose! E. McGirr. A man with a famous umbrella Tried to make peace with a, fellag But the fella did more, And said Total War! Just to show him that he wasn't yella. -J. Kelly. There was a young man .from Boston Who was riding inside of an Austen: The Austen was struckg He was hit by a truck- And he's now in the morgue at Powassan. -J. Eady There was a young man from Powassan, He took his false teeth out to wash 'em. His wife said, Jim, If you don't put them in, I'll pick up a. hammer and squash 'em! -K. Haskins. There was a dark man from Berlin Whose U-boats were made out of tin. The British came by And made them all flyg Now he doesn't know where to begin. -J. Bradfield