Pickering College - Voyageur Yearbook (Newmarket, Ontario Canada)

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If You Wish Peace . . . Prepare -for War JAMES FARR1-31.1. ORLD WAR THREE is a topic which is looked upon as ridiculous by the ' majority in our society. However, to those men who make war their profession it is regarded as a very serious possibility. The professional soldier, a phrase which I am afraid has a bad connotation, although he is in a class with police and fire divisions, is not paid to regard war as a bad dream and forget it as quickly as possible. He is paid to examine all aspects of the situation and draw from them conclusions. If these conclusions point to impending war, he is the one to whom we must turn for advice. At the present time, our military leaders, all professional soldiers, feel that the possibilities of war are great. The problems of how to avert war lie with the politicians, but they must turn again to the professional soldier for advice. For centuries past the general opinion among these soldiers is that to prevent war, you must prepare for it. Although this statement in some contra- dicts itself, it is sound. Field Marshal von Rundstedt, probably the world's greatest living general, said it, and he was backed by all members of the once great German General Staff who, despite their fanatical beliefs, were good soldiers. Recently General D. D. Eisenhower was called to give his views on the matter. He firmly called upon the United States Congress to put through the Draft and the Universal Military Training Bills. Can such men who have been so ,close to war be wrong? Should we trust men who have never seen the horrors of battles to make decisions as to whether or not preparing for war is the best way to prevent it? With reference to everyday affairs, can soft talk and compromise stop the bully? Certainly not, for a bully is only stopped when he is confronted with the same punishment he has given to others. Would the average gangster who robs and kills be willing to fight a duel with another man who also has a gun in his hand? I think not, for a gun is the great equalizer. A man, no matter what his size or physical abilities, can be killed by one bullet from a gun held even by an infant. The only way to prevent war is to show the other country that we can match his army, man for man, gun for gun, plane for plane, ship for ship, and heart for heart. This must be done if we desire to live in a society where our minds can be free from that great weakness, fear. Seventeen

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If You Wish Peace . . . Prepare for War EDWARD BOND HE: ANCIENT ARGUMENT that we should make sure of peace by preparing for war is to me one of the most ridiculous that has ever been seriously put forward. The supporters of the argument claim that by building up a strong armed force we are more secure, and that by building up our military might, we frighten other nations into subservience, and put- ourselves in such a posi- tion that no nation will dare attack us. This, of course, is sheer nonsense. Theories of balance of power, and others involving the use of force, have been proven wrong through the ages. A show of strength, or any attempt at intimidation, can only arouse resentment and bitterness. It is impossible to keep a preparation for war secret, and therefore the possi- bility of real friendly relations is cast- aside. The most important step toward peace tnen, good-will, is ruled out. Rather than frighten the proposed enemy into subservience, a preparation for war will arouse bitterness and fear, and cause that country herself to 'prepare for war'. When two countries are furi- ously preparing for war against each other, a real war is inevitable. Building up a strong armed force necessitates recruiting, and recruiting necessitates advertising. This advertising must instil a desire for enlistment, and indirectly, a desire for war. At the same time, the fact that the country is preparing for war will inevitably alarm the people into thinking that a war is likely to come. In order to get the people to support this preparation for war, the government must circulate everything evil about the proposed enemy, and as little good as possible. This has the inevitable effect of making the people desire a war, to subdue their 'enemy', or in any case makes them bitter against a power with whom it is possible to carry on friendly relations. A vicious circle is set up here, for when the 'enemy' sees her alleged ally preparing for or spe- culating about war against her, she will take steps to ensure her own safety. These moves will be reported in the press, and made to appear as black, as evil, and as unprovoked as possible. This will arouse more resentment, more war-talk, more armament, or, in other words, a move toward war. The other state will take further steps to protect herself, and so on. We can see this going on today, on both sides of the ideological barrier. What is the alternative? Good-will. It will be said: We did not prepare for war in 1939 and look what happened. In 1939 we were dealing with a fascist state whose avowed purpose was to rule the world by force. Today it is a country whose hopes and aspirations, whose ultimate goal is the same as our own-pure democracy and the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Guarantee to Russia, by good-will, security on the international plane, the reasons for present day 'Russian aggression' will be removed, and we will have taken a great stride toward real and lasting world peace. Sixteen

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The Wandefef i ALISTAIR MACDONALD Over the hills and far away, Across deep valleys and past the bay, Through the mist of the bright, new day, I must go on. h Tracking great woods, green, dark and high, Spanning wide plains where wind rushes by, Beyond the line where they meet the sky, Horizons call. Over black mountains capped with snow, The distance calls and the West Wind low Sighs of a yearning that some must know- The VVanderlust. Rhea and H18 HUGH DAVIDSON NCE UPON A TIME, away in the deep woods that border on the edges of Nowhere, lived a little girl and her aged but hardworking grandmother. One day Rhea said to her grandmother: Granny dear, now that my mother and father are dead-and I am getting to be a big girl, don't you think it is time for me to go out into the world and seek my fortune? fOf course, in those days, it was not the custom for girls of Rhea's age, or of any age for that matter, to go out into the world and seek their fortunes. But Rhea didn't know that, and, anyway, early that morning she had seen the young prince of the realm go riding by, and falling in love with him at once, she decided to marry himfl Granny dear, don't you think it's time for me to leave home and seek my fortune? Now the grandmother, who was a rather deaf old woman, thought that Rhea had said fwasn't'it time to buy some new books by St. Francis di Silonel, and of course, said Yes -and immediately bustled off to the book-seller's to order some. Rhea, while she was gone, busily packed her clothes and some food in a brown paper bag and set off into the big wide world. She walked and she walked-and soon all her food was gone. But now in front of her loomed the gates of The Big City. Rhea, not knowing city ways, Eighieen