Rangeley High School - Tattler Yearbook (Rangeley, ME)

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10 THE TATTLER to undeveloped opportunities in home, school, college, or throughout the land. You can begin, now, to make yourself what every American should be, a vital part of the machinery of the American gov- ernment. You can do more. You can cre- ate a tradition ot public service. Public service that is clean, uncorrupted, and given for love of country, and not for greed of gain. If there is to be a tradition ofpublic service in this country it is up to you girls and boys to make the beginning. True, it must start as a spark, but once started, will kindle in the hearts of all to a flaming fire. If you are to be true Americans, then show it by letting this country waste no more of its opportunities. If you live for the highest interests of America, at the same time you live for tl1e highest interests of the world. So wake up, boys and girls, for you are the Hope of the VVorld! It is to you that the world looks to achieve greater things than ever before since Time began, to create a higher, nobler standard of civiliza- tion, and to extend that civilization to all the farthermost corners of the earth, that all men may feel its influence. X Eyes front! young America. Take up thy banner, Responsibility, and Forward March! You are the HOPE OF THE WORLD. Olive Moore, '2I. ORATION The Japanese Menace HE only remaining possible foe of the United States, according to the world situation, is japan. The most friendly observer must admit that our rela- tions have changed. In 1916 the so-called Gentlemen's agreement seemed to have definitely settled the problem of Japanese immigration. It is now all too apparent that it has not done so. The antagonisms between the japanese and the citizens of the Pacific Coast are much more strained now than then. California has passed laws against the holding of property by japanese that have made the situation more acute. Yet the japanese question in California is only one phase of a world problem-the relations of the white and non-white races. If the japanese should be permitted to emigrate at will to the Pacific Coast, Cali- fornia would soon have a great population of proud, aggressive, intelligent, industri- ous japanese and these people would al- ways have the protection of a powerful and warlike nation. And California's problem would soon become a widespread one throughout the United States. The Gentlemen's agreement has neither satisfied the citizens of the Pacific Coast nor the experts of the Immigration Bureau. In becoming a party to it, the U. S. snr- rendered the right to determine what per- sons from Japan should be admitted, and what should not. This was a grave mis- take. No nation should be placed in a position where foreigners can enter without showing that they are fit to become inmates. The dissatisfaction on the Pacific Coast resulted in the States of Wasliiiigtoii, Ari- zona and California passing laws, prohibit- ing aliens who are ineligible to citizenship from owning land, and limiting the leases of agricultural lands to three years. At first the sisted of male women. They native bosses, as railway section hands and agricultural laborers on big fruit ranches and truck farms, or going into mines, lumber mills and canneries. But as time passed, the japanese turned more and more to land, and, not as day laborers, but on their own responsibility. They literally rushed into farming, especially into the fruit and vegetable lines. They picked out the most fertile districts, the richest agri- cultural lands in California. These are the fertile, irrigated portions of the Central Valley, watered by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and the highly devel- oped, irrigated regions around Los Angeles, Japanese immigrants con- laborers, with few or no worked in gangs under

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THE TATTLER 9 fits f' F-- ' n 'Z ix nit' , U IQ l J i,J...EOu:Mb ff' 71.3 ,j,'...r1 ..-4- f .. - SALUTATORY T gives me great pleasure in behalf of the Class of 1921, to welcome this splendid audience to our graduation exer- cises this evening. To our teachers, to whom we are indebted for kind help and advice, we extend our sincere greetings. To the School Board and Superintendent, by whose guidance we have been educated, we extend a most hearty welcome. Dear Schoolniates, we welcome you this evening with thanks for the interest you have shown and the aid you have given. 'And now we greet you, our many loyal friends and relatives, and thank you for your interest and cooperation during our school life, and we, as a class, hope that the same interest may be shown in future years to each , and every class that enters Rangeley High. Essay: Today's Call to Young America Never in the history ot our country has there been such a demand for Americzfs young womanhood and manhood as today. The youth of this 'fair country of ours is the HOPE OF THE VVORLD! The world asks you, boys and girls, to sit down and think over the needs of this country, and after just consideration, to arise and bend every effort in making this a better place in which to live. The present belongs to ns, and what are we to do with it? Shall we let our oppor- tunities pass by? It is time to wake up and see what the world has to offer. VVe must hrst notice the most important things, and strive to fit ourselves to under- take those things and carry on . As young Americans we have, however, several faults, which might hinder our progress. First of all we are wasteful. lfVe are improvident. are careless of everything beyond the enjoyment of the present hour. We do not look ahead. WVe are never prepared for the future and we must be, if we are to continue a power. As citizens we are indifferent. WVe will endure the extravagances and inefliciency of the government, instead of jumping into the midst of the conflict and helping to clean it np. We all know what the effect of our improvidence and our indifference is on our national life. Young America, it is your duty to do away with these two great destroyers of our American ideals and traditions. You, Young America, are the hope of the world! Let it be your part to find out what your city, state and nation are doing for the welfare of citizens, and if the1'e is any chance for improvement, do all in your power to bring about that improvement. You can awaken your sleeping fellows to a recognition of the needs of the country,

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THE T and the Imperial Valley of tl1e southern border. These sections have a soil of almost incredible fertility, yielding several large crops of berries and vegetables each year. VVith such land as this, by working at all hours, and living cheaply, they easily out- did their white neighbors. Japanese women came flocking in. The married japanese sent for their wives. The unmar- ried contracted marriages by proxy with some 'girl in japan, after having exchanged photographs. japanese population gained as much by birth as by immigration. In 1019 the total number of births was 4,378 If the present birth ratio continued, there would be in 1020, 150,000 japanese children, horn in California, to -l-0,000 white children. And in N140 the majority of the population of California would be japanese, ruling the State. Such is the present status of the Japanese question in California, and this is only one phase of a world problem-that of the contact of races, widely different in blood, traditions and living standards. The Gentlemen's agreement was con- cluded by us'in the hope of stopping the influx of japanese without wounding their feelings. Thirteen years have passed and it has not proved a success. The immigra- tion is still increased and shows signs of increasing still further. For twenty years this has been a constant source of irritation on Japanese-American relations. Now a prompt and definite set- tlement is imperative. Irlalf-measures are worse than useless. Only one settlement is actually feasible, and that is the stopping of japanese immigration. Let us consider the relative positions, concerning the World VVar, of the U. S. and Japan, which is a most striking one. During the lfVorld VVar our country spent -10 billions of dollarsg japan spent E250 millions. The U. S. lost 100,000 meng Japan lost 300 men. A TTLER H In return for its expenditures the U. S. demands no advantages of any kind, japan gets China's richest province, a large num- ber of islands north of the equator, and the Island of Yap, in the Pacific. Perhaps nothing could better illustrate the dominating traits of the two nations than does this comparison. Most Ameri- cans believe that japan used the VVorld War to strengthen her position with China. The cession to japan of all the German islands north of the equator is, from a naval point of view, a most serious thing for the U. S. If japan establishes naval bases in the Caroline, Marshall and Ladrone Islands, she will cut communica- tions between the United States and the Philippines. Unless this country should establish a fleet, more powerful than the japanese, in Manila, Japan would have no didiculty in capturing the Philippines and Guam. Our nearest base, Hawaii, would be more than 3000 miles away, and we would have the utmost difficulty in regain- ing our Pacihc possessions. Still, though the average American may not have the tfriendly feeling for the Japanese, as in the days of the Russo-Japanese war, there is no real hgstility in this country. The attitude is one of a distrustful curiosity. just what does Japan wish to do? Probably Japan realizes that the path which Germany trod is not the safest course, and that she can- not afford to antagonize mankind. But any possible causes of friction between the two countries should be removed, and japanese immigration is the chief one. VVe should take immediate steps to prevent this menace from affecting, even in a remote way, the greatness of America's future. R. Earl Parks, '2I. CLASS PROPHECY HAT a calm, clear,. beautiful night this is! I-Iow much it reminds me of a night in India! Why, how long ago it seems since I went to Dar El Baida, the old crystal gazer, and sought to learn many things from this mysterious crystal globe!