St Francis Preparatory School - San Fran Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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mms P-A r-,vi ,W . . M-. Dedicated to Mmy ' f - - f H Z t Pray lllaw, sion of t her s United her Assumption Fran of 1951 is . to Mary Immac- I s on the occa- country has for Patroness of the the Graduating Class of 1951 Prays.

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i? l Paul P. Berzins Riga, the heart and capital of Latvia at the Baltic Sea is my birthplace and hometown. l am the second son of Peter Berzins, a known Latvian Master of Pharmacy and his wife Veronica. In l94O, when l was about to enter school, the Soviet Army broke into the Baltics and in less than a year our independence no more existed. When three years later the Soviets reoccu- pied the land due to the Nazi defeat in the East many were evacuated to Ger- many. We lived in a small Bavarian town named Altotting, which was a famous haven for Catholics. My parents were to work hard, that l might continue my education in the local Volkschule . ln l945, with the Allied victory, camps were formed for foreign refugees and we were given the Dis- placed Persons' status. Then we moved to Stuttgart in Wilirtemberg and thereafter, a period of uncertainty and waiting followed. Finally the New Displaced Persons Bill of 1948 and the affidavit of a good friend opened to us the door to this country. On October 4th tthe feast of St. Francis? l949, l viewed for the first time the Statue of Liberty, After almost a whole decade of war and wandering we have found peace and a home again. Berzins: l believe not, but the results of Communism are so terrible that the United States should always be alert against it. Cione: What part did the press play in propa- gandizing the Baltic States? Berzins: Freedom of the press was destroyed and the press became the voice of the state, falsifying the truth, distorting news and viciously condemning democratic ideals and practices. Clone' ln your opinion, how free is the press in the United States? Tkachenko: Exceptionally free. The criti- cisms of the State Department, the mili- tary leaders, and the municipal and state governments that appear daily in the press are striking evidences of this freedom. Clone' Do you believe this freedom is bene- ficial to the American Government? Berzins: Yes, in a government of the people, it is necessary that they be informed and that they have a stronge voice so that their representatives in the government may know what they think. This is true only in America, and the proof of the value of this freedom is the wonderful government and country that the United States has. Rooney: Do you think that Communistic government was any help at all? Berzins: Definitely not! Tkachenko: No! Meehan: From your own observations, how was the Church treated under Commun- ism? Berzins: Churches and all their possessions were nationalized and a high rent was placed on the use of these for services. This rent was usually unpayable so that many churches were closed for failing to pay. Furthermore, State police detectives attended every religious meeting to see who was present and what was said con- trary to Communist doctrines. As time went on, more and more priests began to disappear, after being accused of mis- conduct or sabotage against the state. Meehan: What hope remains of religion re- turning to the countries which you left? Berzins: Due to the fact that among all other European peoples, the Baltic nations have most bitterly suffered from Soviet deport- ations within a systematic program of Rus- sification, there is a poor hope for a quick recovery for religion returning to the con- try l left. lt may take decades, perhaps even generations, till the old spirit of re- ligion will flourish there again. Rooney: Did the coming of Communism have any effect on your personal education? Berzins: During the Bolshevik rule in Latvia, l was too young to be forced into any clubs or organizations. Older students, however, were obliged to attend such poli- tical meetings or so-called red corners. Every absence was regarded as conspiracy against the state and subject to severe penalty such as imprisoning the parents. Rooney: What would your career hate been under Communism? Berzins: I would have been brought up in a Siberian slave labor camp, separated from my parents and then probably enlisted in the vast masses of the Soviet Army among fanatical Communists for a life term . Cellure: Do you think freedom in America raises the American standard of living? Tkachenko: Yes, since there are no barriers to a man's ambition, he may achieve all that his industry and talent can gain for him. Therefore he desires to live better and works toward this realization. Clone, What do you think the American high school student can do to spread the spirit of freedom to other peoples of the world? Tkachenko: l-le must not be afraid of being branded Chauvinistic in his demonstrative appreciation of his freedoms. lt is essen- tial that he show others so that he might inspire them toward a positive, active ap- preciation. l-le should make such simple manifestations as writing letters to peoples of foreign countries explaining the merits of his land, participating in civic celebra- tions, teaching others, especially the young, a true reverence for his country's tradition and going on record as being opposed to foreign isms that jeopardize national interests. People of the world will eventually hear of this unanimity in the U. S. and of this loyalty and they will, in time gain courage to work and fight and pray for a free world for all peoples.

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