West Division High School - Comet Yearbook (Milwaukee, WI)

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WILLIAM C. KNOELK Principal In what has come to be known as the Critical Period in our history, George Washington is reported to have said to lohn lay, Your sentiment that our affairs are drawing rapidly to a crisis accords with my own . . . We have probably had too good an opinion of human nature, in forming our confederation. There have been other periods in our history when times were critical, but never has there been a time more critical than the last two years. And never has there been a period when Washington's words were more applicable, if we substitute U N O for confederation. The essence of the present danger lies in the startling newness of the situations that confront us and the effect these changes have had on our thinking and our attitudes. The problem is can democracy survive? Can citizens be trusted to be of sufficiently fine character to meet the demands of the tre- mendous reconstruction? History has no parallel. The war emergency imposed supreme demands upon the democracies to overcome dictatorships. By a willing yielding of rights and privileges, the foe was overcome. Can the peace which has been secured by war be saved to make a lasting peace? Will there be enough unselfish generosity to rebuild nations and improve human relationships? The youth of today will have to furnish the answers again, as youth in all ages has had to do. Will it require coercion or will democratic persuasion suffice? Washington's words are a challenge. I-Iave we had too good an opinion of human nature? i