12 THE PEN
From The Ends Spring New Beginnings
Today peace-loving huni^inity
the world over stands aghast as
Europe is drenched with the blood
and tears of millions of its women
and children. Age-old monuments
and institutions, representing some
thousands of years of contribution
to world culture, face destruction.
In this ancient land people are
locked in battle with all the en
gines of modern war. Nations fight
for Empire while others stuborn.
ly defend their independence.
Prom an episode in the Far East
this war hias extended into a
bloody conflict perhaps of years.
From a series of insignificant
.skirmishes it has spread into vast
battle-lines along hundred-mile
fronts. Productive and peaceful
regions are occupied by invading
armies. Shifting battle_lines have
made tliousands homeless. Bomb.,
ings of densely populated cities
have killed hundreds; brought
desolation to thousiands more. RicL
provinces have* been laid waste;
prosperous cities redticed to aslu's.
Such is the gruesome picture of
war torn, Europe today.
Wliat is behind this war so
charged with meianing for the peo
ples of all nations? And how does
tliis war have any connections with
the graduating class of 1040 in
peaceful America, today?
Time will tell. For any attempt
to decipher the menacing eondi_
tions that are spreading like wild
fire is eon.iecture. But to the world
at large there is a definite meaning
that would take its toll on our ec
onomic, social, politicnl. nnd j)ossi.
bly religious institutions. The fa.
shon of this war expresses utter
disregard for ethi(!S, and the dis.
faiitehil retrogression, to might as
(he supreme ruler. Already this
country is feeling the effects of the
Europcmn slaughterJiouse in its
tobacco and cotton markets in its
many avenues of cotnmerce and
trade. Asi a matter of fact, travel
ing abroad has become a jeopai^y
to be reckoned with, and even^our
mails have been molested. It is im
perative^ then, for a class gradua
ting at this crucial period of the
bloodiest era in our hi.story to
glance with understanding eyes
at the turmoil and general disord
er of the world today. We are
touched by the unkind hands of
the drastic changes constantly at
work in the universe at present.
And as Negroes we sincerely hope
that it will not be for the worse.
Although most of us were born in
the wake of the last war, we are
aware of the Negroes’ plight in this
country in the period immediately
following it. But despite these
many factors that breed pessimism,
we are, by virtue of our training,
optimistic in spirit. And M-e trust
tluit from the ultimate ends that
Follow this var. woiild sprin-r new
l)c''innin."s of a sunny nature • not
only in the! eld of science, of art,
(iiul litei ature but also in the sane
relationship among men.
In the past four years we too
have undergone a change in life
sliglit'v tumultous in natnre. We
have lived and learned by actual
experiences in. this little eonitnuni-
ty. We know better than any group
what a vitfll .factor undei-stand-
inf? is to maintain harmonious re.
lationship. We know what coop
eration is to success. We kno^v that
sticking to the grindstone is to ac-
comnlishment. As Nevrroes. smit,:
ten by the nlasne of serre2ration, we
have felt the unmanliness of being'
dependent and subservient to