The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-10
CADET CORPS SHOULD
SUPPLANT ATHLETICS
Military Training for All In Col
lcge Excels Competition for
Few, Declares Puck.
Roy SCOUTS SET EXAMPLE

--1s leading editorial in the current Is
.,s q, Puck, headed "A Collegiate Oppor-
,,-,t, follows:
college athletics are now at their
hs,ent Every day hundreds, and in some
c,sc. thousands, OF people journey TO see
u feyy picked men ON the football field
b,,'o with n few men of another college.
while the student body sits In the cheer
Ing stands. and except for expansion of
the lungs gets NO exercise whatever With
an, attacking football. Puck suggests that
thor, Is room for reform In college ath-
l.t.Fs.
d. utr'Irular. II does not seem In keep
Ing With American institutions to have a
,,,tr,.. ,nu,hcs. riihbcrS. walters and pri-
vtie ltlug halls devoted To the physical
devc.lp.reut ~ the physically most fit
me, In 'ue college while the majority of
the students gct little or no physical
training
On tho other hand. the need for a body
~ t-..7,d disciplined men IN the United
state was never greater than to-day.
with Europe ahliSe with the worlds
greatest war with armies and navies
LEARNING daily new lessons In offence and
defence no nation just because it Is out
~ tho actual conflict can afford to he a
mere spectator Of the colossa! drama. Old
nplous of security are giving way. and
not without reason. to doubt. lingo boast
fuiness gives place to sober thinking.
While II ~ not PUck'S intention to dwell
upon the needs OF tho army and navy. II
mus, he apparent to all that one phase
Of need goes deeper than guns or forts
or submarines or aircraft. There Is q
ns~i OF men II takes more than good will
moro than money to equip. clothe. feed
and organize an army. The foundation Of
military strength IN any nation Ia trained
man men who are accustomed to discf
pine, men who when called to the color
d no, have 10 spend from elk months u
year IN a training camp.
The universities ana colleges of ou'
country could solve the problem of ade
oua.e military defence. Trained mel
could be recruited from the ranks OF ou
students by a simple system. For les
money than IL at present expended for tn
football team, a system OF military drill
under the supervision OF a corps OF trained
experts could be installed which would b.
OF real body building benefit to every stu
dent Tho colleges through the medium
OF the athletic associations could easil!
appoint two days a week on which tn
entire college should assemble for militar,
dill manpuvring and military exercises
Puck suggests that university army
whose regiments would be the studen
body OF each OF our colleges, would NEE
the needs OF the physical development o
the students and OF national emergenc
defence.
The magnificent work done by tho 30
Scouts IN the war In Europe to-day ca
give but a slight indication OF what coul
he accomplished by a similar traine
body of educated grown up men. TIL
Boy Scouts are but boys, and uneducate
hoys at that. But yet such importar
vorl, as guarding railroad crossings
watching reservoirs, Transporting supplies
a oil, aVl1ss ~
cause Of their experience in looking at
situation from a larger point OF view an
deciding promptly what II TO be done.
The peace establishment OF the Unite
States at present costs s250,000.000. II
cum Ia immense and cannot be largely "
creased The results in the way of Ms
tonal defence are inadequate. The tot
Of the amount expended in all Of or
colleges for the so-called major spor'
would sum up comparatively to quite q
appalling an amount College athletic
although they occupy n lot of space in oil
newspapers. are without commensurate
value 20 the great bulk OF the student
Without any Increased expenditure etth'
for armament by our Government or Il
athletics by our colleges the need for
larger army and for physically better M
1n be met by the plan OF univers
peace army
Would It not he n moro inspiring sig
man any football game to cit In the stai
and watch the entire college with banne
flying. man TO man, go through y
nanpuvres OF drill---a drill that wO,i
develop them individually into physical
Al men and as a unit into body of ir
Inense potential value TO their country?
Would not such an army he gre
force toward cohesion and democracy
the student body? Would not this pea
army he rod and stan TO tho Unit
ststes-this army OF educated mon wi
trained heads and hands. ready to thi'
quickly and 20 serve their, country
ie''igentiy IN time Of national cris
whether that crisis appear in tho form
earthquake flood or war?