The Washington times., 1915-12-26

tne 6ermans win. they anticipate Ihet
before lone II VIII be realized that this
country must put forth vastly greater
EFFORT than anybody has yet considered
necessary. Meantime. with the issue in
Europe yet in the balance. they insist
that whatever preparation for increa sed
array strength is now made, must be
regarded ds tentative and provisional.
Study Different Methods.
During the recess OF Congress some
OF the members are making studies OF
various institutional methods OF pro-
viding volunteer military training.
These include the work of high school
cadets, OF regular military schools. and
OF the State colleges to which the Fed
eral Government contributes, in con-
alteration, partly, of their afEording
military drill for students. Some OF
these Institutions have won high praise
for their effective work. Throughout
the South. for instance, Virginia Mill
tary Institute holds q rank for military
efficiency, based on the work of its
graduates during the civil war and the
Spa p8nish-American contest, that Is hard
ly second to the esteem entertained for
West Point There are other institu-
tions. such as the one at Culver. Ind,
that are only less famous for their
methods of making soldiers out OF
youthful students.
If such results can be attained in a
VI uknly OEBdIiENu anu
efficient institutions, why not gener-
ally? That Is the question which advo-
Gates OF an institutional army are
pressing.
Point takes a young man at high school
age, and I'm four years not only gives
him the college education that he would
get at an ordinary university. but, In
addition. makes a soldier Of him and
trains him for the duties Of an officer.
Excellent European military authori-
ties have declared that the corps of
cadets at West Point is the finest body
OF infantry In the world. II Il is pos
sble to make soldiers of such quality
in four years and at the same time
give the academic. technical. and pro-
fessional training that is generally re-
garded as the best, for army Officers,
provided in any institution In the world,
why would It. not be possible to ostab-
lish different kind of educational in
stitutions, In which privates and nom
commissioned officers should be pre-
pared in a much shorter time, while a
vocational or technical education was
also provided
Coordination of Schools.
Coordination Of the public schools
colleges. and professional military
training institutions Is generally con-
templsted in all plans of this kind
One of the commoncst arguments in
favor of such n scheme of universal
military instruction Is that II would be
of Immense benefit to the young men.
Boys in the intermediate and high
schools would be given the great physi-
cal and disciplinary advantages OF
military training. Those who went
farther with the course would include
a very. large proportion. who. in con-
siderat ton of becoming members. for a
fixed term OF the reserve OF either Of
ticers or men. would be given the op-
portunity to acquire higher educa-
ton that otherwise might be beyond
their means. Thus the intelligence level
would be raised. and at the same time
the trained material for a really eff
cient army would be provided. to the
extent OF hundreds of thousands OF men
annually, without keeping a standing
army OF large numbers.
There are plenty OF people who insist
on regarding all such plans as VISION
airy and outrageous. but the fact re-
mains that they are getting a good deal
OF consideration, and that they will
have much support from military men.
The relations between the educational
and the military systems in Germany
are being studied with close attention,
and an increasing realization that Ger
man superiority in the field is inti-
mately related to the fact that the
Germans have wrought the military
and the educational ideal into their
army organization in a way that seems
TO have done much for the nation. The
general efficiency of the German peo-
pie, whether in civic or military life,
Is pointed to az attestation of the
practicability and usefulness of a plan
that combines the two.