Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1916-02-25
COMMUNICATIONS.
A RESERVE ARMY FOR THE
PROHIBITION MOVEMENT
To the Editor of the Register;

In MS annual report lItAluent i"ulVS
of Yale dwelt at some length on the idea
that the college men of this country
should be trained for military service,
so that as they go out into life they
may constitute large reserve force,
ready to accept places Of leadership in
case their country needed them in some
war that may possibly come, Other
college presidents are taking a similar
stand.
Is not equally true that the college
men and women should be trained for
efficient leadership in the conflict against
the foe that is within our borders, and
which, far from being mere possibility,
is an awful reality? Armies and navies
cannot preserve our nation as long as
an internal foe is wasting our economic
resources and destroying our citizenship.
And the sad part of it is that our
Federal Government is not only pro-
tecting but is in partnership with this
enemy that Lloyd George said in
England was worse than Germany or
Austria.
The Intercollegiate Prohibition Asso-
citation has taken as its task the train
ing of the college men and women of
this nation for intelligent leadership in
the anti.alcohol movement, and is now
working in over 27O colleges and univer-
sites. Its slogan is, Training for
service - and then service. To this
end it encourages study of the liquor
problem in all its various aspects
Biological sociological economic and
governmental-in study classes or dis
cussion groups led by members of the
faculty or other competent leaders. In
over seventy schools it has secured cur
riculum standing for such study, and
hopes to have such Credit courses" in
several of the New England colleges be-
fore another year.
Oratorical contests are another feat
ure of the |. p. A. activities. Local
contests are held in each college, and
then the winner goes on to the state,
interstate, and national contests. This
series is now the largest in the county,
over $50 students participating each
year.
But as the study classes and contests
are not an end in themselves, but simply
a means to an end, the local branches
of the |. P. A., seek to fulfil the second
part of their slogan by creating an in
telligent sentiment against drinking
customs in the colleges where UGH Gus
toms exist, and by sending out deputa-
tion teams to help in strengthening pub
lie sentiment, and aid in stirring up in
terest in local, county, or state wide
campaigns. In Ohio last fall over $50
college men and women took an active
part in the contest, supplying speakers,
singers, workers at the polls, and or
ganizers.
Although this movement is still rather
young, many of its members are already
taking places of responsibility. Mr..
Daniel A. Polling, Citizenship Superin-
tendent Of the United Societies of Chris
tian Endeavor and President of the Ma
tional Temperance Council, says:
81 was introduced to the Intercolegi-
ate Prohibition Association in 1900
when President Colvin made his first
visit to the colleges and universities of
the Pacific coast. The organization
challenged my attention, gripped my
imagination, instructed my mind, and
fired my soul. | am bound to testify
that, if have been able to make any
contribution to the cause OF total absti-
hence and prohibition, the college move
ment, more than any other, must be
given the credit"
AS Eastern Field Secretary | have
been among the colleges of New Eng
land during the last year and this, and
am glad to report that the students of
this section are showing an increased
and growing interest in the activities
of the |. P. A., and hence in the solution
of the liquor problem. This last week
| have been in Vermont and find the
students are preparing for active par
ticipation in the campaign now on. The
college boys at U. V. M, and Middle
bury are planning for deputatlon work
under the direction of those in charge
of the campaign in their respective
counties. AS result of the interest
awakened by the campaign this year,
these colleges intend to send orators to
the New England contest to be held at
Wesleyan in April. The young women
at each college are also planning for
study classes on the liquor problem and
speaking contests later in the year
Those who realize that in its final an
alysis the anti-liquor movement must
be an educational movement, cannot
help but see the far-reaching value and
significance of this work among the
college men and women-the coming
leaders of the next generation.
MARK R. SHAW,
Eastern Field Secretary.