The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-09-15
What Should Young Man Do7


Lawrence, September 10th.-In
an effort to ascertain the best course
for American youth, not in the army,
to pursue in this time of interna-
tional crisis, Dean DIN Templin, of
the University of Kansas has asked
leaders in American affairs and
thought for advice for the youth of
America Is a boy wasting time by
continuing or beginning a college
education? Is he neglecting his best
opportunity of serving his country
by going to school? President Viii
son, General Wood, John Wanamak-
er, and leading business and profes-
sional men of America have replied
and each has urged emphetically that
the youth of American continue in
the colleges and universities that
the country may not suffer and fall
hack for lack of trained men and
women.
Dean Templin's inquiries were ad-
dressed almost entirely to business
and professional men and net to edu-
Gators Educators naturally would
advise q college education-that's
the advise OF the President and other
foremost rnen of American 70 the
boys of America:
''It would seriously impair Amer
. ica's prospects of success in this war
If the supply of highly trained men
were unnecessarily diminished"
President Wilson writes. ''There will
be need for a larger number of per
sons expertin various fields Of applied
science than ever before. / there
fore have no hesitation in urging
colleges and techinal schools to en-
deavor to maintain their courses as
60 Il
would particularly urge upon the
young people who are leaving our
high schools that as many of them
as can avail themselves this year of
the opportunities offered by the col
leges and technical schools, to the
end that the country may not
lack an adequate supply of trained
men and women"
| Daniel Willard president of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and chair
+ man of the advisory commission of
. the Council of National Defense,
! joins with Hollis Godfrey, chairman
/ of the governments commission on
education and engineering, in de-
claring that "The United States viii
/ suffer incidentally If there is a gen
I eral falling off in the attendance at
higher institutions. Should opera
tions of the higher institutions be ser
: iously reduced the industrial life of
the country must inevitably be handi-
; capped after the close of the war.
+ The South suffered such a shortage
of trained leaders after the Civil War
! The effects of this shortage lasted
nearly a generation. Colleges of lib
eral arts have proved to be the best
producers of materials out of which
! to fashi1n officers. This is the unani-
nous testimony of Great Britain and
Canada. American colleges may be
exDect TO make some contribution
/ Indeed, they are already making It
| It is essential for the country's vel
/ fare that a constant supply of intelli-
/ gent and adaptable young men
should be turned out of these institu-
tions"
! 81 believe young men in college
and those contemplating entering,
but who are below the draft age or
who have not been drafted, should
go on with their college work, at least
for the present" That is the opinion
/ of Mai. Gen. Leonard Wood. com
mandant of the National Army Camp
at Fort Riley, Kansas
eve have drafted more men than
we shall be able to equip for long
time and there are more men includ-
| ed in the draft age than we shall want
for & considerable PERIOD" General
| Wood adds. "On the other hand, We
must every year have a steady output
of technically trained men in order
to meet the demands of the war.
Young men can prepare themselves
to serve better later on If they are
well educated and well trained to take
I'D the different lines of technical and
| professional work in the army.
have discouraged young boys, who
| are half educated from giving up
: their studies for the simple rea-
| son that we cannot use them to ad-
| vantage. Of course, should a situa-
ton arise in which every available
man is needed, then everything
should be dropped and every man
who is physically 1T should go, but
such a situation has not yet arisen y
Samuel Campers, president Of the
American Federation of Labor, has
this to say about the young man, his
national duty and his education:
cit is my opinion wherever 1t Is
possible that institutions and the
training necessary for the highest de-
velopment in times of peace and fol
the betterment of all citizens ought
to be maintained In times of war with
the least possible interference with
their activities, Young men who are
not In immediate military service owe
it to themselves and their future use
fitness TO the world to take advantage
of ever available educational oppor-
tunity"
cit will be little short of a national
calamity should great numbers %
young American boys under military
age leave college or fail to enter be.
cause of their desire to help IN more
direct fields of service" says F. a
Vanderlip, president OF National CitI
Bank of New York 81 believe on
young boys who VIII continue then
college work viii render their coun
try the highest possible service by TT