The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-10
LEARN TO FIGHT!
Washburn Students viii Organ
ize a Corps.
Military Training to Become
Part of Curriculum.
MEETING IN THE CHAPEL
College Boys Will Have Prefer
ence in New Battery b.
School Authorities Say They
Approve of Plan.

Washburn students will organize a
tentative corps as a military training
school. according to plans advanced by
the board of trustees this morning at
a mass meeting of the students. This
corps will be organized Thursday, if
the plan is approved by a majority of
the students at the mems mass meet
ing to be held tomorrow night at the
chapel.
The services of two army officers
as drill masters will be given to the
school and under these leaders, it is
hoped that training can be done on the
college campus. This tentative corps
will in no way be connected with the
United States army nor with the state
militia. But in case of a call to arms,
the trained men of the college will act
as a unit and not as a individuals.
They will go as a company If Bat
terry a is filled, according to a MESA ge
from Senator Curtis. the college will
have preference in enlisting in the
new Battery B.
A three hour course in military
training will probably be introduced
into the college curriculum, if pc
titiOn to the war department for an
instructor is approved. The men stu
dents will be required to enter and
credits for work in this branch will
be required for graduation. If con-
ditions become more serious and there
is really need, Red Cross society
will be formed among the women of
the college.
An Intelligence bureau will also be
established according to this plan.
Information will be secured from all
other colleges of the country, COM
piled systematically and made public
by the bureau. This information will
be at the service of the nation and
will. it is believed. be of great assist
ance to the closer cooperation be-
tween institutions and the govern
ment
A telegram was received from Sem
ator Curtis this morning advising the
Washburn men to await some definite
action on the part of the government
before enlisting in the army for serv-
ice and leaving their school work, that
is so nearly finished for the year. This
advice was given to the senator in
response to a query from President
Womer, forwarded to the war depart
II ent.
THE government has declared no
definite policy as yet and the country
is in no danger of INVASION" said
President Womer in his address this
morning. There will be no urgent
need for men for nearly six months
that is, men to fight. If we can train
men for service and at the same time
permit them to finish their school
work, that is the only sensible way
to do.
Under the power of the war depart
ment, approved by the government,
with the adoption of this policy, Wash
burn and other colleges will receive
an officer from the national army as
a military instructor. At present there
are two officers in Topeka who have
promised their services until organiza-
ton is perfected. Then We will re-
ceive our instructor from Washington
and the students will get real military
training" A petition to the army de-
partment has been filled by President
Womer to this purpose.
DR.. w. S. Lindsay and DR.. J. C. Nc
Clintock, of the board of trustees ex-
pressed their agreement with Presi-
dent Womer and hoped that the stud
ents would adopt the suggested plan.
Justice Porter of the supreme court,
expressed his approval of the plan. He
stated most emphatically tho, that col
lege students should not expect to be
made officers. They must serve their
time as we'll as others. w. A. Harsh
barger, of the mathematics depart
ment, spoke of the conditions before
the Spanish American war. He ap-
proved of the plan advanced by the
I'd