The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1917-08-21

more than probable that many Am
crican engineers who serve in Eu-
rope will never return to our shores
and that a large number Of those
who do come back will be more OF
less incapacitated from active pro-
fessional work.
Fourth. The technical schools of
ali the other warning countries than
Ours have practically been cat Of
commission for three years, thus
cutting down there, almost to zero,
the supply of new men for the engi-
neering profession.
Fifth. The call to arms in this
country by both volunteering and
consumption it is feared will soon
have reduced to about one-half the
attendance at the technical schools
of the United States, while instead
of being halved it ought properly to
be doubled.
Sixth. In spite of the present
paralyzation of many lines of engi-
neering work, due to the cessation
of large constructions and to the alb
solute lack of capital for important
new projects of a peaceful charac-
ter, the demand for young grad
yates of technical schools for the
manufacturers of war supplies is so
great that there IS already
marked dearth of such assistance,
which dearth will be more and more
accentuated as the war progresses,
and as the call for ships, guns, am
munition, aeroplanes, automobiles,
and other war paraphernalia in
creases.
Seventh. Until the United States
entered the war, it was almost GER
tain that most of the reconstruction
work of the world would be done by
American engineers, and in any case
they are sure to get fair share
of it; but it seems a shame that
this country should miss such a gol-
den opportunity as that which lies
before it for securing the lions
share.
Eighth. The capacity of the old,
and we'll established
American engineers for doing work
is practically unlimited, provided
that there be no shortage of young,
properly educated assistants; be-
cause most technical men of mature
years have developed highly the
faculty of management. On that
account the average total annual
amount of work engineered by such
men in this country could readily be
increased five fold, or, possibly even
ten fold, without causing undue ov-
erstress either physical or mental:
and, consequently the great mass of
the work of world reconstruction
could emanate from the United
States and be handled abroad by
American engineers.
Ninth. 1t is beyond question that,
for the next ten years or more, en-
cheering is everywhere going to be
the most lucrative of all the profess
siOns.
From these nine premises what is
the most important deduction to be
drawn?
Evidently, it is that, by some
means or other, we must manage not
only to prevent any falling off in the
attendance at our technical schools
both during and directly after the
war, but also greatly to increase it.
And how can this be donel
The answer to this question is not
difficult. 1t is as follows:
First. BY urging more young
men to go TO college, and by per-
suading their parents that it is their
duty to send the boys there for the
ultimate good of both themselves and
the country.
Second. BY inducing all sub
freshmen who have shown any
special aptitude for mathematics.
mechanics, or chemistry, to take the
technical courses.