The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-28
HARV|E BRANSCOMB TELLS HOW RHODES SCHOLARS FEEL IN THE PRESENT CRISIS Birmingham Boy Feels It Would Be His Duty to
 Enlist if Trouble
 Comes WRITES HIS FATHER WHAT BOYS THINK
 OF GERMAN ISSUE No Enthusiasm Over Pros pect of War, But Boys
 Will Go Because It
 Will Be Duty

Sounding a clarion note of patriotism from across the waters, Ben Harvie Branscomb, a Birmingham Rhodes scholar, tells in a let ter to his father how the American boys at Oxford re- ceived the news of breaking off diplomatic relations with Germany.
 Young Branscomb is the son of Dr. L. c. Branscomb. Upon the day when he preached two sermons in Oxford he writes his father that he could not help enlisting if the call should come.
 His views upon the duty of Ameri- cans is the more. important, as he spent so much time on the continent assisting in Belgian relief work. For this service he was only recently awarded a medal He writes:
 "Wadham College, Oxford. England,
 February 4, 1917
 Dear Father: The news reached us last night that America had broken off diplomatic relations with Germany. The Rhodes scholars first heard the tidings at the meeting of our Ameri- can club. I did not attend, as I had to preach twice today, and was work ing on my sermons. A crowd of fel- lows came to my room to congratulate me on my election to the presidency of the American club, which election had just taken place. There were three other candidates nominated, but the honor was given to me by majority on the first ballot. As this is the high est compliment the Rhodes scholars can pay one of their number, l should feel quite flattered.
 TALKED TILL MIDNIGHT
 "They told me. also, the big news that Bernstorff had been given his passports We sat and talked the mat ter oyer until after midnight. If war comes, there seems but one thing for us to do.
 ssNO war in recent times has ever
 been waged upon such n clear issue
 of right and wrong. We have
 been patient to the extreme point.
 We have tried in every way to
 keep out of the trouble except by
 admitting the principle that "ne-
 cessity knows law" which
 seems to me to blast all hope for
 advance in the future.
 If our government decides to send over an expeditionary force, it looks to me like it is up to us fellows to en- list The Hhodes scholars are in posi- tion to k.ow the issues better than most people, and unless we have the nerve to move out. don't see how we can expect others to do it for us. Be sides, what right have we to say that the cause is just. the stakes are great, but we will stay in safety and let others suffer the hardships? If there is a need for men. we can give but one answer. If men are abundantly forthcoming, the proposition might not be just the same. But otherwise. l don't see how we can say No
 NO ENTHUSIASM OVER WAR
 "YOu are saying. perhaps, that
 have been swept away sby en-
 thusiasm. Nothing could be fur
 ther from the truth. There Is not
 vestige of enthusiasm among the
 HnO0cS ScnOlarS over Ine pTOSpect
 of war. We may go. but 1t will be
 because think it our duty. We
 have seen too much of the war to
 he enthusiastic. The glamor passed
 away long since. Personally I do
 not feel the slightest aniniosity
 toward individual Germans. If
 did. could not go with clear
 conscience into the front line
 trenches.
 "It seems a great waste to contem- plate being shot just as one finishes his education. But we cannot count bur lives by days or years. We live well if we answer the call of duty when it comes. And if that means the end, well, I don't feel any misgivings over the future. The end must come sometime Jesus Himself thought that it was worth while to sacrifice Himself when He was but young man. As I graduate in June, I will remain at Oxford until that time. I understand that the embassy is arranging an American officers training corps here in Oxford. If that materializes, I will probably join.
 Recent developments have shown