Arizona republican., 1917-06-18
By Charles F. Willis, Director Arizona
 State Bureau of Mines

State Bureau of Mines
 | (This article was intended for the State Wide Edition of The Republican but through no fault Of Professor Willis i was received too late for inclusion in that edition.)
 declared many wondered exactly what place the universities of the country would take in the crisis. Would they stop their work, or would they devote it entirely to War purposes? Would their young men all enlist, or would they remain at college. The question was quickly answered, for the trained minds of the country solved the prob lens in short order. Probably no uni. versity in the country was quicker in making it's decision and making its alterations to suit the needs of the na- ton than was the University of Ari- zona. For almost over night the uni versity developed into a war machine.
 Much has been said and much has 1 been written regarding German ef- ficiency, but German efficiency was the result of years of planning and similar | efficiency has been developed by the American nation in it's colleges through more or less unconscious training. At the University of Arizona no hysteria accompanied the changes. everything went on peacefully and quietly. The changes went into vogue gradually. From all over the country came reports that such and such a college had aban- Goned it's athletic program, that another college had signified it's intention to close its doors all tending to produce state of uncertainty that was damaging to the nation as whole.
 At the University of Arizona every body was ready, for the democratic spirit of the great west had made all members of the university community thoroughly American. While it is not yet known what all of the changes may be in the university to adapt itself to the developing conditions, it will find the university ready with ways anG means for making itself the most use full
 The first call that came upon the University of Arizona was from the military end. Fortunately, the univer- sity has been since it's inception, a mil tary school, the boys haVi~ studied, for two years at least, military science and tactics, and, through the love and re- spect of the student body for the com mandant. Colonel George Leroy Brown, a greater majority had elected two additional years of training. Ali most to man, the students of the uni T. ment service Some as officers, some as engineers, some in ambulance corps, and others shouldered the hoe and rake For what was more necessary than the man whose knoWeldge of the methods to grow two blades of grass where only one grew before.
 The girls too, realized the duties upon them, and while first aid Red Cross and hospital training were not particularly popular before, it suddenly grew to be a substitute for social events. The graduates of the university were called upon to find out whether they would be willir - to do their part, and the almost universal answer was that they were ready and willing to do anything, and in answer to the ques- tion. How soon could you go?" the most popular answer was "immedi- ately."
 The faculty of the university was called upon for research work, and, for financial response and the results were particularly gratifying. Moreover, a great many numbers of the faculty were called upon to serve as members of the Arizona State Council of De- fense, and today they are prominent among the workers of that organiZa . ton.
 Let us see first what was necessary to fill the needs of the nation. First, all industry was requested to speed up production. this applying to university as well as to manufacturers. Then 1 there was necessity for increasing the amount of military training, and for the study of military geology and mi litary engineering, for why should re- cruits be raw when they reached the age of selection, twenty one years, | when thGv ccl1ld ba trained
 Almost immediately upon the en- 1 trance of the United States into the war came the call from Europe for 5O,0O0 American engineers. The allies were advancing and recovering the devastated country that had been held so long by the Germans, and yet, after an advance they would have to delay further progress until their lines of communication could be brought up to the new front and until bridges and railroads had been built. Yet the United States could not furnish 5G,000 engineers, for there were not that many available. Ten thousand had been furnished, and in so doing the government has furnished almost the limit that can be taken away from the industries in this country. So the demand came to speed up the production of en- gineers for service on both this side 1 and the other side of the Atlantic ocean. The war needs for engineers were great ard after the war the peace needs would be greater for Europe has not been doing the thing they are now urging the United States to do, maintaining the produc- tion of engineers. There is no short cut in the making of an engineer.
 Agriculturists were in great de- mand, not alone to perform the actual art of agriculture, but to assist the many hundreds of thousands of farm CTS to produce more, to produce eff ciently. to plant the crops most needed and to which their soil was best adapted; hence the demand came largest for teachers and extension workers in agriculture and today many thousands of students of agri- culture are in the fields assisting the farmers in more efficient production.
 The women were called upon for their part. the learning of food econ omies and the introduction of a spe- tc cial course in food economies was re- quired of all the women students. Women were also brought to realize that they will have to learn to do many of the things now being done by the men, for the removing of SC many men from the productive ser vice of the nation must be followed by their replacement or by depriva- ton.
 There is no need to tell the people of the state of Arizona what the uni but the present conditions has caused l n In ms OCT