The Washington herald., 1917-03-01
Army and Navy News
Best SERVICE ceIas.a .. CT,

Seven out OF nine university heads ask
ed by President Elop II. Hooker, Of the
Society Of the Genesee. TO state their
positions on national defense declared m
favor OF some form OF cooperation BY
such Institutions for military service.
4 The subject will be discussed at the
eighteenth annual dinner Of the society
at the Hotel Rnickerbocker In New York
City Saturday night.
| Among the replies are the following:
\ DR.. Charles W. Eliot, president emeri-
tus Of Haryard-''in the present highly
developed condition OF warfare. there Is
only one way OF providing for the ma
tional defense-universal military service
Of the Swiss sort. Under that system
real military training would begin only
at the twentieth year.
4 Students In universities would be sub
yect 20 call like other young men. but
could probably be given their first sea.
| sons tIaining-sixty TO ninety days-dur-
ling the summer vacation. We could
initiate the Swiss TO advantage in en-.
jcouraging the formation Of rifle clubs
and the universities in particular might
all make shooting at a mark a compe'
titive sport"
President Arthur T. Hadley, OF Yale
TT believe the university should be %
organized as to train men who can sery,
as officers for the Instruction Of reserve,
in time of peace and for acting as tfei-
leaders In time Of war"
President J. G. Schurman. Of Cornell
Cornell University was in a thorough
condition OF military pTepa aredEess befor,
the nationwide movement in favor D
II began. However large the reguIal
!army. the defense of the country in cas-,
of war, would call for a great voluntec
army. But officers for such an arm!
icannot be improvised.
4 1T is the aim Of Cornell University
to give undergr aGu ltes military traininI
enough to qualify them to become lieu
tenants Of volunteers. II war wer
banished from our planet ] would retail
military trairing side by side with ath
letics as an Instrument CT physical sduca
ton in our universities. and not only 70
its physical advantages. great as the!
are. but also for its moral mental. so
ciaI and civic effects and reactions"
President John Grier Hibben, of Prince
toni am very strongly Of the opinion
that the university Of today owes a par
itIcular obligation 20 the country TO Civ
its students some knowledge of militsr!
procedure. so that in the event of a ma
uonal emergency they may be Of tn
greatest possible service to their couu
try
OF
with headquarters in New York city ar
considering plans for the speedy mobili
zatiOn for government use OF the hi
fleet of steel constructed railroad tugs il
New York waters. Many owners o
yachts also are preparing to put thei
craft into commission Immediately 70
patrolling. mine sweeping. mine Iayin
and other auxiliary service, for which tn
navy has not ships available
This &c in
Ipeal of Franklin d. Roosevelt. assistan
sedetary$sf thS navy. in a speech in New
Yq recently fot 1900 men and 80 small
boSts. to assist. ifafeedss ssrose. I'm guarding
th$ atlantic coast At fbe conclusion o
YrfRoosevelt's, $eecb sl3representative
sSAeyery branShIof the hritime inter
tsts Of thf hsf and Z marine Iabo
Yi5sS Y6TS u.xS syRer ~ "9gserst of the Ne'
'.Ceoperaticn betTseTf the NAVY De
partment and tho maritime interests i
urgently needed % defend our coasts,
Mr.. Roosevelt declared. adding. wv
want action ncT. not a month from
now"
The navy knows exactly what i
needs" said Mr.. Roosevelt, but has nov
reached the point where little can b
accomplished without the active aid O
those in civil life who are willing to de
vote their time and energy in assisting fl
preparation for war There Is at presen
an opportunity for real service TO tn
navy and the country.
We shall need a number of nerchan
} vessels. yet we do not want to inter
fere in any way with the carrying OF
OF our commerce We want as many O
our merchant ships as possible to go L
the other side and it would be a nationa
mistake to take over the vessels neede,
, in that trade"