The copper era and Morenci leader., 1917-06-08
ENGINEERS WANTED FOR FUTURE
 ARMY

The almost frantic efforts to stiln- ulate enlistment, to induce farmers to go into the field and raise crops, to conscript boys for food production, is hardly in line with the usual sane, balancing of conditions that has dis nnguished Americans of today. Pre- paredness is essential, but by prepar- edness we mean complete prepared ness. We do not mean the form that gives us plenty of guns but no ammuu- nition; food with no clothing: cavalry men with no horses, but the type of preparedness that promises to provide all the things needed for war services.
 According to the best authorities, it takes not over one year to train an efficient soldier: 1t takes but few months to train an aviator; our indus tries are established. and it takes but coordinance to have them producing regularly the quantities necessary for consumption, but it takes years to train engineers.
 Europe is learning her lesson, but too late to remedy the mistakes made. Immediately upon the declaration of war. all engineers were called into the of where they were best fitted to serve. France even made the mistake of calling her scientists to the front, and withdrew them only after their numbers had been greatly depleted.
 The call of all the young able bodied men into the service on European soil has practically cut off the supply that the technical schools of the European continent had been turning out each year, and now, three years after the beginning of the war, there is short age of engineers. and no one coming up to fill their places.
 The first cali on the United States by our allies was for 50,000 engineers, but we did not have them. We could supply 10000; possibly in a short time, 10000 more, and even 10000 more, but unless this country sees to it that our supply is not depleted. we are going to be up against the same proposition that faces the allied nations today. Plenty of work that only engineers can do, and not nearly enough men to do it. This is type of preparedness that makes lis look well into the fI- ture.
 Everyone should say today: How can 1 best serve my country" or How can my boy best serve his country?'' It is probably the most serious prob lem that confronts the high school are ordinarily graduated at the age ot 17. and it is highly desirable that they plan to spend the time between then and the age of selection, 21 years, in ible service. That largest possible service means nothing more nor less than a training for leadership, whether it be at the head of d company of sol Ol6TS or dL tue n6du OI d. SIoup ol lst l borers doing construction work; the training for leadership is essential
 Instead of seeing our colleges with
 scant enrolment in September, the
 present crisis would, if duly analysed
 see them filled to oyerflowing. i The question naturally comes III What if the war does not last unti these men are trained?" Then, ever more than now will engineers bt
 needed, for the work of reconstruc
 tion and the rebuilding of civilization 1 is going to come upon the American people, no alone the rebuilding and re organization of the American indus ! tries, but actually the reconstruction of Europe. Germany. as well as oul allies is going to be forced to cali upo1
 us for men, and the United States mus i prepare to furnish them.
 | Every mother and father of the i high school graduate should seriously reflect before putting their sons anC i daughters to anything other than col ] lege manifestations Mining Jour | nal.