The Harrison times., 1917-02-17
MILITARY SCHOOLS
TO give OFFICERS
Many Cadets in Private Institu-
tiOnS Available for War.
CIVILIAN AID IS IMPORTANT
Engineering, Signal and Aviation Corps
Of United States Army Could Be
Quickly Recruited in
Emergency.
BY KENNETH MAcDoUGALL.

New YOrk.-In the event of the call
ing out of militia and volunteer troops,
there are many cadets in the various
private military institutions in the
United States who could speedily be
made available for second lieutenan-
cies and some higher ranks in the vol
unteer forces.
One of the most prominent institu-
tons in the country from military
standpoint is Norwich university, at
Norwich, VT, which has graduated nu-
merOus men into the army as second
lieutenants. The graduating class is
between eighty and one hundred and
twenty men every year, and the in
stitution has kept fairly good track of
its available sons after they have left
college. At q conservative estimate,
Norwich could furnish thousand men
who have passed an examination re-
Quired as entrance to the regular army
as second lieutenant of infantry, five
hundred second lieutenants of cavalry
and about three hundred artillery Sec
Ond lieutenants.
Many of the men have kept well in.
formed in military matters, while 9th
ers, Of course, would need considera-
BILE brushing up In modern tactics.
Norwich has maintained the same
standards of study and execution of
military drill that the cadets at West
Point are held to, and fully a sixth
of it's graduating classes have followed
an army career.
In training, the graduates are prob
ably superior in knowledge and exec
utive ability to two-thirds Of the mi
litia captains and some majors in the
National Guard.
They have served under military of.
fcers of the highest type for a four
year course, and during that time have
had to work hard and faithfully in or
der to graduate.
1000 Men Available.
A like condition Is true Of perhaps
twenty-five other private military
schools in the United States designated
by the war department as "distin
gulshed institutions" These schools
could bring to the colors, about 7OOC
fully or partially-trained lieutenants
Besides these there are some ten thou
sand college men who have ATTENDED
training camps like PlattSburg ant
who in a short time could be whipped
into good enough shape to take com
mand Of volunteer infantry.
The Culver school at Culver, Ind, Is
perhaps a close second to Norwich uni
versity Us regards cavalry material
The showing made by Culver boys
while stationed on the border in th'
recent mobilization attracted VIDE
spread attention among army men.
The Engineering corps of the regu
lar army could be readily recruited II
officers and men from the civil popu
lation engaged in similar pursuits as
daily occupation. The supremacy o
concrete construction in this countr!
would indicate there would be no trou
BILE in securing enough capable engi
neers and commissioned officers t
erect or construct necessary gun EN-
placements and additional defenses.
The Signal corps picked from clvi
lians engaged in like work would sool
be as good as the regular units, IL
fact probably better, as the class o
men in the New York militia units o
that branch Of service made the regu