Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1917-09-13
NEWS NOTES FROM WASH
INGTON STATE COLLEGE.

INGTON STATE COLLEGE.
STATE COLLEGE, Pullman, Wn.,
Sept.13.-"The United States War de-
partment, the president of the Unit
ed States, the U. S. Bureau of edu-
cation, and men of vision and
craftsmanship throughout the coun-
try, are united in urging young men
not called now to the army to study
in college; but in spite of this ma
ion-wide effort, two unspoken queS-
lions persist in the minds of young
men of military liability. The first
question is, If go to war, shall l
returnY The second is, If | do not
return, why spend time and money
on my education now?'
"These young men, courageous
and patriotic as they may be, are
taking the wrong view-and their
wrong view is abundantly evident
in our college correspondence with
students this summer" state Vice
President o. L. Waller, of the Wash
ington State College.
"The human cost of this war, and
Of any and all wars, should not be
lnderestimated. Neither should the
human costs be exaggerated. The
American soldier has right to
know the precise facts.
I'M. Andre Tardieu, high commits
,ioner of France, gives the follow
.ng figures covering in the French
army, the killed, missing, and wound
ID, and the prisoners:
Battles of Charleroi and off,.
Marne ................ 'o.4A
First six months of 1915. ...... .2.38
Second six months of 1915. 1.68
First six months of 1916. .1.47
Second six months of 1916. .1.28
"These figures prove the extent to
which our young men are wrong in
accepting enlistment as death SEN
ence in great and noble cause.
The chances of their returning are
greatly preponderant. In CORES
bonding measure, the necessity OF
heir continuing their college train
ng in the profession or trade they
intend to follow after the war is
apparent.
"All of us should realize that after
he war, large part of the civilized
world will have to be reconstructed.
Technically and scientifically train
I'd young men and women will be
he preeminent need in that recon-
,truction-and this is the great rea-
son why every young man who can
possibly do so should continue his
education till the very moment OF
liS departure for army service. His
hances to survive alive, unwounded
md uncaptured, based on 1916 sta
istics of the French army, are about
Sc to 1. His chances of being killed,
BASED on the same casualty esti-
mates, are about six in one thousand.
"The decrease in casualties from
Charleroi and the Marine to the close
Of 1916-5.41 per cent to 1928 per
,ent-are extremely significant.
Ihe larger percentage represents
he human loss when improperly
rained and disciplined men were
ngaged in battle. The smaller loss
occurred when properly trained and
disciplined men were in battle, back
I'd, of course, by superior artillery
md army organization. We see
hat the trained soldier with the
light support has more than four
lines the chance to survive that
he other has.
Parents who are inclined to look
askance at colleges making instruc-
ion in military science and tactics
4 requirement, on the grounds that
such training may hasten the de-
oarture of their sons for the battle
fields of Europe, should keep this
l--to-1 chance well in mind. Mil
ltary training will not hasten the
departure of their sons; but if their
sons are called, the right kind of
military training will make four
times surer their return. That is
one of the several important rea-
sons why the State College proposes
10 increase the efficiency of it's mil
ltary training in every possible way
during the college year opening Oc,-
tober L."