New-York tribune., 1917-12-11
Differ as to
Whether Students
Should Go to War

Should Go to War
Men we'll known in educational anc
public service circles OF New YORK
commented yesterday on the plea Of
p z. Claxton. United States Commis-
sioner Of Education. that college
students should remain at their studies.
rather than enlist. The address -
Commissioner ClsXton on sunday, III
Morris High SCHOOL, was directed
primarily at technical students, al
though he argued that all college men
would be doing greater service If they
e0uipped themselves with a higher
education % replace college men taken
bv the war The majority of those
questioned by The Tribune disagreed
with a platform that kept all students
in school. though many urged the i'm
portance Of . completed course ior
medical and engineering students.
James ". Gerard. former Ambas-
sadcr TO Berlin, said:
at is far more important 70 beat
Germany than 10 keep thousands OF
husky Young men taking courses IN
modern novels and other fluff, which
constitutes so much of the modern
college courses. If the Germans win
they won't allow any culture except
the German-maGe brand TO exist IN
the world.
when we have beaten the Ger
mans. in the ensuing period OF uni
versal peace there will be plenty Of
time 10 catch up. College men can
spend their time TO better advantage
defending modern civilization than IN
STUDYING ancient literature
Richard n. Hurd, president of the
American Defence Society, was equal
lv emphatic. "The General staff and
the War Department selected nineteen
as the proper draft age" he stated,
although Congress changed u %
twenty-one. In view of the collapse
Of Russia and the heavy percentage Of
reflections in the draft Congress
should make it nineteen
The proposal recently made by a
Harvard professor should apply 10
Yale. Columbia, Princeton and other
leading universities. All should be-
come military academies. accepting
b1vs at sixteen for three years
course that would fit them TO be sec
ond lieutenants in the army or en-
signs IN the navy. They would then
be doing their utmost for the coun-
try, although it is understood that
medical. engineering and scientific
courses should not be interfered with.
II. England oxford and Cambridge
have practically ceased TO exist. The
function of our universities should be
that Of military academies"
Erior lIihbap ylracidaut cF
Princeton, said;
81 am in hearty sympathy with Com
missioner Claxton's opinion that COL
lege men should remain at their studies
for the present. ! have received let
ter to-day rom Major Trowbridge,
professor Of physics at Princeton, now
a member of General Pershing's stan.
He says:
"I am sending my son home because
there is practically nothing worth
while for a chap under twenty-one 70
do over here. They cannot get com
missions and to my mind should not
enlist now as privates, for they form
the material from which the officers
must come a year or two hence. When
Won see war close 70. as have this last
month. YOU feel that il is case OF
man-power and not boy-power that is
wanted.
s Stanwood Menken, Of the National
Security League, said that ne reai2Su
the importance OF education, not only
in providing trained men, but IN keep
ing up the spirits Of the people, /
would agree with Commissioner ClaN-
ton. limiting it TO students OF tne ne
technical and medical professions" he
said. az would not include students OF
law Of arts and letters
Elmer T.. Brown, Chancellor OF New
York University, while inclined to agree
with the Commissioner Of Education
was emphatic i'm his praise OF the col
lege men who have gone into the ser
vice. He also mentioned the experience
OF the English universities ana said
that New York University has IosI AZ
per cent Of its arts students.
college men ought not TO enlist too
soon" he said. There is great de-
mand for college men and men thor
cUgblv trained in various lines, so great
that il is anticipated that the War De
nartment will urge the continuing OF
engineering studies, Just as IL mas 1nc
study Of medicine
Sidney Edward Mezes, president OF
the College Of the City of New YORK
said: ....,.
sbould remain at school and look upon
tbcir studies as a patriotic duty, in
addition 70 personal advantage, for
the country will need more rather
tban fewer highly trained men. Others
not in college and lacking. the par
ticular training that is needed IN the
service should go to college.