The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-12-06
8. A. II. @. OF MOS
COW TO DEMOBILIZE

Orders to demobilize the Univers-
ity of Idaho 8. A. T. C. have been re-
ceived by Captain Luther B. Felker,
university commandant. The demo-
bilization will take place at once
The first men from the vocational
training section will be shipped about
December 8, and the men from the
collegiate section will leave Moscow
about December 10.
rehabilitation orders were a COM
plete surprise to both 1.-The military
and civil authorities of the univers-
tty. Plans had been made to carry
on the work of training members of
the s. A. T. C. to do reconstruction
work.
THE reconstruction program of
the university will not be changed by
the disbandonment of the 8. A. T. c."
said DR.. e. H. Lindley, president of
tho university. Most of the mem
bers of the S. A. T. G. will return
to their college work. Many of our
students in training camps and can
comments are coming back. The
University of Idaho has embarked
on a great reconstruction program to
help it's students understand and
help solve the problems that are fac
ing the world"
Captain Felker said that the men
could not be demobilized before De-
cember because the forms for in
duction into the service did not ar
rive from Washington until last
week. BY December 9, however,
preparations will have been made to
discharge the 800 members of sec
ton B. After another ten days, the
military authorities will be able to
discharge members of section A.
Men from Wyoming will probably
leave on the first day, those from
southern Idaho on. the second and
last, according to Captain Felker.
1t is impossible to discharge all the
men at once because of the conges-
ton this would cause on the rail-
roads. ~
A reserve officers training corps
will be established here Immediately
on the disbandonment of the S. A.
II. C. This training corps will pro-.
vide. officers and officer material to
be used in case of any great emery
ency.
IF the United States had been
prepared, we could have won mill
tary decision in 1917 rather than in
1915" said Captain Felker. Our
ing our year and a half of prepara-
ton, England and France stood be-
tween us and Germany. Officers can
not be made in two months. Our
experience has shown that. 1t takes
training and time to make an officer
as we'll as an army"
Captain Felker believes that the
university may have all the equip
ment for a r. o. T. G. that she de-
sires. Tanks, machine guns, am
munition and everything in reason
will be furnished by the federal gov,
eminent il the request is made.
The RIO. TIC. is an organization
provided for by federal statute. The
university has promised to require
compulsory military training for all
able bodied first and second year
students. The government will train
and equip these men. On the COM
pletion of their second year, they
may apply for admission to the r. o.
T. G. Those men that are accepted
will become cadets, receive uni
forms, Communication of rations and
advanced military training lin addi-
ton to their regular college work.
After graduation from college, the
men became second lieutenants on
the reserve list. If they request it
they will be given an additional six
months training in any branch of the
army they desire. After this training
they will be given additional rank.
That this training is not re-
quired after the first years of col
lege should be emphasized" said
Captain Felker. "The government
is willing to help these men to pre-
pare themselves to be of service only
II they desire 1t. There is nothing
compulsory in the r. o. T. c."