The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-16

be no greater amount OF supplies
needed for replacement divisions be-
cause Of the gradual subtraction OF vet
eran troops from Europe.
On the policy Of rehabilitation final
" formulated depends, too, what shall
ing corps n the naval units in the
colleges. The contracts call for nine
months instruction.
Many OF the colleges want the sys-
tenn maintained for that period, so II
Will not disrupt their organizations.
No, al OF the $4,000 men in the
students army training corps would
perhaps want to stay In the colleges;
some OF them could not afford to pay
tuition. Again, many of the institu-
tons would like TO increase the amount
Of academic instruction and decrease
the military features.
Certainly the existence Of a skeleton
organization for the teaching uf mill
tary subjects is going TO encourage the
advocates Of universal military train
ing as well as universal military SER
vice to insist that the students army
training corps remain intact. On the
other hand, Its opponents, who have
looked somewhat disapprovihgIy on the
scheme even during war time because
Of its possible conversion into n peace
time organization, would prefer to have
the whole thing dropped by the war
department, The secretary of war has
before him various plans, but 1t Ia I'M
likely that he will be able to make
any decision until the big question of
rehabilitation is determined, for the
students are Just as much members Of
the army as our soldiers In France, and
discrimination in the method or time Of
releasing any one portion OF the army
to the disadvantage Of the other is
to provoke criticism.
May Modify Plan.
As for the students army training
corps itself, the chances are that any
widespread demand of the colleges for
an opportunity to add academic sub
tects to the curriculum and diminish
time for the military drill or instruc-
tion will be recognized and some modl-
fled form Of the reserve officers train
ing corps system, begun by Princeton
university long before the war depart
ment entered into the formal arrange
ments with the colleges generally, may
finally come out Of the whole business.
with respect to the navy, the dis
position Of Secretary Daniels Ia to re-
lease suCh OF his men as want to go to
schools and colleges again, He prob.
ably will not break up the naval units
in the colleges any sooner than the
army does its units, but that depends
again on the larger phases Of demobil-
IL is TO he noted mat the pro-
vost mArshal's office continues send
ing "questionnalres to lS-year-old boys
while these induisitorlal documents are
from registrants above the age
Of SO. The inference being placed upon
this action II that far-seelng universal
military training as a possible recon-
by the Republican congress,
officers in the war department
are using the present machinery to get
n complete list Of the youth who would
be subject to military training In later
days.
Problems Of re"construction are 30
that many phases OF the
future status Of our military and naval
programs are being overlooked. For
the moment the emphasis Is on the in
dustrlal and financial side. Already the
president Is said to be alert to the pos
sibilities Of financial unrest And in
dustrial chaos II the government re-
too abruptly or curtails expendi-
lures without giving the men who have
heavily In war factories an OPP
portunlty to protect themselves by con.
version. The effect of this on bank
loans and credits Is being discussed
on every side in Washington. 1t Is,
therefore, no eXaggeration to say that
the delicate moments of reconstruction
are causing even more concern than
was visible when the nation entered
the war.
Copyright, 1918, by New York Evening
Post, lnc.)