Gunnison news-champion., 1918-09-13
NEW IMPORTATION ADOUf
STUDENTS ARMY TRAINING
COMPS HELD IN COLLEGES

The lowest DRAFT a8e OF II ana pre-
|cluding enlistment. has presented .
pushing question to high school stu
dents who have only completed . PoF-
tioa Of their college career. II hAs
been - in conflict With the announced
plans for Tie Ssudent5' Army fsin-
ing Corps that many Of the young
men have had theiT carefully laid
plans upset
The following inSermation was re-
ceiyed . few dAys ego BY DR.. j. b.
Kelley Of the State Normal School n
answer to questions which he asked
the national committee on studentS
war service.
Warrington. D. G.. Aug. %, 1918.
STATEMENT
To: The Colleges Of the United States.
From: The Committee on Education
and Special Training. General
| Staff
The man-power bill pending in Con-
gress definitely binds the country TO
the policy Of consecrating its entire
energy to the winning Of the war -
quickly ~ possible; Il nxes the aSe
limits from 1916, both inclusive. Il
places the nation upon . war basis.
The new military program. q outlined
by the Secretary Of War. calls for TIE
two million men by July l, 1919. This
alton Of all physically-fit registrants
under 81, within ten months from this
date. With respect to students, sincs
q deferred or favored class; this
means that they will practically all be
assigned to active service in the field,
by June, 1919. The only exceptions
will be certain students engaged in
technical studies Of military value, e.
g., medicine, engineering and chemis-
try. Under these conditions it Is
obvious that schools and colleges for
young men within the age limits Of
the law, cannot continue TO operate rs
under peace conditions. Fundamental
changes must be made in college and
school practices in order to adapt them
to effective service in this emergency.
The following statements outline the
general plan under which the Students
Army Training Corps will operate un-
der the changed conditions produced
by the revision of the Selective Draft
Service Law.
/. All young men, who were plan
ming to 60 to school this fall, should
carry out their plans and do SO. Each
should go to the college Of his choice,
matriculate, and enter as q regular
student. He will, of course, also
register with his local board on the
registration day set by the President.
As soon as possible after registration
day, probably on or before October
first, opportunity will be given for all
the regularly-enrolled students to be
inducted in to the Students Army
Corps at the schools where they are in
attendance. Thus the Corps will be
organized by voluntary induction un-
der the Selective Service Act, instead
Of by enlistment As previously con-
|templated.
The student, by voluntary induction,
becomes soldieuin the United States
Army, uniformed, subject to military
discipline and with the pay Of pri-
vate. They will simultaneously be
placed on full active duty and con-
tracts Will be made as soon as pos
sible, with the colleges for the hous-
ing. subsistence and instruction Of the
student soldiers.
2. Officers, uniforms, rifles and
such other equipment es may be avail
able will be furnished by the War De-
partment, as previously announced.
3. The student-soldiers viii be Civ
en- military instruction under officers
Of the Army and will be kept under
observation and test to determine their
| qualification as officer-candidates and
technical experts such q engineers,
chemists and doctors. After certain
period, the men will be selected &C.
cording to their performance, and A.
signed = military duty in one Of the
(a) He may Be transferred to CEN
tr.1 oaieers' training camp.
nom commissioned odfcers' training
(c) He may be assigned to the
school where he u snrulIed for further
intensive work IN /. specihed line for =
limited specified time.
(d) He may be assigned to the
vocational training sectien Of tie
Corps Tor technician training Of mill
taSy value.
(e) ne may be transferred to . can
tonlnent for duty with troops - . pri-
tvate.
I. Similar sorting and reassign-
ment Of the men will be made at peri
odieal intervals, - the requirements
Of the service .demand. Il cannot be
now definitely stated how long par
lticular student viii remain at college.
This will depend on the requirements
Of the mobilization and the age group
TO which he bs1ongs. In order to keep
the unit ct adequate strength, men
will be admitted from secondary
schools or transferred from Depot Bri-
gades as the need may require.
Students will ordinarily not be per-
mitted 70 remain on duty in the col
Ilege units after the majority Of their
fellow citizens Of like age have been
called to military service ct camp.
Exception to this rule will be made,
- the needs Of the service require
/ II, In the case Of technical and scien-
tific students, who will be assig:ed