Decorah-posten og ved arnen., 1918-09-03


From
The Committee on Education and
Special Training General Staff L.
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 as
quickly as possible. 1t fixes the age
limits from l8-45, both inclusive. 1t
places the nation upon a war basis.
The new military program, as out
lined by the Secretary of War, calls
for'the increase of the Army by more
than W. million men by July !. 1919.
This will probably necessitatc the
mobilization of all physically fit regis
trants under p, within ten months
from this date. With respect to
students. since they are not to be
made i'll any sense a 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. &. medi-
cine. engineering and chemistry.
Under these conditions it is obvious
that schools and colleges for young
men, within the age limits of the new
law. cannot continue to operate as
under peace conditions. Fundamental
changes must be made in college ano
school practices. in order to adapt
emergency.
The following statements outline
the general plan under which the
Students Army Training Corps will
operate under the changed conditions
produced by the revision of the
Selcctive Service Law:
/ All young men. who were plan
ming 10 go 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 a 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 about October.
lSt, opportunity will be given for all
the regularly enrolled students To be
indicted into the Students Army
Training Corps at the schools where
they are in attendance. Thus the
corps will be organized by voluntary
Induction under the Sclective Service
Act. instead of by enlistment as
previously contemplated.
The student. by voluntary Undue
ton. becomes a soldier in the United
States Army. uniformed. subject to
military discipline and with the pay
OF a private. 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
housing, subsistence and instruction
of the student soldiers.
, Officers, uniforms, rifles and such
other equipment as may be available
will be furnished by the War Depart
ment, as previously announced.
!. The student soldiers will be given
military instruction under officers OF
the Army and will be kept under
observation and test TO determine
their qualifications as oficer-candi-
dates, and technical experts such as
engineers. chemists and doctors.
After a certain period, the men will
be selected according To their per-
Torrance. and assigned TO military
duty III one of the following ways:
(a) lie may be transferred to a
central officers training camp.
tb) He may be transferred to a
non-commisSioned officers train
ing school.
(c) He may be assigned to the
school where he is enrolled for
further intensive work in a speci-
fed line for a limited specified
time.
I'D He may he assigned 10 the
vocational tr1,ptnn Sart,An 90 tha
Corps for technician training OF
military value.
(e) He may be transferred to a
cantonment for duty with troops
as a private.
! Similar sorting and reassignmcn,
OF the men will be made at periodical
intervals. As the requirements OF the
service demand. 1t cannot be now
definitely stated how long a particular
student will remain at college. This
will depend on the requirements OF
the mobilization. In order to keep
the unit at adequate strength. men
will be admitted from secondary
schools or transferred from Depot
Brigades as the need may require.
Students will ordinarily not be per.
mitted 10 remain on duty in the col
lege units after the majority of their
fellow-citizcns OF like age have beer
called to military service al camp
Exception to this rule will be made
as the needs OF the service require it
in the case OF technical and scientific
students, who will be assigned fol
longer periods for intensive study il
specialized fields.
). No units OF the Students Arm,
Training Corps will, for the present
be established at secondary schools
but it is hoped to provide at an earl,
date for the extension of military in
struction i'll such schools. TIL,
secondary schools are urged TO in
tensify their instruction so that young
men IL and l8 years old may b.
qualified 10 enter college as prompt!
as possible.
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