South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-01
The University of The Army
War as 4 College Course
~ WOODS HUTCHINSON. NJ. d.

War is the oldest game in the
world. but the rules are always
changing. ON account OF its dramat-
&c appeal and our age-long ances-
trail worship Of courage as the SUI
premc virtue. our imagination per-
sists i'm thinking Of the war game
as II it we're stm played according
10 the rules of the last century or
tEe century before last
SO deeply have historic and other
forms Of romantic literature inn
pressed upon our minds eve the
picturesque aspects of warfare that
We simply cannot rid ourselves, in
spite of the evidence of our senses,
OF the idea Of war as "a matter of fly
ing colors and gHttering accoutre-
mcnts and dashiug cavalry charges
with waving Of swords and shouting
OF war cries
Nor is the tyranny Of such deep
~ craven impressions limited 20
mere civilian stay-at- homes who
have never been within hundred
miles Of a front or caught a single
echo OF the steady surf-like roar Of
everyday artillery conversation"
Even the fighting men themselves
who have been trained IN am earlier
school lay long under its spell Wit
ness the league-long lines of picket
cd cavalry horses stretching from
end 20 end behind both sides Of the
western front. Hundreds OF thou
sands OF splendid chargers champ
ing their bits and devouring CONT
nents OF oats and hay, waiting
eagerly for the coming of the good
cid days OF real war. when the
seeel-wire and cement DuttreSsed
line should be broken and the cavalry
would ride joyously through to cut
of the retreat Of the flying AMI
capture generals and their stats
and seize supply railroad lines
Only just Of late months have they
been pressed into the prosaic but
most useful service OF cultivating
the soil OF the war zone and assist
ing the army 10 raise its own grain
and vegetable supplies.
When we send forth our boys TO
do their part in making the world
safe for democracy and keeping life
worth living i'm the future for those
who would be free, we are apt TO
think OF them as going into a world
totally different from their past
where their sole aim and chief Oc-
cupation will be risking their lives
trying 10 kill other men or 20 keep
other men from killing them. Some
thing which has not only no con-
nection with their past. but no bear
ing upon or relation 10 their future
life and work after the war is over.
As a matter of prosalc fact, prob
ably less than five percent of their
time Will actually be occupied I'm
the dangerous and exciting duty of
active fighting. And while the whole
of their training and cooperative
activity and mental teamwork is di-
rected toward this brief, fierce
hour OF glorious life" and getting
the better OF the enemy, yet the
means which are employed in lead
ing up TO this crushing blow on the
enemys lines are the very latest
and most up-to-date forms of mod
ern. industrial and social organiza-
ton and scientific efficiency.
Modern war has become one vast
engineering and reclamation enter
prise with a fighting edge on it.
Every human faculty and gift and
power which is useful i'm peaceful
life will ind its field and scope and
occupation in modern war. As SIR
Auckland Geddes. England's direc-
tor of national service, has recent
Is put il. Every man who is ca
pable of earning a living i'm peaceful
life can be made use of i'm mod
ern army"
In the first days OF the war. when