The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-14
The War Departments Emphasis OF
College Training.

I SctiQ, IL NOolQ SCl lOOSly LIZ ileNiI <hti's-
ica's prospects of success in this wal
if the supply Of highly trained mel
were unnecessarily diminished.
have, therefore, no hesitation in ur%-
ing colleges and technical schools t(
endeavor to maintain their courses a:
far as possible on the usual basis
Mr.. Balfour, of the English Commits
sion, made it clear that he regretted
as the greatest error on the part OF
England and France that they had Al
lowed students Of their institutions Ioi
! higher education to volunteer in slcn
! large numbers at the opening Of the
war" In view Of the importance OF
these statements the Committee on
Education and Special Training of the
! War Department has started a cam
| paign for the enlistment in the United
States Army of the male students in
our colleges and universities. The OBJ
ject Of this campaign is to induce rs
many young men as possible to attend
= various colleges IN their respective
States. If eighteen to twenty-one
| they are urged to enlist, If under
eighteen, to enroll, in the students S
Army Training Corps (S. A. T. e.
Enlisted students will also be men,
bers OF the army OF the United States
Students so enlisted aud enrolled Will
be provided, as far as practicable,
Guiding hats, shoes and overcoats-ali
furnished by the government. Stn-
dents neither enlisted nor enrolled
will not be entitled to enter the train
ing units or receive the military n
struction offered by the War Depart
n3ent The members Of the S. A. 2.
c. will have the opportunity to attend
q. six weeks camp in the summer tor
rigid and intensive military instruc-
ton with private's pay. Mileage
each way will be paid. These stu
dents will not be called into active
service except in cases of specia.
emergency. The policy OF the gov
ernn2ent will be to keep members OF
the S. A. T. c. in college until their
draft age is reached. The War De-
partment may permit such men td
continue in college even after their
draft age is reached whenever they
are taking medical, technical, scie.1-
tifc or other courses important tt
the prosecution Of the war
Competent officers and non-con-
nGissioned officers will be assigned to
the various institutions to carry aL
the work of military instruction. 1v
cry enlisted student must register
with his local board after he has
reached the draft age. Upon stating
in his QUESTIONABLE that he is in the
S. A. T. c., and, therefore, .alread,
in the military service of the Unite.i
States, he will be placed automatical
" by the local draft board in Class
D. The draft board will not call him
into service as long rs he. remains a
member of the S. A. T. c. However
when he does reach the draft age
the president OF the college and the
commanding officer Of the S. 4. T. {.
will report to the committee Of edu
cation and special training of IN,
War Department the form Of war SER
vice for which the drafted student j:
best qualified. He may be called
into service as a private Just as ne
would be if he were not in the S. A
T. c., but Will more likely be sent tt
an officers training camp or allowed
to continue in college until re ha'
finished his education. If congress
should lower the draft age men OF thr
new ages not already enlisted in col.
lege training units. Will be able to on
ter military service only as private
and through the local draft board. II
is. therefore. highly important eor a
many young men as possible to attect
college and enlist or enroll in the S
A. T. c.
College educatic.l at the presen
crisis has become not only a persona
privilege, but a patriotic duty. If tbs
war closes before member Of the S
A. T. C. reaches the draft age no ono
can accuse him of being a Stacker
because he will have the status Of ::
United States soldier. Never in tht
whole history Of our country has there
been such an urgent demand for train
ed minds, trained muscles and, fore
most of all. for men trained in in
slant, implicit and cheerful obedience
TO lawful constituted authority.
For the solution Of the many PROB
lens that will arise during the recon
struction period following peace tho
demand for college trained men VIII
be even more urgent. We, Therefore
call upon all members Of the Sta"
Council of National Defense and upon
all other organizations in the State to
carry out the request of the War De
partment and fill our colleges wit"
young men who will render the mos:
important service to their country
within the college walls. In this up
peal it is not the interest Of the col
leges. but the nation that are at stake
W. S. CURRELI..
State Director for the Campaign Of
Student Enlistment.
w. M. RIGGS.
Member Of the State Council OF Nat
ional Defense.
S. TT. EDMUNDS.
Federal State Director Of the Z. s
Boys Working Reserve.
PRISON FOR ENEMY.