Norwich bulletin., 1919-01-07
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS
(Spec;ul TO The Bulletin

|
conference n few days ago regarding
plans for the re-establshment of re-
serve officers training camps at col
leges ana secondary schools. The Sec
rotary of war was very earnest il his
plea that such institutions resume the
course as a patriotic duty. 1t was
the opinion OF the men attending the
conference that military training can
be carried on jointly with academic I
work, and that by SO doing young men
become fitted for officers without in
terfering with their college Or school |
work. The keynote of the confer |
ence was che prepared for the future |
none of those present expressing, the |
idea that world wah was needed. It |
developed that the eastern states are |
less enthusiastic over re-eSfatFish- |
Ipent of military training than are
those in the west judging from the |
slowness of the former ID accent the |
suggestion of the war DEPARTMENT. |
Colleges and secondary schools are
asked to resume the training on tho
same basis as existing before the in
situations were taken over for stu
dent army training camps. Before
the war 115 units had been establish
ed now the government, wants at
least 900. Tie course Of training was
provided for in the national defense
act of 1916 when it was planned to
develop about so 900 trained officers
through such methods. .Iow the
plan is to train specifically for en-
gineers, artillery, ordnance. air SER
vice. medical corps as well as for in
fantry. The governments; wants to
begin the work immediately so that
much of the material gathered during
the S. A. It. C. period can be utilfz"
ed. Special emphasis will be placed
on physical training and athletics.
A military instructor viii be ap-
pointed for each institution with an
inspector to each five institutions The
country will be divided into u dis
tr;Cts. Tho officer selected for in
satrTctor in military service and tao
| tics will in each case be ! college man,
! who is in full sympathy with college
| education, ana familiar with the de-
! tails of college work. The govern
ment believes that such a man can ac-
| complish far more than 4 man with
! equal military ability bur who has not
| himself had the benefit Of college
! training. No college or school viii
! be provided with military instruction
| unless il has an enrolment for the
| course of not less than 100 students,
and in considering the application
! of institutions the facilities offered
| will be taken into consideration. Many
| of the colleges are reluctant to come
| into line for the work on account Of
their recent experience with student
| training camps, which broke up the
| SCHOOL, year and then we're demobiliz-
ed after six weeks. Financially il was
| q painful episode aud many institU-
lions hesitate to enter into another
Government contract" Moreover
some believe chat the entire time should
not be given over to the regular COL
lege course. so the number which
will enter is still doubtful. The gov
| eminent makes but one stipulation.
The training IS not compulsory, but
elective, but when a student once en-
| tiers the course he cannot abandon it
until he has taken Full two years.
Then he VA be given i choice to
discontinue thc training when he can
take tho other two years course. 4
he elects to complete he will he given
the regular army SUBSISTENCE allow
ance of 40 cents day for the re-
mainder of the time. Uniforms and
equipment are furnished for the en-
tire course. At the end - the four
years course, q man found ct is
!; eligible for a commission. Professors
, ard instruC tors in COLLEGES and schools
are permitted to take the course ard
under certain conditions are eligible
to qualify for Fhe officers reserve
corps. In Connecticut, I,lle ard the
| state agricujtUra! colleges are The
: only ones 10 signify thoi~ intention r.
take the course. Wesleyan is ragis-
! tered IS doubtful and no "ti,cre have
, as vet sent = r2nlv to the question
| 81 the war department askJ.c whether
or not they desire such instruction
. The s A T. camps 172,v i7cred 81
J q
dents. Thus fer bUf 2Gl institutions
have stated that they should con
| time T1ilitar" training, aGhOuEh thf
government feels certain that tie
sentiment of the country ie in favor
OF universal military trs:hinG and
that the majority Of colleges viii
soon fall into line. It was noticeable
that although President lowell OF
Harvard favors military training thai
: college has not vet sirniflal its intcn-
ton Of resuming suc! a course al
present.
> The opposition to a blanket poIcl
I of a. league Of nations continues t
deVel0pe force. The CHARGES of Sen.
I ator Lewis that The opposition wa.
! partisan is completely refutc1 by thu
: stand taken by Senator Thomas o
Colorado who IS most Vigorous in hi.
''CILltN4cSLiO'l VI dlietlIDt+ilfS 10 SoiNt
I the world problem before peace witt
= Germany is established. Tt was alst
= noticeable that when SenatOr Lodgt
= made his mastery speech agains
1 touching the problem until after peac
6 had been declared Senator Martin O
Virginia, democratic 10or leader
, Senator Hoka Smith AMI others mos
u prominent on the democratic side 0
a the chamber We're among the first t.
S crowd around the Massachusetts sen
r ator and congratulate him on tn
n stand he had taken. Men close t
f the president say under their brea II
= that it is not at all impossible tina
the president may take an entirely neJ
stand himself. He has never los
! sight of the fact that the Unite
States is not one of tho allies. but i
u merely a friend of the allies figl1tfn
a common enemy. Mr.. Wilson want
certain points assured. If he canno
& obtain them there is nothing to pre-
= vent him from withdrawing from til
/ | conference and letting the Furopea
- nations make their own terms wit
. Germany. In that case, il is whisper
u ed the United States could rest o
y the terms of the arrnistice alone, an
the president declare "A state of we
Y no longer exists between the Unite
is States and Germany ard resume re
y latjons with that country at his will
Probably no such extreme step wi
n be taken by the president, but it
- not only whispered here by prominer
N democrats, but accredited correspond
ents in Paris refer somewhat gingerI
to the samc thing as possible if
sharp disagreement arose betwee
l. Mr., WILSON and the allied countrie
to In that case the slogan would b
Keep America out of entangling all
J. ances.'