New-York tribune., 1919-06-13
Soldiers Being Prepared
for More Efficient and
Higher Mode of Life, Sec.
retary Tells Publishers
Was Demanded by Men
Need of S Something 10 Occu-
py Them Met by Military
Chiefs by Over-Drilling

versity. The men who are waiting in
Europe for the signing of the peace
terms are not merely following mill
tary routine. They are preparing them
selves for a more efficient and higher
grade of life on their return to
America.
SO Secretary Baker told the sixty
publishers, editors and labor leaders
with whom he lunched at the Bitmore
yesterday at the invitation of Cros-
venor B. Clarkson, director of the
United States Council of National De-
fence.
Secretary Baker was only one of
those who discussed the problems
whlch have arisen out of the war and
which demand immediate solution.
Others who spoke were Secretary Of
Labor Wilson, Colonel Arthur Woods.
and William G. McAdoo, former Secre-
tary of the Treasury.
Caused by Idcalisn
Mr.. Wilson, speaking of the unem-
ployment problem, said the present un-
rest throughout the world was due to
an ldealism which demanded better liv-
ing conditions. Where the difference
between these conditions and the ideal
is too great, he said, revolution will
follow.
colonel Woods made a plea that Jobs
be offered returning service men pro-
portlonate to the capacity and ideals
they have developed during the war.
Mr.. McAdoo praised the Council of
National Defence for its efforts to aid
the War and Labor. Departments in
finding jobs for soldiers and sailors.
MI. Baker first sketchcd the achieve
ments of the nation in war-making.
He said that when Marshal Jolfre Wis
tied this country he hoped that Amer
lea might be able to put 100000 men
overseas-at the outside 100000. We
put 100000 over there before the war
ended.
Educating the A. f. F.
He then dwclt upon the educational
system that has grown up in the A. f.
f., which is teaching everything from
primary schooling up to the higher and
more specialized subjects taught at
Beaune A. Z. i. University, which
boasted eleven colleges.
MY own belief" he said, "is that
America is not only the best educated
country in the world, but that our own
progress has been amazingly rapid.
"Iwenty years ago the average school
education was the eighth grade of the
public school. Speaking now, the av-
erage of education in America is
pretty near to graduation from the
high school.
81 will say to you that when the
armlstice was signed, with 100000
men in France, with very uncertain
modes and quantities of Transportation
to return them to this country, the
problem which the general command
over there faced was some sort of oc-
cupation which would keep the idle
soldier from becoming a discontented
soldier.
Chiefs Ordered Drills
cat the very outset the reaction of
the military man was highly absurd.
The answer of practically all command
ing generals on the Western front was
to drill their men until they were so
tired they couldn't think of ANYTHING
else. They got Them out of bed before
daylight They gave them breakfast
and started to drill them until they
nearly fell in their tracks. And finally
the boys themselves gave the answer.
They said: we don't want to drill.
The war is over. We want education.
Can't there be some sort of a provision
made here by which those who know
more can teach those who know less p
"Anson Stokes Phelps at Yale made
the suggestion that the Y M. C. A..
might effect very wide educational
opportunity among the soldiers. That
was not carried very far. 1t was found
it was quite beyond the power of the
Y. NJ. G.. A.-thc financial power-to
carry the thing out. The army stepped
in and took the place of the Y. M. c.
A., with this astonishing result.
was in France five or six weeks ago, as
you will perhaps remember, and
looked over the educational system.
Has II 900 Students
"Thcrc is at Bcaunc university-thc
American Expcditionary Forces Uni
vcrsity-which had / ! 900 students, Sc
lcctcd from all divisions of that cxpc-
ditionary force. There were eleven full
fcdgcd colleges in that univcrsity-di-
'iiiItJ, Jaw, iith'CiiN, N''''''' y, '>D|' !
nary surgery, the arts, the plastic arts,
drawing, painting, music, science.
Astronomy was among them.
"Elcvcn full-fedged colleges. They
we're taught very often by enlisted
men. Sometimes by officers. Some
times by educational experts from this
country, who went to France to assist
in the teaching. And had the very
great delight Of going into room after
room in that university where | saw
blackboard erected. (Thcse were
shacks; they were no elaborate build
ings, none Of the paraphcrnalia OF
great university; just shacks.) But
there was a blackboard and little
PLATFORM And on it private, dough-
boy, teaching integral calculus to
class Of fifteen or twenty men, of
whom two or three were majors, some
were captains, some lieutenants. some
corporals and sergcants and dough-
boys, unfortunately
Ar.stocrncy Of Intellect
Eve had no aristocracy based upon
rank but nm instant rcverslon from
tho military occupations, an instant
rcvcrsion from tho hierarchy, the ar
tihcial hierarchy of rnnk into the nat
ural hierarchy Of superiority OF intel