The Columbia evening Missourian., 1921-04-19
R.O. T.C. WILL
HELP PREVENT
LARGE ARMY
Lieut. Col. W. E. Persons Tells
How Military Units in Col
leges Are of Bene-
fit TO Country.
GOOD OFFICERS NEEDED
VIII Send 40 Men to Summer
Encampment-Advanced
Students Get Com
mutation.

mutation.
sThe r. o. T. c. Of the University Of
Missouri is doing its bit to prevent g
large standing army in America" says
Lieut-Col. William E. Persons. professor
Of military science and tactics in the
University.
Colonel Persons, a veteran in foreign
and home service in the United States
Army. is enthusiastic about the mission
and the future Of the University R. O.
T. c. units and the influence they will
have upon the military policy Of this
country.
The great need Of an army is compel.
ent officers and these cannot be made in
a day. he says. The World War is last;
ing proof Of this. During our great con-
Aict an officer was told to take his com
mand and relieve a hard-pressed position
on the front line Of baiile in the Ar
gonne Forest. He was found a few
hours later marching his command to-
wand Paris. The man actually thought
he was advancing toward the front This
is just one sexample among the m1ny
that may be found in the records com
piled by the War Department Lack OF
time for efficient training was the cause.
Before the A. E. F. had helped to
make history there was just one com-
missioned United States army officer
stationed at the University Of Missouri
There were no enlisted men. Now there
are eight commissioned officers and
ihirty-two enlisted men. Last summer
the University sent only eighteen r. o.
I. c. men 10 summer enaampments.
This summer 100 men have definitely
said that they are going 10 the epeamp-
menfs and fifty more are considering the
trip. Foty-three are going TO the ar
tillery encampmeni at Camp Kncx. KY.
just out Of Louisville, and seventy-eigld
arc going to the infantry encampment
at Fort Smelling. Mimi. situated between
ST. Paul and Minneapolis.
The infantry branch of the r. o. T. C.
in addition TO classroom work, is now
studying the use of the rifle. m-' hine
gun. one-pOunder and trench mortar.
The artillery arm Of the r. o. T. c. is
studying the automatic pistol. the thee
inch gun and up 10 the heaviest heavy.
Some men in the X. O. 7. c. know the
machine gun backwards and forwards.
In the recent overseas scraps men were
compelled % learn 20 use he r.schine
gun under fire, Colonel Persons says.
Only the mornings viii be used for
military work at the encsmpments this
summer; the afternoons viii b. d-Snted
entirely to athletic games, :hc Colonel
continued.
The United States will mol need a
large standing army if there aIe good
officers among business and professional
men that il can call upon in uete II
need, he says. Il is the mission OF the
r. o. 7. c. to help produce snch Officers.
Colonel Persons explains the statutes
providing for pay to R. o. T. c. members
as follows:
'The commutaiion is fixed by the Sec
reiary Of War at 53 IL cents a day or
approximately $40 a month, and paid
quarterly. March 81. June 80, September
80 and December 81. The student mus:
have completed the basic course. fresh
man and sophomore years in military,
before he is eligible to enter into the
contract. The provisions Of this con-
tract are in substance as follows:
~(s) That the course shall be con-
tinued during the junior and senior years
unless authorized to drop il upon the
recommendation Of the professor Of Mill
iary science and tactics, for exceptional
reasons, or il becomes necessary Tor the
student to leave school,
"(b) The student shall attend one
summer camp Of six weeks following the
completion Of the sophomore year ar :he
junior year.
"tc) He shall accept a commission
in the Reserve Officers Corps upon
graduation Il recommended by the pro-
fessOr Of military science and tactics, and
the president Of the institution.
''0ne dollar a day, all expenses If
travel, outer clothing. board, medical at
tention, quarters. bedding, are furnished
the student attending the summer csmp.
1T is believed" said Colonel Persons.
that a great many students who find
ii necessary to work in order to defray
a part Of their expenses at the Uni
versi,y do not understand or appreciate
the value in actual cash and the saving
in uniforms which the advanced course
in military science and tactics provides.