WHILE THE IRON IS HOT

Harvard has thus far performed her duty in the present crisis by contributing her share of men to be trained for officers in the event of war. Since the entire University is keenly interested in the daily development of the country's precarious situation, and is actively doing its share towards solving the problem of a national defence, the CRIMSON regards the publishing of current plans for the safeguarding of the Nation as timely and properly within the scope of a college newspaper. The scheme of army reorganization which follows is one suggested by certain military experts at Washington and should not be considered as put forward by the CRIMSON. It is hoped that a general discussion of this question and any others, which may follow will be held through the communication columns of the CRIMSON.

Universal military service is still a dream of the future. In the meantime, the crying need of America is reform in the army organization. Although we Federalize the militia and double the attendance at the summer military camps, the regular army must always remain our first line of defence. Yet our army today is pitifully small, disproportionately expensive, and inefficient. It numbers 74,000 men in the United States proper, it costs $1,000 per soldier, which is ten times the amount Switzerland expends, and the difficulty of its mobilization on the Mexican border last summer would have been ludicrous had the experience not been so serious a warning.

This country needs half a million trained soldiers, either with the colors or in the reserve, to protect our international rights and obligations.

Men do not enlist in the regular army now because the period of active service with the colors is too long, the pay is too small, and they are not given a training of any practical value when they return to civil life. The term of enlistment of the private soldier should be decreased from three years to one year, the length of time England has found necessary for training a private under modern conditions. The pay of the average enlisted man should be doubled so that he would receive at least thirty dollars a month. Although section twenty-seven of the present Army Bill provides for the training of enlisted men in a score of occupations during the spare hours not devoted to military instruction, thus far no appropriation has been passed to carry out this provision. Since the introduction of this valuable instruction in different trades would make the profession of a soldier considerably more attractive, Congress should immediately pass a bill appropriating the funds for this purpose.

Harvard and the country should not be blinded by a few thousand men enlisted in college training corps or the future possibility of universal training, and forget the immediate needs of the country. Congress and the Administration has time to act before it is too late. Let them strike while the iron is hot!