THE MILITARY COURSES

Since the beginning of 1916 there has been a military organization in the University, designed to train men for national service. Since that remote era when Harvard spirit became a vitallizing force in the molding of men's character there has been a clear and strong love of country in the University.

Military organizations designed to train officers for the line came, to an end with the completion of the summer camp. That work was taken over by the government, which, however tardily, came to the realization that there must be officers, specially trained, before a mob becomes an army.

The love of country has not been diminished in the University. The first call to arms was answered bravely and without questioning by those young men who represented the highest ideals and traditions of Harvard. Those who remain here at school are for the greater part men who tried to get into the service and failed, or men who were beneath the declared age limitation for service.

For such men in many ways it will be very hard to continue the usual course of cultural and disciplinary studies, which apparently, however true, it is or not, bear no apparent relation to life as men are living it, and dying it.

With a clear understanding of the wartime needs of the nation, there have been planned a comprehensive course in military science and another course in naval science for men who remain at their studies this year. It is to be expected that the military course will be more leisurely, more inclusive and more thorough than could be had at a training camp. It may well fit men for positions in the staff, where an officer cannot hope for success who does not have some compreshension of strategy as well as tactios. Such comprehension can come only from deep and constructive study.

The naval course will fit men for positions as junior officers of the line of the navy, and for service in our merchant marine. That is possibly an even more important work than training army officers. An army officer may sometimes be born with the gift of leadership. A navy officer is always made, and by a slow and exact course of study in the sciences of the sea. The preparation, being more thorough, is therefore more permanent. When the peace note has been signed in Potsdam, we shall still need our merchant marine. Men who understand the study of navigation now may then be of service to their nation and themselves.

These two courses are offered to the men who by fortune or desire remain here. They are inclusive enough to satisfy the most ambitious, including as they do war on the land and war on the sea.

Those who are not in service are justified in most cases in not being in service. They are not justified in failing to prepare themselves. Together with the humanities, the languages, the sciences, the philosophies, which train men, let each man take one of the two courses laid down to train leaders.

They are privileged beyond other men who are allowed to pursue their habitual lives while the whole world is upturned. No betrayal of the obligation implied in that trust may be tolerated.

How may a man justify himself in a year's time should the immitigable call to duty come, and find him wanting, an incompetent in his country's need, a dawdler among the frivolities of culture?