THE MEETING TONIGHT.

A military mass meeting is to be held in the New Lecture Hall tonight. To many this may suggest simply a gathering at which long-winded jingoists will arise and orate mercilessly about the great and glorious institution of war, while the audience will slumber tranquilly thinking much more about peace until a few seconds before the end of said orations. Of course the thing following is thundering applause.

This meeting, however, is to be of a very different nature. The military courses which the University has planned will be discussed and explained in a calm and dignified manner, so much so that the most devout disciple of parlementarianism will be delighted. The time for mob enthusiasm has long been past; and the organizers of this meeting are well aware of it. The time for sitting down and working on national problems is with us at this hour. The war with Germany is a grave problem. It was thought three years ago that the Allies could defeat Germany by starving her or through some other ingenious means. The thinking men now know that the Teuton is to be whipped only in a thoroughly military way, and the United States must contribute her share, and it shall be a great one, to that military victory.

And so a duty devolves on us in college. There is more than a probability that we shall be called into actual service. But whether this be true or not, our education must include that which will fit us either for fighting or for directing. The nation is looking to us as leaders in a few years. Some knowledge of military history, military science, or military theory will be necessary.

President Lowell has said that he expected every man in College to have at least one military course on his study card. He does not expect anyone to give up all other branches of study. Our Faculty, as one may guess, is not an enemy combined against humanitarianism. But times change, and such changes make new study imperative. The world war has wrought a tremendous change, and we must understand the forces that are to decide that war.

If anyone is in doubt as to what his part should be with regard to these military courses, let him attend the meeting in the New Lecture Hall tonight. He will be appealed to not on any emotional grounds, but from a standpoint of cold logic.