THE UNIVERSITY'S TASK

Our statesmen at Washington are now at work on plans for national defense, but they are not the only ones able to help in this problem. Within the precincts of the University lies an opportunity for aiding the government. The conduct of war with its recent developments is largely an economic and financial problem of which the military side is merely incidental. Glaringly evident is the significance of intellectual effort on the part of officers in a modern army.

A military department might well be added to the curriculum. At present, there are exactly two courses given over to the study of military history, and only one of these is open to undergraduates. A course on strategy and tactics, another on the economics of war, and additional ones on military history could be instituted. If a regular army officer with a recognized knowledge of modern warfare was obtained, practical course in map manoeuvres could be given. For a man who, after taking a few introductory courses, wished to specialize, advanced courses could be offered in chemistry dealing with high explosives, or in military engineering, or in economics taking up the financial and commissary side of maintaining armies. A further consideration would be the requirement of German and Spanish as allied subjects. A reading knowledge of German is necessary to enable one to study the writings of the German General Staff, the only authority on modern warfare. These suggestions appear disordered, but out of them may come some feasible plan of action. It is undoubtedly true that war as it is played today requires specialists in all departments, and in the training of such men the University has a responsible task to perform