ERC UNLIKELY TO RECEIVE ITS ORDERS BEFORE FEB. 8

Although recent reports had indicated that ERC men unassigned would receive their orders this week, and it has been revealed that two small New England colleges have already been notified that their reservists would be inducted February 12, it is unlikely that orders will be received here before next week, and the promised two weeks of respite will probably still be given, Eliot Perkins '23, declared last night.

ERC men in Hillyer Junior College, Hartford, Connecticut, and Portland Junior College, Portland, Maine, have recieved orders and will report at Fort Devens on February 12. A release from the headquarters of the First Service Command could not give any more definite date for the larger colleges except "in the next few weeks."

Voluntary Induction

A rumour current about the College during the last several days that several men have already received their orders was stopped by Perkins. A few who left College and applied for active duty have been called already and will be inducted February 10.

Meanwhile a bulletin from the American Council of Education in Washington stated that "according to the best information now available, it appears that the new Navy College Program will not be put into effect until July 1, 1943." It was stressed that members of V-1 and V-7 who wished to remain on an inactive basis would have to remain in College until the inception of that program.

ROTC Picture

Details constantly flowing from Washington have served to clarify the picture of the gigantic manpower program first released December 17. In particular, first-year advanced course ROTC students who are members of the ERC will be called to duty upon the initiation of the Army Specialized Training Program. Men in Mil Sci 3 will remain in school until May, after which they will receive military training in replacement training centers and then attend OCS or study further under the Army specialized training program.

Thirty days prior to issuance of any order to ERC men unassigned, any men who have indicated their preference for the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, will have their names forwarded to Washington with the announcement that they are eligible for discharge from the ERC. In no case will such a man be inducted before the service of his indicated choice has had a chance to pass upon his suitability. Failure of a student to obtain admission to the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard will return him to the jurisdiction of the ERC program.