Repository: UIHistories Project: Booklet - Military Training in our Land Grant Colleges (1916) [PAGE 9]

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this pi i \ t ir h U uiul which n l lr ru1 the u i in " " \ the a willing nish ich a > | in add the b to I ti i" willing i •vide the n tl tl w full) eff<

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First, nu.rc ( i detail I b) the W I trtm r if k of .supervision ind instruct n W< h - I pn I the Illiin(1 m c r Thc nois onl) one such officer for a 1 I th military iuthoriti< in the War I willinj n id the crease of this force, and some i the i I rien I i rs thiol that it jhould be increas 1 to one officer for ever) five hundrd \ in my own opinion, this would 1 minimum It ould rat be one for every tour hundred idets, The commanding r i I such a brigade as ours should be of the rank of i I in the r trmy. ^nd

yet, owing to the lack of trained officei the \ \ r I » proposed two years a > sending a :ond lientenant. irtment demnl;

Furthermore, the time spent on such a detail a tl

count for the officer as time spent with the troops in c

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The discrimination against such \ »rk

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involved in the present rules, acts to discourage officers from . ting S C UH details. T h e Commandant of a University brigade like oui is as hard working as any officer with the regular troops in time of p< n Every officer detailed for such w o r k should he in first pi as to his health. He should not, generally speaking, be a retired «, but a man in the full vigor of active work. T h e Military C o m m a n d a n t at

such an institution as Illinois has a position of unique influence with tin

young men of the University. N o other person comes in Mich intim in contact with such a large n u m b e r of the Freshmen and S ph 3 college as he. Personal influence still counts today as always in the past for more than any other kind of influence. T h e man detailed for thi n A should be the very highest type of the gentleman and the scholar, fully sensible of the great responsibility he assumes in taking such a position. Secondly, the Federal Government should furnish the same kind ami amount of supplies and equipment for the use of these cadet regiments a for the National Guard itself. In fact, the W a r I partment should h authorized to make a distinct class of these regiments and furnish them all the supplies and equipment of every sort which they can show they will make good use of, dealing din lly with the authorities oi these land grant colleges themselves in promoting the efficiency of this branch oJ the national defense. I desire to call your attention, Gentlemen, to the fact that foj m a m years past the authorities oi these land g r a n t colleges have besought th government of th- United States for the nce< ;ai j means oi making tin work of military training in these institutions more effective, For nun than ten years, in . .pcration with my colleagues, I ha\ i isonalh | t b 0 ] \ tO beget a keener interest in this subject On the pail oi OUI fed J authori 10