"KEEP YOUR SHIRT ON"

A crowd surpassing even the greatest pre-Yale football mass meeting turned out in the Living Room of the Union last evening in view of the prospects of war; and there heard "the hose of common sense" turned on the present situation. Major Higginson's text was "Keep your shirt on," and the trend of Dean Briggs' and President Lowell's speeches was the same, with Dean Briggs adding that there was no danger in waiting, because shirts could be torn off in a great hurry, when necessity demanded it. In addition to the speakers, Bishop William Lawrence '71 sat on the platform.

The room was crowded by ten minutes of the hour of beginning; and the usual hitching forward of the whole rows of chairs ensued to allow space in the rear for a hundred or so more. In contrast with football mass meetings, the gathering was remarkably quiet, applauding the speeches sanely and heartily, but without the unreasonably wild enthusiasm engendered in athletic contests. At the close one verse each of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and "Fair Harvard" were sung.

President Lowell, who presided, introduced first Major Henry Lee Higginson '55, as a soldier and a friend of every Harvard man's.

The Right Thing to do.

Major Higginson emphasized the importance of preparation for war, the question of ability to endure its hardships and to avoid the danger of disease. The immediate question before Harvard students is, "What is the right thing for us to do?" It may be the duty of a man to enter the army, or it may be his duty to stay at home to carry on the affairs of the nation, manufactures, and business; but above all, it should be remembered that it is not the duty of everyone to enlist, and Harvard undergraduates should watch coolly and intelligently to see the drift of national affairs. Watch and wait until the actual call comes, is the maxim for all to regard now.

The great desire to enter the army is not justified by present conditions in Mexico. It may be that real warfare may never break out, and it is certain that untrained college men will not be called to the firing line, though they may serve in the camps and garrisons. Neither President Wilson, Congress, nor the country as a whole desire war; and the officials of all the Latin American countries are also decidedly opposed to it. But if Harvard men are actually called to the front; the first serious questions will regard preparation and the dangers of sickness and fever. Every man who thinks of going must assure himself that the life is one of hardship, that it is one that will test every fibre of his being, his courage, and his character.

What is Required of a Soldier.

In the first place, every man who goes will have to be vaccinated against typhoid fever, for records prove that there will be twice or three times as many who will be ill or die of typhoid fever as will be killed or wounded by bullets. Then there will be long marches over rough ground, and the necessity of protecting the soldier's feet. Every man who goes into the army must take good care of himself, as if he were in training. A soldier is bound in honor to keep himself in good condition, for a sick man requires two additional men, one to look after him, and one to fill his place. He had much better be at home. It is often difficult to provide pure water and food, and the men, compelled to suffer heat and cold, and hard service, are constantly subject to sickness and exhaustion on this account.

An army must be a machine which can be wielded by the officers, and nothing can be put in the cogs to impede the action. But before a man goes into the service, he should have it clearly before him that he ought to go. Whether or not many men are needed, plenty of men had better stay at home. Each one must decide for himself, and should bear in mind that, besides the hardships of actual warfare, a great part of the students will return maimed for life and many with broken health; that the suffering will continue through loss of classmates, loneliness, and heartache.

"I advise the Seniors," said Major Higginson, "to finish the year and get their degrees which they have been working for, and deserve; and the younger classes should go on quietly with their work, and remember the great consequence of their education. The young men who learn to use their minds about their lessons will later much more readily learn and hold fast the duties of the soldier or officer, when the actual need arrives. On no account let us fight unless forced in honor to do so, and then let us fight with all the courage and strength we can command."

Know Your Job and Keep to it.

Following Major Higginson's speech, Dean Briggs was introduced. He avoided all discussion of the war itself, and confined his speech to the expediency of leaving important college work for a task to which duty and necessity have not yet made the call. Declaring that the courage and readiness of Harvard men in times of emergency has not, is not, and never will be doubted, he showed how they were ready in '61, and ready in '98, and said that if necessary they would be ready in 1914. Experience has shown that an entire regiment of Harvard men can be mustered in three days, and such evidence of patriotism and ever-readiness leaves no doubt as to the University's ability to take at any moment her share in the defence of national honor and integrity.

After thus showing that Harvard has an undoubted, strong patriotism and a real sense of her duty to the country, Dean Briggs turned to the question of real moment to the University at present, and asked of the undergraduates, "What is your job now?" Men must first realize their actual duty, where they are needed most, and then act accordingly. He warned against hasty action, and advised sane consideration of the issues of the problem such as the actual need of volunteers and the advisability of taking untrained men for the tasks of soldiery from their work which will result in incommensurable good to the state. What we may now hastily interpret as patriotism may only be an artificial excitement and a bubbling over of youth's strong and ever present love of adventure for such sentiment, Dean Briggs quoted as a remedy Mr. Gilbert's lines in "Iolanthe": "On fire that glows with heat intense, I turn the hose of common sense."

We must regard the situation from a practical, matter-of-fact point of view, and must resist our desire to forsake routine for novelty. He concluded with saying, "Take no risk of distracting and distressing your fathers, mothers, and friends without sufficient reason. Remember that the risk you take is not only for yourself, but for those who are near you. Stick to your work here until your work becomes war, and then answer the call of your country and go and fight with everything that is within you."

The Need is Not Yet.

The speaking was concluded with President Lowell's talk, which was as follows:

"Young men are all thinking of war and of their duty to serve the country. They would be unworthy if the call of the bugle did not stir a longing to be at the front; and when war comes, Harvard will send forth her full tale of men as she has done before. Many of our students are already in the militia, and will march whenever they are ordered. Others will enlist when needed, and as many will go as the country needs. No one who knows our undergraduates will doubt for a moment that they have the stuff that soldiers are made of: that they will endure hardship, maintain discipline, fight bravely, and sacrifice their lives without flinching; for although, even in a war covering the whole of Mexico, if such a war should come, few, if any of you, will probably reach the firing line; death will take its toll by sickness in military camps and hospitals, leaving homes desolate and sometimes without the son needed for support.

We are told that we are not now at war with Mexico, and that we shall not be is by no means improbable. There is at present no good ground for such a war. President Wilson does not want it; his cabinet do not want it; Congress does not want it; the country does not want it; certainly none of the Mexican leaders can want it, and when no one in authority wants war there ought to be wisdom enough among the statesmen to avoid it. The President has accepted the good offices of the great South American states. They would not like to see Mexico occupied by our troops, and they will spare no effort to secure terms which the United States can honorably accept.

These negotiations will take time, and in the meanwhile let as keep our heads cool. If war comes you will be judged by your deeds, not by your professions or your shouts of loyalty. Let us strive to have a little of the spirit that fills the officers and men of the army. Regular soldiers do not hold torchlight processions or make public demonstrations. Above all, do not take part in "rooting" to encourage others to do what you will not do yourself. Do not have so poor an opinion of your fellows as to think they need the stimulus of a cheering crowd to make them do their duty, love their country, or have the courage to die for her.

If we were in danger of war with a great power with our small regular army, I should urge every young men who could do so, to set about preparing himself for military service. To be thoroughly effective this ought to be done long beforehand; and, therefore. I have been deeply interested in the plan for summer military camps which will fit college men to serve as junior of-