THE RESERVE OFFICERS' TRAINING CORPS

With the opening of Military Science and Tactics 1 have come many questions as to the ultimate value of the Reserve Officers Training Corps as an efficient body in time of war. Although the training units at Harvard have not yet been officially established by the War Department, the order will probably come within the next few weeks and the members in the course will, in a sense, enter the Federal Service, although it embraces on future obligations on their part unless they wish to go on with the work.

There seems to be some uncertainty as to just what the work in Military Science and Tactics 1 will consist of. How much practical work is required to train a man properly to become a competent officer, and how much theoretical work is necessary in order for the course to count toward an academic degree are the main points under discussion.

Most military officers will agree that no man who has never fully mastered the drill regulations and the routine work of a soldier will make a first class officer--even though he be only a second lieutenant. At the same time a good officer requires a certain amount of theoretical knowledge and some idea of military policy. It would seem, therefore, that it might be possible to arrange such a division of the time spent in theoretical and practical work as would prove consistent with the War Department's scheme for training reserve officers, and at the same time satisfy all requirements for counting the course towards and academic degree. In any case, the necessity for practical training should not be overlooked even at the sacrifice of some class-room work. And surely this is not too great a concession for any university to make to the cause of Preparedness.