THE MILITARY SITUATION

The men who have had some doubt as to the College authorities' active efforts towards the establishing of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps units at Harvard cannot fail to be reassured after reading President Lowell's communication in today's issue. The entire question is a delicate one to solve, for the War Department in the past has only directed military training in Land Grant Colleges and the system of the new training units is the first attempt to standardize the instruction in independent institutions.

Until the modifications of the War Department's four-year course which have been suggested by President Lowell can be officially introduced into Military Science and Tactics 1, there is little that can be done at the present time. On first glance it looks as if Harvard was lagging behind other colleges in training college men for reserve officers, but on the contrary Harvard, living up to her traditional reputation, is carefully searching for the most efficient economical method of making young men capable of leading a command. After the authorities have diverged from the well-beaten paths traversed by everyone and have found a new and better method of obtaining the common object, Harvard will be found where she was last year in the van of the preparedness movement.

Even if the requirements of the present military course are eventually changed, the undergraduates now enrolled will be protected. Whatever credit was officially promised at the beginning of the year will be given the men who successfully meet the requirements of Military Science and Tactics 1, even if important changes are made in the course later. Therefore none need fear that by remaining in the course, although a reserve officers' unit has not been established, he runs a chance of losing credit for the work completed in the course this year.