Arms and the Apathetic

Without a certain esprit de corps, any military unit would be useless in battle. the NROTC edict requiring all members of the Unit to join Taffrail Club was undoubtedly issued in the hope of building up Naval morale and unity in the College.

But the NROTC ultimatum is unrealistic; bonds of loyalty in the battle line are quite different from the atmosphere of good feeling created by drinking beer form the same keg. One results from enduring the same ordeals; the other from a chemical loosening of the tongue. Even if the Navy's social theory were correct, compulsory Taffrail membership could hardly boost the Unit's fraternal point score: in years past Taffrail has boasted better than ninety percent membership. With this large percentage of voluntary membership. With this large percentage of voluntary membership, pushing a few apathetic members into the club could only have an adverse effect on esprit de corps.

The new regulation alters the scope of the NROTC units defined by Pentagon officials: They agree that the military academics manufacture enough straight-backed career officers, and look to the ROTC units for emergency officers trained in a liberal, rather than a military, college. When the NROTC encroaches upon this valuable academic environment with edicts which belong on a naval base, it weakens its very reason for existence.

The University, in agreement with the highest military planners, has supported the ROTC units because it has believed one of a university's duties is to provide liberally educated men for wartime leadership. In keeping with this philosophy, course credits and drill fields have been offered the three ROTC units.

The free choice of one's associates has long characterized Harvard's educational system, but the NROTC, by compelling membership in Taffrail is rejecting this principle. Any action that will tend to make the University a second-string Annapolis would violate the good faith prevalent in University-ROTC relations, and could not magically add to the intangible qualities of a good officer.