Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/223

 A great opportunity which was offered, especially to the younger men, was the chance to make application for admittance to aviation officers' train- ing schools. The number allowed to apply was not limited. The response was quite large and many passed the required physical tests. Some were sent to Canada and some to camps in this country, principally the University of Illinois Ground School, for training.

Opportunities were also offered and accepted to become administrative and truck train oflficers in the quartermasters' corps and to become officers in the ordnance department.

It may be imagined that in the intensity of training, the problems afford- ing military enlightenment were assailed with the primary purpose of finding a solution — all thought of a definite enemy being out of mind. To a certain extent this was true. Surely Germans were not continually talked about, nor was the righteousness of the cause of the Allies; but nevertheless these two subjects lay in the near background of every man's mind, and events were fre- quently happening which would bring these latent feelings to the fore.

Early in June the First Liberty Loan was launched throughout the United States. Did this drive omit the Training Camps, feeling perhaps that the men there were doing enough without calling upon them to subscribe? Not a bit of it. The men would have deeply resented having the opportunity of helping to the utmost taken away from them. The drives included the camps, and, even though some men were having difficulty in meeting obligations on the pay received, nevertheless the response of the candidates was generous. An ac- count in the "Reveille" reads:

If the Emperor of Germany has allowed himself to look at the re- turns from Liberty Bond subscriptions in the United States he has seen w^here the student officers at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, have given more than $ 1 07,000 to their government to aid in financing the American end of the world war. If he has permitted himself to ponder on the significance of this offer of both life and money on the altar of freedom he has done so w^ith a catch in his murderous throat.

Men in the Reserve Officers' Training Camp are not minimizing in the least the difficulties of the task ahead in clearing the road to democ- racy in Europe, but they are going to do their part in clearing the road. This grim determination to make the w^orld safe for peace-loving people ever after is shown by the spirit of loyalty back of the Liberty Bond sub- scriptions.

The kaiser can w^ell exclaim, "Mein Gott, those Americans mean business!" for they mean nothing else, and they are going to do business under the folds of Old Glory until the last "divine right " blasphemer is driven from power.

News Bulletins on the Liberty Loan in America furnish the hand writing on the wall for the bloodiest hand of swashbucklers the world has yet seen, and the returns at R. O. T. C. stand out among all the rest. Having given their money as the least they can do, they are preparing to add their lives to their subscriptions as the most they can do. If more can be done it will be done.

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