War Services of the University As of date May 11.

Immediately on the declaration of war in accordance with offical federal suggestions more than a thousand young men withdrew for military naval or industrial employment in the national service. In the months immediately following officers and teachers of the University labored unceasingly and successfully to create a sentiment in the state in favor energetically supporting the national administration in its war plans. The Dean of the Agricultural College and Professor Pugsley by request of the Secretary of Agriculture assisted at the great food conference in St. Louis. This was the starting of energetic and successful efforts at food conservation and wheat saving which has enabled the state to market such a quantity of food products during the past year. Under the direction of the Extension Department a campaign of education was held in which every housewife in the state was given opportunity to learn methods of drying and canning and municipal drying plants were established at various places. The University through a resolution of the Board of Regents proposed by Regent Hall offered to those employees who should enlist their salaries to the end of the year and their positions again after their return. Under this offer 30 faculty men are now enrolled in the military service of the government. 1403 stars on our service flag commemorate the fact of that many former students now following the flag. The record of the University's students in the training camps is as good as the best.

The University has undertaken to instruct during the four months commencing June 15th 900 men in various mechanical employments to qualify them for service in the pioneer's camps with the active army and to furnish the use of its plant without charge to the government for that purpose. During the past winter special instruction has been given by the various engineering departments particularly along the line of automobiles tractors and the like to fit meant to render valuable service to the government. At the beginning of the school year in pursuance to a request from the Signal Corps of the U.S. Army a school in radio telegraphy was established. The records at the present time show that 93 men are now receiving instruction and 133 have been transferred to active service in the army. In addition to this a class of 13 girls is receiving instruction in Morse telegraphy preparatory to filling places vacated by boys entering government service. The Medical College at Omaha has responded to the request of the federal govt. that it remain in continuous session to hasten the qualification of competent physicians and surgeons for the medical service of the govt. It and all its officers and resources will be energetically used thruout the summer months for that purpose and its hospital is equally at the govt's service both for the training of physicians and nurses and the reception of patients if that should become necessary. The quota of graduates of the Uni. permitted for the present fourth officers' reserve corps training camp is 35. 78 applications for appointment were received some of which however were ineligible under the rules because they had not had the year of military training required for such an appointment and others because of physical dis qualifications but the 35 are on the spot ready for enrollment and they will make officers.

Whenever any member of the Uni. has been called upon to serve he has never failed to remember that this is one of the endowed agricultural institutions early provided for by federal law and liberally supported by national appropriations since. We have no actually in France 300 of our former students. We suppose that the next few months will see most of the remainder of those who are enlisted also in the trenches and on the fighting line. The entire University officers instructors and students have not the slightest doubt that when there they will give such an account of themselves as will make us still prouder of them and the institution from which they went. The military department of the Uni. from the time of the first commandant Colonel Dudley on down thru the days of Lieutenant Pershing Lieutenant Bowman and Captain Parker and our present Colonel Roberts has always kept the sentiment of military patriotism alive in the Uni. in spite of the assaults of pacifists and has always enabled us to recognize that the institution was a part of the means "for the common defense" which it was the purpose of our national constitution among other things "to provide". The Uni. has maintained Red Cross rooms under the direction of Mrs. Samuel Waugh where the students and faculty have met to make surgical dressings. Altho the work has been carried on only six months a total of 50,000 dressings has been made.

From these contributions of men and sentiments it seems almost pitiful to fall to the mere matter of money contributions but they have been systematically organized and have had results as follows: Red Cross $1364.50 athletics contribution of last year to Red Cross $7000 Red Triangle $33,000 when the apportion ment was $15,000 Second Liberty Loan $75,000 Third Liberty Loan $34,000 Thrift and war stamps $3601.99.

The Board of Regents has spent ten days in hearing evidence upon the charges of disloyalty brought against members of the teaching staff of the University and in cases incidentally brought in connection with those directly informed against. During that time every effort was made to bring in all persons who claimed to have any first hand information as to the existence of any such disloyalty in the work and teaching of the University. It is clear at the close of the investigation that all evidence however remote bearing upon this subject has been presented to the Board. The University and the state are to be congratulated upon the fact that not a student was found who had received from any teacher in any classroom or private conversation an impression of any such disloyalty. It is also a matter of congratulation that the evidence was such that the counsel appointed to appear on behalf of the Nebraska State Council of Defense freely granted in the course of the trial and upon final argument that there is no basis for the charge of intentional disloyalty against any University employees. From the first moment of America's entry into the war the University its faculty employees students and alumni have in an overwhelming majority of their numbers offered and given their services to their country. The Chancellor of the University one of its Deans many of its professors and instructors and more than 1500 of its students and alumni are now in the service of the United States. The entire

physical plant of the institution has been placed at the disposal of the government and is now being used for the training of its soldiers. Remembering these facts, the Board in defining the conduct it would require of all employees could do no less than was stated in its letter made public April 25th wherein it was announced that any employee whose behavior was negative halting or hesitating in support of the government would be summarily dismissed. The extent to which this requirement had and has been met is also a matter of congratulation. With a single exception indicated herein there is no evidence that at the time the question of their loyalty was raised last April any of the persons accused were failing to fully meet it or have done so since. Second. As to Professors J. P. Senning Andrew D. Sohrag Mary Fossler E. L. Hinman, A. E. Sheldon and Alumni Secretary Annis Chaikin the complete absence of any evidence whatsoever against them was conceded by all parties at the hearing and the proceedings against them discontinue and their standing declared to be as good as though no accusations had been brought. As to Professor Riddervold no cause was shown for any change in the previous action of this Board upon his case in holding it open for the production of the original letter on which the charge against his loyalty was based. Third. In the matter of Professor Hopt the Board finds that he holds conscientious scruples against personally helping in the belligerent activities of the government and has refused on

that ground to purchase Liberty Bonds when solicited by his colleagues in the University. He has not sought to dissuade others from such activities has contributed to the full extent of his ability to the non-belligerent activities and is convinced of the justice of our government's part in the present struggle so far as any part in any struggle can in his view be justified. It is however clear that the conscientious objection entertain by Professor Hopt is not of such a nature as would exempt him from service upon the direct demand of the government. The Board is unwilling upon this ground to exempt him from complete compliance with its announced rule of conduct. Fourth. As regards Professors Caldwell Tuckerman Grummann Blumberg Aylsworth Wolfe Persinger and Luckey the Regents find that while they were somewhat behind many of their colleagues in recognition of the necessity of the entrance of the United States into the present war yet that none of them can fairly found under the evidence to be at the present time behaving in a negative halting or hesitating manner in support of the government. And the Regents find that without exception they have fully responded to every call made for personal effort time or money within their mess for the aid and support of the government in its present struggle. Fifth. Further however with regard to Professors Persinger and Luckey the Board finds that their position and public utterances at the time and following America's entry into the war were in discreet and of such a nature as to involved themselves and the University in public criticism and were such as to indicate a lack

on their part of a proper realization of the need of unity and harmony in the several branches of the University such as to destroy their usefulness to the institution. Sixth. It is also disclosed in the investigation that the public and the prosecution have been misled by activities arising from dissension and personal difference among members of the University staff. It appears that the University has been criticised and has suffered in its standing thruout the state by reason of charges arising from such factional differences and by the spreading of unfounded suspicions against the present attitude of members of the staff who are zealously doing their full duty at the present time. The Board cannot hold blameless persons who have contributed to this state of affairs. It is impelled especially in this connection to name Dr. F. M. Fling and Mrs. Minnie T. England as apparently in a considerable degree responsible for these conditions and to conclude that their connection with the University should terminate unless they can adequately explain the circumstances before the Board. An early opportunity to do so will be given them. Seventh. It is therefore by the Board ordered that proceedings and charges as against Professors Senning Schrag Mary Fossler Hinman Sheldon and Alumni Secretary Annis Chaikin heretofore dismissed and discontinued orally by the Board at the termination of the investigation be and the same hereby are formally dismissed and the persons named are hereby exonerated and held blameless in the premises. It is further ordered that proceedings and charges against

Professors Grunmann Caldwell Tuckerman Blumberg Aylsworth and Wolfe be and the same hereby are dismissed and the said persons and each of them exonerated from blame and held guiltless. It is further ordered that Professors Hopt Persinger and Luckey be and they hereby are directed to tender their resignations to take effect forthwith.