TREASURER'S REPORT 87
E q u i p m e n t and Supplies Retained The following equipment and materials pur-
chased for the S. A. T. C. were retained and the values indicated deducted from the final adjustment claim :
Three desks and chairs $100 00 Lumber 120 72 Toilet Paper 88 80 Plumbing Equipment 50 00 Range and kitchen utensils 238 50 Potatoes (80 bushels) SO 00 Total $070 OS
Final S e t t l e m e n t Check for the sum of $7,827.36 balance due in final settlement of adjustment claim was received May 20, 1919.
Copy of letters received after claim was adjusted in final form.
WAR DEPARTMENT
Committee on Education and Special Training BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Washington, D. C June 18, 1919 President,
Alfred University,
* Alfred, K. Y.
My dear Sir :
It has occurred to me that you might be interested to know that the Student Army Training Corps Contracts have at last been com- pletely settled. There were 680 of those contracts and the amount due under each contract has been finally determined and agreed upon and all except 15 or 20 have been paid. The others are being held for minor corrections and supplementary data but it is expected that before the 25th of June every institution will have received its check in settlement of its contract.
The Business Department of this Committee on Education will therefore have completed its work and is disbanding on or before July 1st.
I wish to take this opportunity personally to express the appreci- ation of this Department for the magnificent co-operation which we have had from the colleges of the country in making these adjust- ments. I can readily understand that in some cases there may nave been a feeling that the Department has perhaps not been as liberal as it might, but on the other hand I am sure that you will appreciate that it was our duty to protect the interest of the Government as well as the interests of the institutions. What we have endeavored to do was to protect both and at the same time proceed as expeditiously as possible in order to relieve the colleges of financial embarrass- ment.
While we would have been glad to complete the settlements earlier, it has not proved possible to do so, but it may be some satis-
faction for the colleges to know that the S. A. T. C. contract is the the first Government contract to be entirely cleaned up and settled.
Again assuring you of our appreciation of your co-operation in bringing this matter to a conclusion and of the spirit in which you have met and dealt with the representatives of this Department, I
am, Very truly yours,
E. K. HALL, Business Director.
TREASURER'S REPORT 89
WAR DEPARTMENT
July 1, 1919 Washington
To Presidents of Institutions Having
Units of the Students' Army Training Corps, Dear Sirs :
The settlements recently completed between your institution and the united States Government terminate the contractual relations entered into last autumn for the purpose of carrying into effect the plan of the Students' Army Training Corps. While that plan was a logical it' not imperative step at the time when it was undertaken, when a long war appeared to be in prospect, and when it was neces- sary to mobilize the entire energies of the nation, the signing of the armistice on November 11, prevented it from ever being fully carried into effect. The abrupt termination of the S. A. T. C. before suf- ficient time had elapsed for its complete development, the interruptions due to the influenza epidemic and to other conditions incident to the early stages of organization, created difficulties which could not fail seriously to disturb the order of academic life. I am, therefore, glad of this opportunity to express to you my recognition of the patience, devotion and skill with which both teachers and executives played the parts which they were asked to play. The proposals of the War Department almost invariably met with a prompt and cor- dial response, and a willingness to make very genuine sacrifices where these seemed to be required by the nation's military need. A copy of the final report on this work is being sent you under separate cover.
In the matter of the financial adjustments which were recently concluded, the institutions have shown not only forbearance in their claims, but in many cases great generosity in the actual terms of the settlement. It is a fact which is deserving of public recognition that the service rendered by the educational institutions has been wholly without pecuniary profit to themselves. The settlements
have one and all been made upon the principle that the Government should protect institutions only from actual financial loss. The institutions have asked no more, but on their own part have often given more, not only in personal devotion, but in the use of very valuable property and other educational facilities at their disposal.
For all this service in so far as it relates to the War Department, 1 beg to express my profound gratitude ; and at the same time I desire to bespeak for the War Department your continued co-operation in the time to come. Any wise provision for the national defense will inevitably involve the utilization of educational agencies. As war is now largely a matter of applied science, so military training is largely a matter of education. Any permanent military policy that may be adopted will therefore depend to no small extent for its suc- cessful execution upon your counsel and active assistance.
Very truly yours.
NEWTON D. BAKER, Secretary of War,
Schedule 31