Calendar: 1927-1928 Page 496

ON THE USES OF THE STUDY OF WAR xi daily use change war far more than gas and bombs for they change the bases of strategy which are the conditions of time and space If this be true there are clearly many of the schools of this university which can with their expert knowledge assist us to think clearly about war There have been as you know serious efforts made to prohibit on humanitarian grounds the use of some of the weapons have named For myself have no belief in attempts to make war gentlemanly pursuit War is barbarous business and the more clearly and widely that is recognised the less likely it is to occur F"urther inter arma silent leges is not one of the maxims which has lost its force and the wisdom of enacting laws which cannot be enforced with reason- able certainty is at least doubtful It is even questionable whether the premiss of those who advocate these prohibitions that the adapta- tion of scientific discovery to war is productive of greater loss and suffering is true We have all of us before our eyes at the present time the terrible devastation of North-Eastern France Is that devastation relatively more terrible than say the devastation of Carthage or the depredations of the Tartar The peasants of North- Eastern France are not likely to forget the experiences of the past years but we may remember that the peasants of Aquitaine still recall the devastations of the Black Prince am not attempting any proof but am merely trying to show that here too is case where sentiment may outstrip reason unless it is supported by solid study All these uses of study of war which have endeavoured to put before you have long been recognised in this university The Military Education Committee under the chairmanship of Professor Adamson has endeavoured with somewhat exiguous resources both to promote intra-mural study of these grave questions and to assist in the instruc- tion of public opinion by providing courses of public lectures by the best experts In the more technical field the Officers' Training Corps under the command of Professor Filon has rendered and is rendering great services The university has now recognised the value of their patriotic labours and has decided further to systematise these studies by creating the chair which have the honour to occupy It has declared the duties of the Professor to be to do all in his power to encourage military studies in the university and to create an interest in them amongst the general public "' It shall be my endeavour to do both