The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-15
Copyright 1896, by S. S. Mcclure,
Limited

social or economic, which a modern
state can encounter, has at some time
received a distinctively Swiss solution
Of some sort.
Not the least characteristic feature
in the national life of Switzerland is
its military establishment. There is no
standing army, unless a small corps OF
officers, acting as instructors in the
various recruiting schools may be
counted as such. According to the
federal constitution every SWISS Is
bound to perform military service.
At the age of 20 all the young men
are examined physically and mentally.
Those who pass-and the requirements
are by no means difficult-are drafted
into the particular branches of the
service for which they seem best fitted,
and remain in recruiting schools from
forty-five TO eighty days. The I'M
fortunates who cannot pass the physi-
cal examinations are obliged to pay
an annual tax of exemption, as their
contribution to the national defense;
those who fail in the rudiments Of
learning are sent to special schools
until they are ready to serve.
From the recruiting schools the
young soldiers join the active army,
called the Elite in French, the Auszug
in German-there to remain until %
years of age Then they enter the
Ilandwehr, or first reserve, where they
remain until "A. The Landsturm, or
second reserve, includes all men capa-
BILE of bearing arms, between the ages
of II and so, who are not already in
the Auszug or Landwehr.
In case of war Switzerland could
place some 4T5,000 men in the field out
of a total population of less than 3,0G0,-
900 souls This is an extraordinary dis
play of military organization, even if it
be granted that more than half of this
number would be either unframed
boys, or men no longer in their prime
and it must be remembered, the Swiss
are as good average shots as the Beers,
and are early trained in marksman-
ship.
The federal constitution further pro-
vides that every soldier shall receive
without expense his first equipment,
clothing and arms. The weapon re-
mains in the hands of the soldier"
This means that every Swiss has his
rife and uniform hanging up at home,
ready for use at a moments notice
truly an unparalleled privilege, and
one which displays the mutual conf
dence and absolute loyalty OF these
citizens towards each other. Switzer-
land is a veritable nation under arms
THE SWISS SYSTEM NOT AN EX-
PERTINENT.
But there is nothing amateurish or
experimental about this militia. Wher-
ever it is seen it gives the impression
that it is organized for business. The
writer has observed the soldier Of the
Swiss army in the training schools, as
we'll as when completely modified at
maneuvers. In Geneva, Zurich, Chur,
az at fha fNTfifipqfiOn the ST
Gothard, everywhere they appear fully
equipped. well provisioned and eager
to do their duty.
Moreover, the various branches of
the service are in proper proportions.
In this most militia forces are distinct
" at fault There is of course, less
cavalry, relatively speaking. than in
other European armies. but this is ma
tural and right in a mountainous
country A new small-bore magazine
rife, burning SmokeleSs powder, has
been introduced; and the war material
belonging to the artillery, the engineers
and other branches, is of the very best
quality. a considerable proportion of
the cannon being manufactured by
Krupp, and the ammunition at the
government workshops in Thun.
No attempt is made to turn out pa
rade" soldiers, or to pay any attention
TO fancy drilling, but great stress is
laid upon the rudiments of modern de-
fensive warfare: rapid mobilization
the strategic disposition and massing
of forces, accurate shooting, etc Most
of the uniforms. though serviceable
enough, are rather clumsy and inele-
giant, since there are no parlor soldiers
in Switzerland.
This system of compulsory short ser
vice, just described. has many unques-
toned advantages. From a technical
standpoint the resulting military
training is naturally inferior to that
acquired in a long service like Ger
many's, for instance, but the drain
upon Switzerland's resources is also
vastly less. There is a positive and
negative gain: Not only is the actual
cost of maintenance comparatively
small but the citizens are not with
drawn for long periods from their
daily avoca tons; the productive power
of the nation is not seriously checked.
Then, too, the peculiar evils of militar-
ism hardly have a chance to take root:
there is no demoralizing garrison life;
Swiss officers as a rule have no time
to learn the affected tricks and the
arrogant bearing towards interiors.
that often characterize their colleagues
in standing armies; there is no pre-
vention Of timely marriages: the
thread Of business relations is not
broken.
SWITZERLAND'S SYSTEM IS ECO
NOMICAL.
1t has been calculated that Swftzer- /
land spends annually on every man in
her army about $685. while every sol !
der Of the federal army in the United /
States, the most lavish of all the |
great nations. costs $1,000. In Switzer- |
land pensions are awarded only in case
of need. and are limited to a sum of I
$40 paid down, or to an annuity of $3.50 I
according to the injury received or |
the poverty Of the pensioner. Take il |
all in all, the Swiss military establish !
ment fulfils admirably all the require |
ments Of the little republic. 1t deserves
TO be called a model militia
Travellers in the playground of Eu- |
rope" are sometimes at a loss to un-
derstand why so large a force should |
be considered needful, since all the
world knows that Switzerland can
haze no desire for conquest and that |
her perpetual neutrality was guaran- |
teed by the powers at the congress of |
Vienna in 1916. The truth is, there is
feeling of apprehension that in case
of a general European war the powers
could not resist the temptation of Strik-
ing at each other across Swiss soil. |
The position of Switzerland in the
midst Of armed Europe would in that |
event be a particularly precarious one.
wedged in as she is between the triple
alliance on the one hand and France I
on the other. 1t is feared that the sit
uation which existed for awhile at the
l. - --~--- - - =.