The San Francisco call., 1897-07-25
LIMITS OF MILiTARISM IN
FRANCE


The rapid growth of the vast military ma
chimes In the states of Continental Europe Is
one OF the most marked features of the pres
ent century. First adopted by Prussia, after
her disastrous defeats at the hands OF Napo'
leon, the general system OF short service anu
reserves has received such development,
especially since the Franco-German war, that
these countries have become veritable camp
grounds. Still the cry is for more soldiers ana
greater expenditures for armaments
With peace armies OF over half mllllon men
each there is still no end in sight. When there
are two rival nations of about equal power
any increase of force in the one army Is sure
to be the signal for increasing the other also,
and the process is thus continuous In the
middle OF the present century the annual mill
tary contingent of France was 10000, while
it is now 240. 900. AS late as 1898 the entire
German contingent was 10000, and now is
about the same as that of France. II 10 the
active army we add the reserves the resulting
force is of a size by the side OF which the
famous hordes of antiquity seem small
According to well-informed writer in the
Revue des Deux Mondes, Italy, Russia, Aus
tria, France ana Germany have at present
total trained force of nearly 100000
out Of some 25, 900 men OF military
age, and the remaining one-third have had
some military instruction. What viii be the
final limit no one can at present foretell, but
it only question of time, evidently, when
the entire adult male population will have
had military training. Before this happens
the financial burden may become absolutely
insupportable, or the people may finally
ter an effectual protest against the system.
While we may deplore the system of uni
versal military service and consequent with
drawal OF so many men from civil pursuits
there are still many compensatons, and the
European nations would not submit to the
burden unless there were some ever-present
necessity, at least supposed necessity,
which amounts TO the same thing, practically
speaking.
Until recently there has never been any
trou ole in filing the annual contingent of re-
crutts, but in France the limit seems finally
to have been reached and she cannot increase
the size of her active army, because the availa-
bic population is not sufficient, even when
every man of proper age is drawn upon. With
population of 3S,000,000 she is ping up
an army of the same size Germany, while
the latter power has population OF SO, 000, 900
to draw upon. Thus in France the war
strength is Ill per thousand OF population as
against 81 in Germany, and as low 46 in
Austria. With stationary or even decreasing
population France win have apparently 10
give up the struggle for mere numbers OF
soldiers. According 10 the French Annual
Report OF Army Recruiting for 1895 there
were 337 900 youths of suitable age to enter
the army that year. After deducting those
who failed TO appear (some 9000l, those ply
sically disqualified and those allowed TO enter
for one years service, there remained only
142 900 men entering the ranks for the regu-
lar term of three years. The remainder OF the
900 required were made up from the one
years men and some $4,000 put back the pre-
to- eli ,hvc COL liy,o
maturity or infrmity.
The decreasing population in France has
been the cause of serious alarm for some time
and has been the subject of innumerable arti-
ces in the public prints. All this time Ger
many has been forging ahead, and In the pas
seven years the German births have been
double those in France. According to the
eminent statisticlan, NJ. Berillon, in thirteen
or fourteen years there will be two German
conscripts for every French one.
1t seems hopeless for France to compete with
Germany under these circumstances; but, on
the other hand, if past and recent experience
in war teaches anything it is that mere num-
bers do not always win by any means. and
herein lies the hope of France. AS q recent
writer has put it, the French army may still
meet that of Germany on terms of equality
and hope TO make winning fight. ii Tor mere
numbers she substitutes quality in her sol.
dierS.
This will probably be effected by return to
greater or less extent to the system OF long
service with the colors. with its corresponding
better training, and with the result of putting
into the fighting line men of maturer age and
those better fitted to bear the priyations and
fatigues of active campaig ming than the pres
ent youthful and half-trained contingents.
The outcome will be most interesting,
whatever 1t may be, and the failure of the
system in this instance may predispose the
nations concerned to agree to a reduction in
armament Although this has often been
proposed and strongly urged, so far there has
not been found any nation that is willing to
take the initiative in the matter, and the nat
urai distrust of nations so situated has proven
great STUN bling block to the realization OF
the plan. Now thatit is proven, in at least
one instance. that the limit has been reached,
we may hope that it will have its effect in
gradually decreasing the contlngents OF other
armies.