The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-14
CAPT. DREYFUS AND
THE FRENCH ARMY

From the Chicago News.
Any sober discussion of the cars eff
forts for European disarmament is sure
of respectful consideration. Stones new
book, "Can We Dsarm?" written by an
Englishman and a-Ffenchman, is interest
ing in this respect, because of the sociology
ical and diplomatic knowledge brought TO
the subject by Mr.. Joseph McCabe, The
Englishman, but even more for~the insight
given into the methods of the French army
by the Frenchman, M. Georges Darien. The
latter is the author of "Biribi," a work
dealing with the almost insane rgor of
discipline exacted from the French soldier
by his superiors.
1t has been one of the mysteries of tho
Dreyfus case, not that so much attention
has been paid to 1t in France, but that
every number of the nation is not inter-
ested. The reason is given here It is
something more than a conviction in The
minds of many throughout the land that
Dreyfus, however innocent of the specific
charged crime, guilty of the same tao
tics to which he fell victim-that is had
ne been sitting on case precisely similar
to his own he would have come to the
same conclusion, requiring no more and no
better testimony than sufficed for his own
knowledge that, hard as his lot may be and
thrice hard if he is innocent, there are lit
orally thousands of soldiers of France alb
solutely Innocent who are today rotting
In the internal dungeons of Africa
The distinction is made in the general dis
cussion OF the makeup of the French army
between national and a pretorian force
BY "pretorian' is meant an army existing
not more for national defense against an
exterior enemy, than for the purpose of
suppressing any possible revolution within
even though this revolt were to be based
upon the wish of majority of the people
a national army, on the other hand, may
be relied upon to go with the majority
rather than with tyrannical minority 1t
is pointed out that the constitution of the
French army has been completely changed
since 1870; before that time there being
regular military establishment supplement-
ed only by national guard in quite the
American manner, the guardsmen having
the right to elect their own Officers and
keeping their arms and equipment In their
own houses.
But this guard took sides with the peo-
pie against the few In 1S4S and again after
the German victories in 1870. 1t has been
rigidly suppressed, and its place taken by
reserve" which Is under the strictest
military discipline possible under the cir
cumstances. This army Is Differed, 1t is
pointed out, by men of old BIRTH of ranks
ana position ana OF Wealth-lt is much
more difficult for soldier of ordinary birth
to obtain a commission than IL is in the
American army, though 1t is none too easy
there. And the discipline exacted is moth
ing short of barbarous, necessitated by
the facts.
In order to keep themselves in power the
authorities at the head of the French mill
tary establishments rule by fear. Lest
there should be some attempt made to I'M
dermine their authority, whether they are
right or wrong In any given case, they
impose the most frightful punishments for
the simplest offenses. Being five minutes
late to barracks is punished by fInprison-
ment for two months. If any one is unfor-
tunate enough to be sentenced to total
of 12O days-and the most trivial breaches
of minor regulations will bring such pun
ishment-the offender Is taken, without
courtmartial to the military prison in
Biribi. which is slang for the disciplinary
companies in French Africa, generally in
southern Tunis.
There are usually about 5000 men under
going the most brutal and ferocious tortues
On these companies. Two-fifths of them die
in the process. And this is not the worst
of 1t: Men who are known to be socialists
or in any other way opposed to the existing,
order of things are sent to Africa and al
most certain death forthwith, without wait
ing for the overt commission of offense.
There Is no recourse possible-the military
authorities are not only beyond the law,
but there is no head to the French army
who can be held responsible for any abuse
of power These things, be 1t borne in
mind are for slight attractions of discipline
or for opinions believed to be precious; for
seyerer matters death is dealt out with I'M
sparing hand in times of the most pro-
found peace.