Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1900-06-01
FORCED INTO ARMY.
MEN OF EUROPE COMPELLED TO
BE SOLDIERS.
Precious Years of Golden Youth Spent
in Military Service by Helpless Men
What Conscription Means to the
Bread winners Abroad.

What Conscription Means to the
Breadwinners Abroad.
In Germany, France Russia, Aus
tria and Italy every able-bodied man
must expect to give from twenty-one to
twenty-nine years of his life to soldier
ing, his service commencing at ages
ranging from II years in Germany to
u years in France and Italy.
At the beginning of each year lists
are prepared throughout Germany of
all youths who have reached the pre-
scribed age, and during spring the Re-
cruiting Commission makes a visiting
tour of all the headquarters of the vari-
Gus districts, where the youths are
mustered for inspection.
All who are physically unfit for SER
vice are finally rejected, and those who
are still physically unripe for it are put
back for a year. Men who, though
strong and healthy, fail to reach the
requisite standards are passed into the
Ersatz reserve, together with those
who are sons of widows. or the support
of their families, and from those who
are passed as fit for service the re-
qured number is selected by ballot OF
the recruits certain privileged men of
birth and education are only called up
on to serve one year in the regular
army on condition That they pass cer-
tain examinations and pay the cost of
their equipment, while the remainder
are expected to serve three years in the
ranks, followed by four years in the
reserve. The next five years they spend
i'll the first levy of the Landwehr, and
they are then passed into the second
levy until they reach the age of 80.
In France military service begins at
u and lasts for twenty-five years. with
similar exemptions from service and
limitations to one year in the ranks
to those sanctioned in the German
army.
The French conscript must spend his
first three years of service in the reg
ular army, followed by seven years in
the army reserve. He is then passed
into the territorial army for six years,
y
In the reserve of the territorial army,
which is called out only in case of abso-
lutte necessity.
A mans service in the ranks may be
reduced to one or two years according
to the number he draws in the ballot.
Army reserve men have only eight
weeks of drill, while the territorial
army is only called on for a period Of
fourteen days.
In Russia the conscription takes
place every year in the months of No
Vember and December, when the re-
qdired recruits are selected by lot.
Clerymen of all churches are exempt
from service, while Mohammedans and
the inhabitants of certain districts in
Asia can substitute payment for SER
vice; and some of the higher classes
may reduce their term of service in
the ranks under certain conditions.
Service begins in the twenty-first
year and lasts for twenty-four years,
of which five years are spent in the
ranks and thirteen in the reserve. On
finishing service in the reserve the SOL
dier is passed into the militia, where
he spends the remainder of his period
of service.
In Italy youth is liable for service
when he reaches his nineteenth birth
day, and Is only exempt when he reach
es his fortieth birthday None but those
physically unfit for service are abso-
lI1fnly ayamnt but conc of yvido1,e opd
sole supporters of families are passed
into the militia without being called
on to serve in the army ranks.
Army recruits are divided into two
classes, of which the first division
spend from three to four years in the
ranks; the next five years are spent on
furlough, succeeded by four years SER
vice in the mobile militia and seven
years in the territorial militia.
Members Of the second class of re-
cruits must spend twelve years in the
army, more than half of which is usu-
ally spent on furlough, and the re-
mainder of their service is spent in one
branch or other of the militia until the
limit of age is reached.
In Austria the only exemption Is in
favor of the physically unfit, and even
they are required to pay sum, proper
toned to their means, into the army
pension fnud. Service begins at 10 and
lasts for twenty-three years, of which
three are spent in the line and seven in
the reserve.-Cincinnati Enquirer.