The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-06
CONSUMPTION IN FRANCE.
How the officials Allow No Young Mar
to Escape.

How the officials Allow No Young Man
to Escape.
The French boy Is no sooner born
than the military authorities have their
eye on him. Within three days after
his entry into the world his parents are
bound under severe penalties to register
his birth at the local "mairie,' or town
hall This formality accomplished the
! youngster at once receives the visit Of
the doctor attached to the register Of
| flee. The "medecin de fetat civil as
this functionary is termed, verfies the
declaration made by the parents, and
satisfies himself that the infant is in
deed a man in miniature This precau-
| ton is necessary, as the father and
mother, were they left entirely to their
| own devices, might be tempted to palm
| off their boy as a girl, with view to
| enabling him to escape his military SER
vice. Until not so very long ago every
| child had to be taken to the marie
shortly after its birth to allow the au-
thorities to convince themselves that no
mistake had been made as regards the
sex. Even now, however mistakes do
occur, and every now and then case
crops up of a girl who by some unac-
countable error has got on to the books
of the recruiting department and is
summoned to serve with the colors.
The existence of the youngster having
thus been duly placed on record, he is
allowed 20 run loose for score of
years. If he chooses to he can shorten
this period of liberty by voluntarily en-
listing before his time, providing, of
course, his physique passes muster.
The marine infantry, a corps that sees
good deal Of actual fighting in the colo
MES, recruits a number of adventurous
spirits in this way, and not a few of the
young men who propose to adopt the
army as their career improve their pros
poets by making an early start. The
average conscript, however, is In no
hurry, and takes advantage OF the full
latitude allowed him by the law He is
we'll aware that he must begin to think
seriously of his military obligations the
moment he Is out of his teens. Even If
this necessity had not been drilled into
him at school. he could not ignore it,
since it Is the constant preoccupatlon of
his relatives and comrades. In conse-
quence, as coon as his twentieth birth
eye on the official posters displayed on
the walls Of the town hall. the schools
and other public buildings These pos
ters are white, like all other official pos
ters in France, but they are Of excep-
tional size, while, that there may be no
possibility of their escaping notice
among their many miscellaneous fell
lows, they compel attention by most
apparent distinctive sign, consisting of
two tri-color flags placed crossways
above the reading matter and printed
in colors. One of these military posters
details the arrangements for the depar-
ture of the class, or annual contingent,
and from It the conscript learns the
date of his incorporation and other
items of information,
In the course of his twentieth year he
should give his address to the nearest
recruiting office, and see that the mayor
of his district has put down his name
among the conscripts of the coming
class. The mayor however, is bound to
see that his name is on the list, wheth-
er he concerns himself with his inscrip-
ton or not. The next step is the tirage
au sort, or drawing of a number. Since |
the Introduction of universal military
service he operation is practically a |
mere formality, the abolition of which |
is contemplated. 1t takes place in Jan
uary and February at every town hall
yne country. Every con-
script draws his number in the district
in which he was born; 1t is not impera-
tive that he should attend the ceremony
In person, as in his absence the mayor !
will draw number for him. The great ;
of the conscripts make the oc-
casOn the excuse for a jollification.
With a large square of paper, gorgeous
y colored and bearing the number he
has drawn, pinned to his hat, and be-
locked with a number of tri-color ro-
settles, the conscript, accompanied by
ls friends and fellow conscripts, tours
from wine shop to wine shop, singing
and finally bawling as he goes along
patriotic and regimental songs. 1t
should be SAID that the conscript draws
MS number In the January that follows
he completion of his twentieth year.
N consequence, a conscript born in De-
,ember has only just turned twenty
When the army claims him. whereas a
whose birth Is in January is
at the time of the tirage au
sort. The only use at present of the
lrawing Of numbers is that when there
5 a deficiency of men for the Marine in
antry the vacancies are filled up from
lmong the conscripts who have drawn
he numbers one. two or three.
For the next six months OF so the con-
cript is left to himself, but toward the
middle of the year he makes acquaiut-