New-York tribune., 1902-07-07
THE FRENCH ARMY.
RADICAL CHANGE IN THE PROPOSED
REDUCTION OF THE TERM OF
COMPULSORY SERVICE.
Paris. June %


The French army is about to undergo o,a :.
the most radical transformations in its histo-,-
for il may be taken as a foregone conclusion tb,,
the reduction Of the military service from tbraa
years 20 two. now under discussion in the Sen
ate. will soon become law The effect Of this
measure cannot fail to make serious changes in
the relative fighting strength Of the great mill
tary nations. TO appreciate the Importance O,
which il is necessary to make a comparison
with Germany. where the term OF two years,
service already prevails. but is only applicants
to foot soldiers, and even then is subjected to
many restrictions and exceptions,
The latest census returns show that the Ger
man Empire covers 211.16S square miles and
that its population is 5TO00OO0 which repre-
sents increase of 100000 since 1882
France. which covers 204 146 square miles. has
a population of about 100000. which repre-
sents an increase OF little more than 100000
since 1881.
These figures are the co-efheients OF the fight.
ing capital of the respective countries The an
nual number of conscripts in France is 225.O00
whereas in Germany IL is 100000 In 1S71
France had 293.O00 eonscripts, while Germany
had $4,000. France thus in thirty-one years
losing nearly 10000 men. whereas Germany has
gained 10000. Germany has a plethora of con-
scripts. that 1t is impossible to incorporate
all of them into the army without incurring
enormous increases in military effectives and
in expenditure. which would be regarded as
deliberate aggression and menace to her neigh
bors. Consequently. Germany has been Obliged
TO make large reductions in the selection Of re-
eruits II under these conditions that the
partial reduction OF the military service for foot
soldiers from three years TO two years
adopted in Germany In France. on the other
hand. the yearly military eontingents are in
adequate. The compulsory service, which in
Germany is endured without protest. is felt to
be an intolerable burden, the three years service
weighing on about three-quarters of the con-
scripts, whereas the remainder. composed OF
privileged young men. escape with only
years service. The law OF 1880. which consti-
tutes the organization Of the French army has
become highly distasteful in democratic coun-
try based upon equality of It's citizens. because
it annually compels 100000 youths TO be called
into the active army for a period of three years.
while at the same time II allows $1,000 favored
young of universities and colleges to acquit
their military service blood tax by wearing
the uniform for only one year.
IT Is this favoritism Of the law OF 1889 which
prescribed the present three years service. with
it's enormous exemptions. that aroused the in
dignation of the radical republicans through
out the country. and this radical majority is
now represented in the newly elected Chamber
Of Deputies. and find vigorous spokesmen in the
Cabinet of NJ. Combes. This explains why 1t is
that the reduction of military service from three
years 10 two Immediately got the right Of way
over all other measures from the present min
istry.
Senator Roland the author OF the bin fer the
reduction OF military service TO two years. Is
a phy sician, who has made military subjects
speciality He is a personal friend of NJ Jaures
the Socialist Deputy, and, as he has himself ex-
planned IN the Senate. his radical measure is ss-
sentially directed against caste and class priv
Neges and dispensations. General Andre, the
Minister OF War. favors the bill. as do the rank
and file OF the army and the bulk OF the Of
fcers On the other hand. General de Galllhet
and most OF the general officers oppose the
ROLAND bill with great energy, and declare
that it's operation will break the backbone OF
the army by destroying tha esprit 6u corps. BY
preventing young soldiers from receiving ada
quate physical and moral instruction and by
depriving the army OF disciplined non-eomrnis-
stoned officers,
The veteran generals denounee the measure
as replacing the army with militia. General
de GaIlinet declares that the reduction Of the
period of military service to two years is
crime OF Iese pstrie. committed BY ignorant or
unconscious sectaries" Indeed, the famous
general and ex-Minister of War sums up the Oh
jections to the measure IN letter addressed
TO the Journal des Debats." in which ne lays
great stress upon the fact that when he was a
member of N, Waldeck-ROuSSeau' Cabinet, IN
1900. he convinced the Prime Minister that the
step was a most dangerous one, and that It
would undermine the fighting strength Of
France unless Parliament should first OF all
grant a sum necessary FOR the annual Fs-el-
Hstment of 10000 or 10000 Eon-eon,nissiousd
officers and privates who had completed their
two years service.
General de Galiffet states that Eve must
then ascertain that the nurher Of these re-en-
lstments could be realized under satisfactory
conditions, and that then for two or three years
we must make a trial OF the reduced period OF
service, and that only after all this had been
done would il be safe 10 introduce bill. NJ
Waldeck. Rousseau entirely agreed to this. The
law OF 1850 is bad. the measure now under DIS
cussion is thousand times worse"
The diminishing male birth rate also bears
heavily against the maintenance OF the pres
ept active army, and statistician OF great an-
thority. DR.. Bertillon, has published tables show
ing that 4S1 600 male births IN France are neces-
sary 20 supply $4,000 conscripts twenty years
afterward. But IN the year 1900 there were
only 4S1 600 male births In France. and this
would produce only 295. 600 con-cripts st the
expiration of the year 1919. thus indicating
steady and alarming falling OF in the lighting
strength Of the country GLIB.