The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-21

Esss'.e ...,'.ss5.s.s4 HE increasing acrimony
- - recently exhibited by
the French and Ger
man press, which has
@ 80 developed into a con
troversy loud enough
tlss.t!l llltliS to be heard over all
the habitable globe, is
too grave and significant a sign of the
times to pass unnoticed. The world
has grown accustomed to the never
healing feud which has existed between
these great nations. and its usual and
ordinary manifestations produce neither
wonder nor alarm. 1t is only when the
controversy assumes some new and
unfamiliar phase that the general pub
lie remembering the tragedies Of the
past. begins to speculate as to the out
come.
Another such a critical moment
seems to have arrived. Everything
seems to indicate a possible rupture Of
the slender influence which Keeps these
bitter rivals from fresh resort to
arms There has been much said on
both sides of mutual preparations for /
war. the impossibility of an agreement
over the Moroccan differences at the /
present Algecirss conference and other
points at issue. The French govern |
ment has made no attempt to conceal
the fact that il has been moving troops I
and artillery toward thu frontier for
several weeks, and the German au-
thoritfes have not denied the report
that its department of railways has
ordered 10000 freight cars from Ger
man. Dutch. Belgian, italian and Swiss
builders, all to be delivered about the
middle of February.
Be all this unvarnished truth or
shameless exaggeratiOn, the fact re-
mains that both Germany and France
have never relaxed in their struggle to
maintain d state of constant prepared /
ness. When the inevitable clash oc-
ours neither of them win find it neces- /
sary to plead-as did Russia in the re-
cent war-that the enemy had taken
unfair advantage OF her lack of readi-
ness.
on account of the great Importance
put upon keeping the national sys
tenn of defense in the highest possible
state of efficiency France has come to
be known as the military republic"
AN able bodied citizens are liable to
military service for a term of twenty
I'VE years. Three years of active serV-
ice are required, beginning at the age
OF twenty. This does not debar a young
man from volunteering his services at
the age OF eighteen. In the case of ad-
vanced college students and in certain
other instances an arrangement is fire.
Quently made to shorten the period to
one year.
The French boy is no sooner born
than the military authorities have their
eyes on him. and he becomes an in
dividual of Importance. Within three
days of his mundane appearance his
parents are required under severe pen
alties to record his birth at the local
marie, or town hall This preliminary
Formally accomplished, the prospective
warrior is at once visited by the ply
stefan attached to the registry Office.
This civil functionary satisfies him
self that the parents have not mis-
represented the matter and that no
mistake has been made in regard to
the newcomers sex. This latter pre-
caution is to make it impossible for
the parents to palm off their offspring
as a girl, with the intention of rescuing
him from the coming military service.
Formerly every child born in French
territory had to be taken to the marie
shortly after birth in order to prevent
all future complications arising from
mistaken sex. In spite of the pre-
cautions taken mistakes do occur not
infrequently, and now and then d case
comes up of a girl who by some cleri-
cal error has got into the books of the
recruiting department and is summoned
to serve with the cOlOrs.
Thus properly recorded, the embryo
warrior is left to his own devices for a