Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-19
System of Drill.

Guatemaias army consists of regulars and
milicianos, sometimes called volunteers AS
these volunteers in case of trouble have
to be corralled by various means and not
infrequently tied up with ropes or impris-
oned to keep them from running away, they
scarcely ever speak of themselves as vol
upteers. The regulars are recruited usually
from the vagabond element. When some
particular command is in need of recruits
corporal's guard Is turned out with or
ders to bring in such young men and even
boys who may be found hanging about town
without any definite occupation.
Poems of mixed breed who have con-
tracted debts and are unwilling or unable
10 pay them are also impressed into this
army l say poems OF mixed breed" be-
cause no ruler of Guatemala has ever been
able to make soldier OF the full-blooded
indian, unless he be a renegade, and these
are few and far between. During my sew
eral years of life in Guatemala I remem-
Der distinctly seeing one Indian impressed
into service with a rife, and he presented
such a ludicrous appearance that he came
near upsetting the whole battalion, and the
officers were glad to let him go.
The regulars drilled almost con-
stantly, and the system Of the drill and
tactics is an excellent one. The soldiers
are made to go through many evolutions,
but their most effective drill Is one in
which they are made to advance on an
imaginary enemy under fire. At the word
OF command they deploy In skirmish order
and every other man darts forward half
dozen PAGES, drops or one knee, aims his
rife and fires. AS the rifle triggers of the
kneelIng men snap the soldiers occupying
the alternate spaces behind them dart for
ward in the same way, drop to the ground
and in their turn level their rifles and fire
The men who are thus left behind having
discharged their rifles, Immediately stuff in
another cartridge, rise to their feet and
dart forward again, repeating the action at
the word of command given by their off,
GERS, who must invariably keep up with
them. When they lose their officers these
soldiers cease to be of any use unless the
enemy should succeed In corralfng them,
Whereupon, in case it is a civil war they
are put in the ranks with the very soldiers
they have been fighting against, and are
made to fight on that side just as efficiently
as they fought on the other,
Attend Night Schools.
Besides the several battalions of these
regulars including infantry and artillery
kept in active service at the capital in time
Of peace, detachments of them are distribu-
ted throughout the country to garrison the
various towns. Where there is no estab-
lished police force they serve as police TO
maintain order and enforce the dictates of
the civil as well as the military government.
They are usually fairly we'll uniformed and
equipped for service, although their uni
forms are made of cheap cotton.
The uniforms of their officers, however,
are made of the very best of cloth, their
dress coats being of black broadcloth cut
after tho pattern of a Prince Albert, and
trimmed with gold lace They wear caps
of dark material TO match. trimmed also
with gold lace, according to rank. Their
trousers are red.
In the larger towns where there are a
| number of officers stationed, including
those of the regular army and the mill
tia, they are required to attend night
school called academy, where they are
given instruction by their commanding Off
GERS In the caheZaras or capitals of de-
partments these night classes are usually
conducted by no less parsonage than the
military governor.
The instruction is not confined to teach
Ing the art of government and war
fare as understood by the military code, but
| such studies as geography, history, as
tronoIny and mathematics are taken up at
! the pleasure of the instructor
Militia Force.
| We now COME to Guatemala's militia-the
| troops which are mobil5zed in time of war
or revolution. Every s.ble- bodied man or
boy not an Indian is enrolled as a milf
| ttania' IN his Immediate district Only
boys under sixteen. men over sixty pro-
fessiolaal men and merchants able to nut
| Up money enough to bIy their discharges
are exempt from this duty.
| Even the professional exemption and the
buying of discharges is vague matter I'm
| perfectly understood, for have seen pro-
fesslonal men and members of the upper