Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-12-22

uhtcer soldiers. III fact. IL is generally
true that the conscript must fall back
upon his private means.
The methods vary in each country.
Eut take the case OF one EuroDoan
power Every male subject not phys
lcally incaRcitated is liable TO enter
the army ut The age OF twenty, al
though those who care to enlist may
do so at eighteen.
\ register is kept Of all the youths
who reach the age OF twenty In the
particular year. Men under FIVE feet
two inches in height are exempt from
service. as well. OF course, as those
who suffer from natural inGrmities
which render them unsuitable for &C
tive service.
Other men are also exempt II they
have helpless dependents - thus the
only son OF n widow or OF disabled
father, the latter category also includ-
Ing the only son OF father who is
above seventy years OF age. Then the
eldest Of family of orphans is ex-
empt. and in the case OF two sons only
one is liable, there being various other
exemptions.
The term served by the conscript Is
one Of twenty-five years, three years
being spent in the regular army. six
and one-half in the army reserve. six
in the territorial army and the re-
naming nine and half years in the
territorial reserve. all liability to serv-
ice ceasing at forty-fve.
The service Is frequently so hated
Tint all manner OF methods are adopt
ed in order to avoid II. In many
cases substitutes are provided by the
wealthy. though there are stringent
regulations with regard to the pro
vision of the substitutes.
La most European countries military
malingering in order TO avoid compul-
sorry military service has reached the
stage of fine art. In fact. formida-
bic list of new crimes has been added
To the statutes as Il result. and medical
men frequently have TO suffer for their
assistance In this particular kind OF
fraud.
Thus some time ago a number of
Cologne doctors were arrested upon q
charge of having administered pills to
young conscripts. These pills consist
ed of drugs which produced the symp-
toms of heart disease so effectively as
completely To deceive the military au-
thorities, With the result that the con
scripts were declared unfit for service.
lu this case the fraud was brought to
light 10y one OF the conscripts dying as
result OF an overdose OF the medi-
cine
In Germany. where the conscript is
frequently treated with the greatest
harshness. there are very few towns
where there are not specialists whose
living depends solely in inducing such
condition OF affairs as will render
young men exempt by reason OF unfit
ucss.
In the French army It is quite com
mon for youths to feign all manner of
Ills. deafness being the usual ailment
trusted to in order to escape the serv-
ice. As a result the military doctors
have made an especial study OF meth
DDS Of detecting feigncd deafness and
10 trap The cunning youth who acts
the part Of n deaf man.
Another common practice i'm France
* 20 taUpCr with the cyesight. though
this frequently results in permanent
injury. For instance. short sight is
produced 10y wearing powerful con
cave glasses for considerable time
despite the risk OF bringing about per
mancnt blindness II is no uncom
mon occurrence FOR men TO commit sui
eide rather than submit 20 forced scry-
Ice i'm the army.
IN eastern Europe most brutal meth
DDS are adopted by parents in order
that their sons may be able 10 work
FOR them instead Of serving i'm the
army. The boys are frequently $50
treated. ana it IS not at all uncommon
even for their limbs 20 be broken or
their sight tO bc destroyed i'm order TO
prevent any likelihood Of their having
TO become soldiers
Switzerland probably has the cheap
tst army and the least burdcnsome
methods Of conscriptiou the service
being much lighter than i'm the other
continental armies Indeed. the con-
script IN the infantry army has TO un.
dcrgo actual training for only 1876 days
during the entire period OF his service
Philadelphia Ledger.