The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-14
By EX-ATTACHE.

BY EX-ATTACHE.
Among the questions that are engaging
the attention OF men prominent In polIti-
cal and military affairs in France Is that
of the Strengthening OF the national
army by large levies recruited from the
African colonies Of the republic.
Frances population, in spite OF all that
may be argued TO the contrary. remains
stationary. II il does not actually dwineie.
whereas that Of Germany is increasing
by leaps and bounds; in fact at the rate
/ Of over a million year.
: Every able-bodied young man In Ger
many lie compelled 10 serve in the army.
/ from which he energies a thoroughly
/ trained soldier OF the reserve forces.
This means that on the basis OF the
present condition OF the population OF
| France and OF Germany, the latter will
twenty years hence be able TO put into
/ the field at least five more army corps
| than her Gallo neighbor.
! It goes without saying that the French
people cannot regard this prospect with
l any degree Of equanimity IL has become
/ 10 them a subject Of very grave concern.
and since all measures devised for in
creasing the growth OF the population in
/ France have failed. II has become neces-
/ sary 20 find some means OF recruiting
elsewhere than among French-born citi-
gems the military forces Of the nation,
so as to put the country in a position to
! keep the French army. numerically speak
/ ing. abreast of that OF the Kaiser.
The matter is one that concerns every
great power that possesses either within
! Its borders. or IN its colonial depend
encies. dusky races subject TO it's rule.
II is Of particular interest 20 the United
/ States, which has in the Philippine archi-
/ pelagO many millions OF warlike Malays
| peculiarly well adapted for military serv-
ice under the Stars and Stripes. and who
might find In lighting for Uncle Sam so
! great a vent for their superintendent
and sanguinary activity that they might
be willing 20 abstain from fighting against
him.
Then. too. the United States army has
| several regiments, the Tenth Cavalry
among them, which, Differed by white
men, are composed Of negroes, who differ
In this from the Philippine levies. that
despite their color. they are full-hedged
citizens OF the United States
! For by a strange anomaly, the govern
| ment Of this country, which refuses 70
! the highly intellectual Japanese. China
man, British Indian, and Armenian the
full citizenship. on account Of his hue,
and manlfests a similar unfriendly dis
elimination against the Arabs. who are
OF all the Oriental races the most chiv-
alrous and the most high bred. makes
no difficulty whatsoever about according
a vote 70 the blacklist. most wholly. and
uliterate OF Africans, whose parents hail
from the wilds OF Senegambia, or from
the marshes OF the Ivory Coast or else
from Dahomey and Benin, where within
the memory Of the present generation.
crucihxion was favorite form Of di-
version. and human flesh the most highly
priced article OF diet.
France. the United States. Great Brit.
ain. and Germany. possess in the dusky
population OF thoir colonial dependencies
an almost illimitable amount OF raw ma.
terlal for their respective armies. Some
OF these native races are more warlike
than others.
But the terribly obstinate opposition
offered by the Herreros 70 Emperor Will
iam's Cleverest generals and picked white
troops. in his colonies OF the west coas
Of Africa, during the course OF an insur
rection that extended over a number oil
years. the wonderful strategy. resource
fulness, and bravery displayed by IN,
/ Zulus, the MataDeles, and Otner Soutt
African tribes IN their innumerable war,
and rebellions against the English, and
the excellent account which the native,
OF the French Sudan. and the Berbel
and Arab tribes Of Algeria and MoroccC
have been able 10 give OF themselves II
their interminable conflicts with III,
| French, all go 20 furnish an assurance
/ that the dark-skinned warriors. II con
verted from foes into friends, carefully
drilled. disciplined. and armed. and sub
jucted 10 the command OF white officers
possessed OF patience, tact, and judg
, ment. would constitute a wonderful fac
tor in tho warfare Of the future
In France II has been estimated ths
at a relatively small expense a force o.
at least 10000 men, recruited from IN,
blacks Of the French colonies on the ives
coast Of Africa and from Algeria, coulC
3 be added 10 the army as an integral por
! ton thereof, within the next five years
| At present the native regiments DO no
b number more than about 10000 men. par
negroes. part Algerians. Their servlc,
is restricted TO the colonies from which
they hail: and it is really the experiment
made Of bringing a couple Of regiment!