Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-09

However incongruous the ensemble
of the dark skinned force may even
tually be- there is one thing that
France counts upon, there will be no
socialism in the ranks, there will be
no lack of fighting spirit, and the
quality of the soldiery will not depend
upon the interest that the individual
fighter takes in the welfare of the re-
public or the concerns Of the working
taxpayer.
The conservative element in the
government is rather Mortified at the
thought of putting shooting material
into the hands of more or less irres-
ponsible black men for the purpose Of
leading them against white armies.
There is something In the scheme that
smacks of racial antagonism. It
makes it appear that France is sub
sidiZing the blacks to Offset the rad
cal element in it's own army and to
overawe the white armies of other ma
tions. The opposition, however, in the
government is feeble and disorganiZed,
and while the army itself may strong
" resent the introduction of deep
dyed squad equal in numbers to half
the present enlistment there has been
no open expression of feeling. The
fear that the government will use this
''untainted" body to quell the spread
of disruptive ideas among the soldiery
does not seem to have taken root as
yet, but when the enlistment Is COM
pleted and the army realizes just how
much has been accomplished France
may expect to hear from her enfants
militant.
Every year France has 100000 con-
scripts to enlist, train and absorb in
to it's military corps. 1t takes three
years to make respectable recruits Of
II. To- I, o,,I Of l,-t- dol
clerks, and at the end of that period
they are turned back into the body
polite to be as useful as they can be
after a period of comparative idleness
in which they are given every oppor-
tunity to hatch revolutionary theories
and iniquitous habits. The university
men are exempted from two years Of
this service according to the law Of
1889. In Germany this discrimination
has always been regarded placidly
and without protest, but in France
as an infliction and an intolerable
burden upon the taxpaying public.
This attitude of the army has dis
turbed the military authorities for a
decade or more and another disturbing
feature is the rapid falling off of male
births. DR.. Bertillon, the criminolo-
gist and statistician, decided In 1902
that if France was to increase it's
force so that 1t would have 100000
conscripts in 1922, there should be 4S1,-
900 male births In that year. AS a
matter of fact that births fell short
by $4,000 of this estimate, so that
there would be less than 100000 con-
scripts available In 1922.
There is just a possibility that the
pressure of public opinion may effect
change in the compulsory regime,
and If it does 1t Is certain that France
will have to take unusual steps to
maintain it's standing among Euro
pean nations. The supply of blacks
who are hungry for active militarism
is almost ineXhaustible. When a ma
tion's whole fighting strength amounts
to something over half million an
addition of 100000 is noteworthy.
Suppose France were to depend upon
volunteers for her standing army.
The white enlistment would doubtless
fall off enormously and the semi saw
age element from Africa and South
America would increase proportion
ately.
Europe cannot afford to let France
bring any great portion of this army
of black auxiliaries to her shores
without taking some precautionary
measures. 1t would mean that Ger
many's impressment would have to be
enlarged or that she, too, should en-
list a black force in her colonies of
equal strength.
At the same time the French army
and the people who of necessity make
up the army cannot regard the impor-
tation of this vast government instru-
ment dispassionately. Revolution Is
no longer chronic In France, but when
the government so effectually arms it
self against possibility Of an uprising
the present diffusion Of radical ideals
in the army and the unspoken protest
against militarism that is smouldering
in the heart of the people will fan it
self into menacing proportions.
OF course the military authorities
and the executive staff of the govern
ment can see the supreme advantage
of enlisting an "untainted" black
army, but 1t Is to be doubted that the
tainted" white army will see 1t in the
same light, and 1t will be a critical
moment for the integrity Of France
when she attempts for any reason to
assemble her dusky forces on her own
sOil.-Chicago Tribune.