Bisbee daily review., 1914-09-06
"FOREIGN LEGION" IS ROMANTIC BAND OF
 MEN OF ADVENTURE


 LONDON. Sept 5.-rhe French foreign legion" that interesting in- sttution SO frequently made to n- gure in romance, is receiving almost daily mention in the war despatches. A history fthe legion and it's posi- tion in international law is all the more interesting at the present time. since the recent enlistments include not only Italians and those of other European nationalities, but also a number of Canadians and Americans who were unable for one reason or another to join the regular forces of the Allies.
 The employment of foreign troops is common episode in military his tory, but the general term foreign legion which has come to be usually. though rather loosely applied to the regiments etrangers" in the French service, has stood not for troops sold into foreign service as were the Hes sians who fought under the British flag in the American revolution. but i for irregular volunteer bodies of for. eien sympathizers raised by states at war"
 The French foreign legion" is com. 1 posed of adventurous spirits of all na- Misunderstanding most numerous ] ly, however, the French themselves and its chief service heretofore has | been in the French colonies. Its pres ent organization dates back to a law ! of 1881, passed for the purpose of giv- ing aid and definite status to for eisn refugees on French soil. particu. larly veteran soldiers left from the fu- sion of numerous foreign regiments created by Napoleon at the time of his return from Elba.
 ! After the war with Prussia in 1870 further reason was added at least from the French point of view, for the l existence of the legion. The French ! could not make places in the regular | national army for those inhabitants i or Alsace-Lorraine who refused to serve the German flag, since this was i expressly prohibited in the terms of ! the treaty of Frankfort. The French held however that they had a right to incorporate in the foreign legion" | deserters and Alsatians who declined Go submit to German rule.
 In practice, up to the beginning of The present war. the foreign legion" has been recruited through voluntary enlistments for five years and re-en. lIstments for from one to five years. undertaken by foreigners. "or bv tbe . French serving under the tiue of for. elsners. No evidence has been re quired of the recruit to show that he Is over eighteen and the system has always been on the order of mo oues. tons asked Under these terms a force of nearly 15OOO men has been easily maintained. the average enlist. ing amounting to about 2.OOO
 Because the "fOreign legionp bas been employed SO, much in the coll onlal service in recent years the idea has become rather general that if was purely colonial force. But this idea IS incorrect since the legion has been employed in general warfare nun. Der or times before the present com.
  nlct m which it promises to plav a conspicuous part In 1856 the twc foreign regiments conducted tbem D selves so brilliantly and bravelv ir me CIlmea that French citzensbir was accorded at a stroke 10 all who sought it. Again in 1859 the two for ? eisn regiments took part in the blood, campaign which Napoleon TIT waco against Austria in behalf of Italy. And m the Franco-Prussian war the for elRn troops, after having supposedl, eliminated the Germans. were en, parked for France. and at Toprs when Paris had been hesieeed tber, was reorganization of an foreiener, eager to fight under the French aao But it is said the Germans were abl, to Introduce spies into the oreaniza uon' some of whom the authorities a' Tours We're blind enough to commis sion sa French officers.