The Alaska daily empire., 1914-08-14
ARMIES OF FOUR
 WARLIKE NATIONS
Germany.

NOJ unlll liS OhN VI sAN century. when Feudallsm with its leyies of remnants and vassals was in the last stages of decay did the idea of recruiting an army from the people begin to take form It is in' teresting to note how thorough has been the process of systematization of national protection in the different countries of Europe and Asia and in England since that time.
 In Germany every male Is liable to military service, the only exceptions being the members of the ruling house and of mediatlzed princely fam flies. The obligation for service ex- ists between the ages of eighteen and forty-fve years inclusive, and con- templates service in either the army or navy, or in the Landstrum. The officers are taken from the higher grades of society, that is from the nobility, sons of officers and officials, owners of estates, etc. The corps Of officers is recruited either through volunteers or through the assignment of cadets. All officers before being commissioned as second lieutenants of a regiment must be accepted by vote of that regiment,
 In time of war the army is divided into field troops, field reserve troops, Landwehr troops, depot troops, and Landstrum troops. The field troops consist of the standing army filled up by the reserves; the field reserve troops consist of the first levy of the Landwehr to which some officers and men are assigned from the standing army. The Landwehr troops are formed from the second levy of the Landwehr they usually serve in the line of communications. Depot troops are formed from the Ersatz Reserve and recruits. The Landstrum Is for home defense and Is called out by Imperial Proclamation when required The levies are made as follows: the first levy consists of all men, from the end of their seventeenth year to the 3lst of March of the calendar year in which they complete their S9th year who have not served in the army. The second levy includes all men from the 39th to the end of the 18th year whether they have served or not.
 The troops of the German army form 625 battalIons of infantry, 4S2 squadrons of cavalry, STA batteries oi field and horse artillery, $S battalions of foot artillery. 26 battalions of pio neers, 8 battalions of railway troops 8 battalions of telegraph troops, 9 battalions of train troops. These are combined into army corps with head quarters in the twenty-two territorial districts, one corps being assigned tc each district. Two or three batteries l (field, 162 men; horse, 157 mem form a battalion; two battalions regiment and two regiments brigade in the field artillery. In the foot artillery there are 149 batteries each having officers and 209 men. The strength ot the other units varies both in officers and men. The army corps Is in real ity small army complete in all its parts and is composed of the stan oi the army corps, two infantry divis ions, one battalion of rifles, one tele graph section, and the corps trains Its total strength is 25,OOO rifles, goo ! Ionrao
 The total load of the German sol dier's field equipment weighs 5S% pounds and consists of the following articles: one shelter tent and three jointed pole, one pair of laced shoes cleaning, polishing, washing and sew. ing materials, one pair of stockings one handkerchief, one suit of under. wear. one cap, one cooking utensil of aluminium provided with one ration, three iron rations, one handbook and one song book. In an aluminium can. teen covered with felt and fitted with haversack he carries one helmet cover, one knife, one fork, one spoon and one ration of bread.
 The Emperor is in command of the army.
 France.
 The administrative head of the French army is the Minister of War, he is assisted by general staff divid. ed into the necessary departments.
 Military service is equal for all and every Frenchman owes his country 25 years, two of which must be spent in the active army, eleven in reserve of the active army, six in the territor. ial army, and six in that reserve. Every year all young men who have completed their twentieth year be- fore January first are called to the army. The officers are appointed af- ter passing competitive examinations which are held at certain schools at set periods. St. Cyr and the Polytech. nic being the most important of these schools.
 The infantry is composed of 16S regiments, these regiments being grouped into 80 brigades and 40 di. visions. The artillery includes IS bat. talions of artillery having a total of 113 batteries, and 40 regiments of field artillery constitute 20 brigades. with 442 mounted. 52 horse and IA mountain batteries. The cavalry con sists of 80 regiments with five squad. rons. The reserve troops are divided in like manner, as are the colonial troops which are connected with the War Office and are destined, primar. fly, for the colonies.
 Austria.
 In Austria military service Is obll. gatory on all citizens. The terms of service are. for the common arr,y 10 |