Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-08-07
MODELLING FOR WAR.
How European Countries Get Their
Troops Tooether

How European Countries Get Their
Troops Together.
| A distinguished army officer sta
toned in New York, has described for
the Sun the process of mobilization in
| European countries.
| Mobilization is really simple
thing" he said. 1T merely means get
ting fighting men to the place they
are needed, divisions, corps or garri-
sons, as the case may be. In the Unit
ed States, there is no such thing as
mobilization, because we have no re-
serves to mobolize. In this country,
the process Of gathering our forces is
| called concentration. For instance,
we might assemble several army di-
visions in Houston, Tex. That would
be concentration.
"On the other hand, Germany, Rus
| sia, France and Austria have thou
sands upon thousands Of men who
have served in the army and are up
on the reserve list for further SERVE
when called upon. When the time ar
rives, these troops and the reserves
are modified. On the French border
Germany, for instance, has her most
| powerful forces. The first line OF
troops, those nearest to the border
are nearly up to war strength.
when war comes the reservist
| 1T hi oh ,I,at =
ever tool he may be using. and with
| out more ado, hastens to the front
He has served in the army before, is
really a veteran. He has known
during the days Of peace just to what
regiment and in just what city or post
he belongs. And he makes all possible
speed for that post. 1 suppose that
not more than 4S hours would be re-
quired to mobilize the entire French
army Germany is equally as fast
while Russia and Austria, in military
circles, are not supposed to be so well
trained.
| War Their Business.
| WAR is a business with the con-
tinental citizens and everything gives
way to preparations for it. When the
reservists are called out nothing inter
| feres with their progress to their sta
tions. The railroads are theirs and
private business and pleasure stops
The government simply takes posses.
4 sion of what it wants. The reservist
starts at a minutes notice, without
gun, uniform or equipment Of any
sort. On his arrival. at the mobiliZa-
him. 1t contains everything he needs
He puts on his clothes, shoulders his
rifle and presto, the civilian has dis
appeared and the trained soldier
stands ready for war. Over here we
have no conception of the celebrity
with which it Is all done.
"One of the most interesting parts
of the operation is how the military
authorities keep track of the eligible
men. In every village, town and city,
lists are kept and the men who are on
the reserve list must keep the authori-
| ties informed of their addresses. Then
when the call to colors comes thou
sands upon thousands Of automobiles,
| horses, motorcycles and now even
aeroplanes, carry to each man the or
der to join his regiment. Sleeping viii
lagos are awakened as by Paul Re-
we're, horsemen passing through de-
serted streets shouting the word that
the reservists are wanted for duty.
Before morning an army is on the
move.
I'm all countries in the war zone
where government ownership does not
exist, all public utilities are seized and
| converted to the use of the govern
ment. Everything possible is done to
speed the civilian soldier on his way to
the front. Reservists who leave the
country are obliged to leave their ad
dresses with the authorities and they
are called back by means of cable
grams, kilograms and other means of
communication, directed by consuls
and military agents.
Largely Routine Work.
THE outward aspects of mobiliZa-
ton are largely routine and the result
of office work. The big problem of
the war heads is to decide where to
mobilize and what forces to call upon.
Therefore the most important part Of
the mobilization problem is a military
secret in each country.
Naturally, France and Germany
will mobilize on the frontier, which is
small and shut off on either end by
Switzerland and Belgium, neutral ma
| tions.
"On the north Germany has a great
advantage over Russia in mobilizing,
because it has three railroad lines
which can be used to convey troops as
against RuSsias one. If the Germans
want to, they can mobilize at the north
and cut off Russian POLAND and part
of Galcia before the Russians know
what is happening.
I'm this country when we start to
get troops together. we have to begin
months in advance to arrange for
transportation. Preparations for war
in the United States outside of the army
and navy are joke. In Germany,
France, Austria and Russia practical
ly every citizen is liable to be called
for war service and as a result. the
whole nation takes the matter with
the utmost seriousness. 1t is no pic
mic when the reservists start for the
| front.
THE reservsts are divided into diff
ferent classes. according to the number
of years which have elapsed since
they quit active service. In all cases
the practice is to summon them back
to the colors. with the latest to leave
service first and the others in order"
IT. Women employed in the textile
industry in Germany are in a majority
over the men, there being 400, 5000
females as against 1000 men. In
the clothing industry the women out