The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-26
fAHE huge size of modern armies
is in itself problem that
makes the nations hesitate be.

.H makes the nations hesitate be-
fore employing them. Napo-
leon once declared that he doubted II
any man could successfully conduct the
operations of I'm nrmy OF 100000 men.
and added. with the characteristic ego
tism of genius. thnt II that fcnt were
possible he alone among living gen.
erals could perform It. But armies
hive enormously increased. md war
hns dcvelonetl marvelousiy along sci.
entitic lines since the day OF the 1rst
Napoleon. Problems are far more In
tricate now than then. New methods
of transportation hnve removed old Diff
ficulties and raised fresh cnes. and to-
dny it Is the nntioh that can begin to
fight the quickest TINT wins those ini-
tinl advantages which often lead to
ultimate victory, even over u superior
force.
The fighting strength Of France is
about 3.O00OO0 men-nn arms only
smaller thnn those OF Russin md of
Germany. She has some difficulty In
Keeping her nctlve Regiments at full
strength. but her powers ut q pinch
have nstonlshed the world more than
6nce. She has shown her astounding
elasticity and ability to recover from
most. crushing reverses, while her
troops have ever been imbued with pa
tri0tic fervor and the fierce spirit OF
war. The French army inust lie con.
tossed magnificent fighting machine.
albeit the French spirit OF militnrism
is curse to that great country, and
a grave stumbling block In the way of
her true progress, according to some.
On peace footing her nrmy Is about
MO.O00 strong. or more than three
times us lnrge. as It was forty-four
years ago. when she suffered defeat In
her memorable struggle With Germany.
She has also improved nightly in--her
knowledge Of , military science since
those days. 1t Is said that France is
behind other powers in her employ.
ment OF smokeless powder nnd that
her, small arms lack Uniformity. but
time may prove this assertion erro-
neous. and, whatever else she hicks.
her field evoluhons and strategic pow.
era are heynnd all Gnest!S: s:s:.:..
passed by any army In Europe Frnnce
Is. Of course, rich compared to hef I'M
mediate rival Germany. by Virtue of
her enormous agricultural resources.
< Tried to Fool Frances Enemies.
As we hnve said, despite her system
OF conscyiptlon It is not easy for her
to keep her regiments full. and she
lacks her great rirnl,s astounding pow.
er Of. quick motion and concentration.
but, It is possible that she insists on
these defects too obviously. and In
that case we may assume that4Erance
is NOT Unwilling TO be supposed little
more behindhnnd In her military Affairs
than 1.-THE fact. The nations that nm.
derrates her IN time OF war WIN astcef-
tainly rue It. for when OF late her
strength had occasion to be pnt forth
nothing appenred thnt might tend to
show her a shadow. weaker tiian her
fellcw powers. S. -
France now demands three years ac.
|. tiye service ffDin all her mnle citfIens,
|Ethen her soldiers Spnss into the active
reserve. which position they occupy
for ten yeafs. s During that time they
are; twice cailed into the Geld and each
term OF service lusts for q: month Her
Fswarri0rss then pass Into theifcrritoriai
4 nrrny. Iii which they serres for six
| years and during which period they
y 60 upon active service for zone fort.
might: They then pass Into the terri.
i torfaI reserve. where they remain untfI
reaching tho Ags, or forty I'VE; Il kience.
forward a Frenchninnsls exempt from
I military duty. bnt until 9..iis fcrty .fifth.
s birthday he atte' Ids a muster roll once
< n year AMI I'd AZ n 10 fnafifeitf ilnhIa IN