Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-20
WAR COLLEGE STUDYING WAR
PREPAREDNESS OF STOUT
LITTLE REPUBLIC.
HAS MUCH TO COMMEND
IN TRAINING OF SOLDIERS
Problem Of United States 10 How Best
to Prepare For War and Avoid
Enormous Expsnss-Wsst Point
Training Many Youths Not Adapted
to Military Service.
Tspecial Correspondence.l


Washington, May 20. - The impress
sion is strong in we'll informed quar-
tiers that the war college will recon-
mend to Secretary Garrison some plan
based on the Swiss system for solving
the military problem OF this country.
1t is known that many Of the most
efficient and far sighted Of the army
officers think well of the Swiss system.
Whether Secretary Garrison will final
ly recommend this system to congress
1t is too early to tell but it is certain
that it will find favor among many
members of the house and senate.
In recent weeks, the eyes Of the
American people have been opened as
they have not been opened in years to
the defenseless state Of the nation.
Possibilities of clash with Germany
have served to bring into the limelight
the strange inadequacy Of the Ameri-
can land forces and the American mill
tary system. To an extent. the inade-
quacy Of the navy has been revealed
but everybody knows the navy In COM
parison with the army Is in a condition
of high preparedness. II
Preparedness and Miiitarisna.
How is the United States to>develop
a system Of preparedness without mill.
tarism? How Is 1t to develop demo-
cratic army?
These are questions to tax the best
brains of the war department and OF
congress.
Il Considered from the standpoint OF
the avoidance Of militarism while af-
fording defense and avoiding extreme
expense, there Is little doubt the Swiss
system is the best one yet devised. The
Australian is closely akin to 1t. Secre-
tary Garrison Is known to regard 1t as
a possible solution for the American
military problem and he 10 having the
war college study It and the Australian
system. 1t looks to the preparedness
of the individual without large
standing army, encourages rifle prac-
tice, and is based on the theory that
men owe military service to tho coun-
try shout as they owe taxes. that 10
alike.
Lieut.. Col. George Bell. Jr.. after
study Of the Swiss system, said that
while the professional soldier might
find much to criticize about details OF
the military training, yet it had merit
There is something about this
army" said he which makes It more
to be dreaded than some regular mill
tary establishments which show more
skill and precision in exercises. but do
not possess the endurance. education,
and wonderful patriotism which would
endure anything. Any nation, however
powerful, will pause before invading
Switzerland for this army OF nation AZ
arms, before being killed or annihi-
lated by sheer force Of numbers, Will
inflict terrible losses"
Col. w. C. Sanger commends the
Swiss system as proof that . nation
can train all it's citizens for defense
and yet escape militarism. He calls
the Swiss forces tho best militia In the
world.
American Soldier Costly.
Experts Of the war college say the
American soldier costs twenty-eight
times as much as the Swiss soldier.
Mobilization can be effected in three
days. Lieutenant Colonel Bell gives
description Of mobilization OF Swiss
battalion. It was effected In the most
orderly manner between o'clock IN
the morning and o'clock in the after
noon. It was accompanied by the most
thorough inspection Of equipment, In
Guiding arms, ammunition and food
supplies.
More or less has been published in
recent months about the Swiss system.
The general features Of 1t are familiar.
In Switzerland every citizen ID q SOL
der unless mental or physical disabili-
ties bar him from the service. Profess
sional soldiers are few and are as
signed chiefly to the work of military
education. Education begins at II with
the cadet corps, which are voluntary
organizations Of boys. trained in
marching, drills and some exercises OF
the manual Of arms. Chief attention is
given to gymnastics and shooting with
the end in view Of turning out vigorous
and agile youths. Regular military
service begins for each man at the age
OF 90 Recruits are fitted out with
complete equipment, including > rifle.
These articles he takes home with him
and keeps until the end Of his military
service at so.
Weakness Of American systsna.
The idea Of having every citizen
train for possible military service has
always been opposed in this country. It
will, of course, continue to meet strong,
opposition. It may be that itlcan not
be put into effect. At the same time.
there is strong feeling in the country
today that system which VIII De, at
once effective and not militaristic and
which will endure must be established
One of the essential points Of the Swiss