The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-05-28
PUT HALY'S army
AT 100000 MEN
Estimate of Strength When All
the Reservists Are Called.
THE FORCE is DIVIDED.
Service is Compulsory and 100000
of the COuntry's Youths on an
Average Join Yearly.

of the COuntry's Youths on an
Average Join Yearly.
New York, May 26.-In 101 B. C.
Caius Marius defeated and almost an
initiated an army of Cimbri and
Teutones-ancestors of the Germans
of today-which was trying to invade
Italy from the northwest. The bat
tie took place at vercelli, in Pied
mont, between what is now Turin
and Milan. Marius was hailed as the
Savior of his country" He had
performed unique feat. Never be-
fore nor since has Italy been able to
defeat an invading army in the north
from the days of Huns, Goths and
Vandals, down to the time of Napo-
leon in 1900. The reason is quite
simple. The approaches to Italy are
beyond her. frontier, and the Alps
form thus g. barrier, but not a ram
part for her-a gate which opens in
ward, not outward.
Every summer Italy holds her ma
noeuvres usually in Piedmont or
Lombardy, and the invading army
has always gained the victory-that
is an enemy coming from France or
Switzerland would be likely to win
in actual warfare. The same thing
happened a few years ago when the
manoeuvres were held eastward in
Venetia and an imaginary army com
ing from the Austrian Trentino won.
But behind this obvious display OF
excellent tactics but useless strategy
which, Italy, as faithful member OF
the Triple Alliance, periodically en-
ployed, there have been other ma
noeuvres conducted by small bodies
of men, the results of which have
been kept secret from foreign mill.
tary attaches. ----.-s ..--.--.. .--..-.
1t is estimated that the total
strength of the Italian army is g..
300,202 when the reservists are
utilized to their full strength, thus;
Standing or permanent army, 300.-
900, peace footing plus 734,4O1;
mobile militia, 100000 trained men
plus 120,170 reservists, making
20,170; territorial army of trained
and unframed men, 2,275,631.
In Italy, as in most continental
countries, military service is compul-
sorry and universal. According to the
new regulations the period of liabili-
ty to service is nineteen years ana
ends at the age of thirty-nine. Every
year the young men who reach the
age OF twenty-they number about
round 00,000-are divided into
three categories. The first and sec
ond are enrolled in the permanent
army; but as this army has only
2S9,50O men in time of peace, the
second category receives unlimited
leave" The men of the third are
mustered into the territorial militia
which may be- called upon only in
case the country is threatened with
invasion.
The term of service Is two years
for all arms. After that the men are
transferred to the reserve, where
they remain until they have complet.
ed a total of eight years service
They then pass into the mobile mill.
tia, where they remain for four
years. Then comes the transfer into
the territorial militia, where they
remain seven years. or until they are
80 years of age.
For the first eight years of theil
service the second category recruits
arc regarded as belonging to the per-
manent army, and during this period
they are supposed TO receive from
two to six months training, which
may be spread over several years
They then pass into the mobile mill.
tia and then INTO the territorial mill.
tie under the same conditions and for
the same pef!ods as do those of the
first category. Men OF 1he third cate
1ory who enter the territorial mii.
tia at opcc recenc thirty tays train
ing