Bisbee daily review., 1915-01-07
\ EREE MArloN oE soLDlERs


 Gen. Leonard Wood makes this Illuminating comment on our military situation:
 Those who Che hundred millions of Americans and say Here is my army. are just as intelligent and no more so than a man standing on a peninsula in the Great Lakes. with iron un- der his feet and timber all around him. who would .uru and sweep his hand over the land and forests as he said. Here is my fleet It is his aect-if you will give him twenty years to build it."
 We are reluctantly coming to the conclusion that it about time to prepare some adequate system of mi- tary defense last until the time comes when nation need fear aggression. But what shah do? We do not want large standing army We fear Che growth of a military caste We win not tolerate universe. com scripton that takes years out of the lives of nations youth. We win not surrender individual freedom
 But just here enters the example of Switzerland, a republic like whose citizens are free and mte- gent as well governed, and all soldiers
 The present war from the first threatened sw,zer- lands existence. as it threatened Begium's But not an alien soldier has foot the soil of Switzerland and none is likely to. Her neighbors have too much respect for her army.
 "The independence of the Swiss Confederation" says the national Concordat rests upon assurances or promises emperors kings it rests upon foundation of iron that of our swors"
 Switzerland with her 100000 people. has stand ing army at aiI; but she has a thoroughly trained iis cipned and fully equipped force of nearly half mil ion men to guard her frontiers If we had the Swiss svsem that has prevailed for forty years should have from 1oOoOooo to l2oooooo soldiers available any time This is the way Switzerland does it.
 
 athletic training occupying from two to five hours week When he leaves school he may volunteer for pre- Iiminary military training and spend from 30 so hours a year in athletics marching. rife practice etc.
 In his twentieth year comes compu sorry enlistment with membership in me "elite" or first line" of th army The recruit must be fit physically morally an' mentally His services are not burdensome It involves sixty to ninety days of training with 16 cents day fo wages.
 He belongs to the first lne' for twelve years Afte the first year he must return to the coIors annually a least eleven days keep his training fresh He retain his uniform, rifle and equipment Al the of 32 h joins the second line" Landwehr and at AS is trans ferred to the "hird line" Landsturm, At 60 he is pu on the retired list In the Landwehr and Laudsturm h has to appear for about week every year review hi instruction and bring it up to date.
 Appointments and promotions made soeIy fo merit The officers of the Landwehr and Landstum a sembe frequently for war games and the discussion tactics and for the competitive target shooting in th rifle clubs
 Certain classes of citizens such ministers, poic men, railroad employees. etc., are exempt from me al nual service in time of but must serve in case war. The physically unfit pay special income t Every soldier is insured against sickness accident death while engaged in military duties
 The permanent military cstablishmen-t t must remembered that there is no standing army -conss only of a general stan territorial recruiting officers an instructors. perhaps 2o0o in an With this system d nation maintains one-tenth, of is population instant available for military service at cost of about sl7 year per man.