Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-16
ART OF SELE-DEFENSE
DEVELOPED BY SWISS
System Fitted to Ideals Which Do
Not Accept Doctrines of
Militarism.
Confederation Forces Denominated
"citizen Army" Says National
Geographic Society Bulletin.

Nowhere else in the world has the
art of self-defense better adjusted
itself to geographical conditions than
in the littel republic of Switzerland"
says a bulletin Of the National Geo
graphic Society.
while the subject of national pre-
paredness holds such a large place in
the minds of the American people, it
becomes of value to study the remark
able system the Swiss people have
evolved-a system fitted to national
ideals which do not accept the doc
trines Of militarism on the one hand,
and which reject the doctrines of peace
at any price on the other. The Swiss
system is particularly interesting to
Americans because of the kindred
theories of government in Switzerland
and the United States, the similar as
pirations of their people and the close
relationship of their needs.
Although they have democratic ten
although they believe in local self
government perhaps more thoroughly
than we do. and although they possess
very; deep conviction that central
author1ty must not encroach upon the
rights Of the cantons, the people Of
switzerland have made themselves a
nation under arms, yet nation with
out the slightest thought of adding a
foot OF its territory or of disturbing
that peace whose blessings it loves
and appreciates
No Regular" Army There.
There Is nothing in Switzerland cor
responding to a regular army One
might hunt for months around the
country without finding one man whose
profession is military; yet almost as
hard would IT be to discover one able
bodied citizen who has not had some
soldier training
while Switzerland has a population
smaller than that Of Massachusetts
with an area twice as large, it can
mobilize 100000 men In twenty-four
hours. On the same basis, the United
States could put 100000 men into the
field. though. of course, it would take
longer to get them to central points
of mobilization. Behind a field army
Of 100000 the Swiss have reserve of
equal proportions. The United States
could. under the Swiss system, have a
trained army of citizens reaching a
grand total of 100000 men of all
arms. Under that standard we would
have 100 trained men for every town
of 1000 population; while county of
10000 inhabitants could thus send 2,400
| men to the front and hold as many
more in reserve.
There is no soldiery in the military
world costing as little per man as
| the Swiss.
voluntary Compulsory" System.
This difference arises from the fact
| that the army of the Swiss confedera-
tion is in truth citizen army. 1t is
organised on what has been called the
voluntary compulsory system, to
which the Swiss people have freely re-
signed themselves in order to guaran-
tee the Independence OF their country.
The Swiss boy, at the age of ten is
put into the gymnastic class at school,
and begins learning the elements of
the soldier drill on the schoolhouse
playground. Long before he is old
enough to be called upon for service
ne has learned to do the manual exer-
cisss and to go through much of the
dier.
When a boy reaches seventeen years
he is liable to service-a liability which
continues until he Is fifty years of age.
he is capable OF doing any other army
work than soldering, such as acting
! as baker or veterinary surgeon.
Yet with all of this universal train
| iHSs LILO Only people oWllZcTlanu
who make arms an exclusive profess
sion are the commander chief, Sc
lected by the federal assembly. and the
general staff. These form the brains
of the army. The rank and file belong
to the cantons, just as the militia do
| to the state in this country.
Becomes Unit at Age Of Twenty.
AT the age of twenty every able
| bodied Swiss youth becomes a unit in
| the first line. During the first year of
liability he must serve seventy-five
days or more. and eleven days for each
| successive year he is called to the
| standard. Service in the first line con-
| tinues until the citizen has reached the
ago OF thirty-two. Thereafter he be-
| comes a unit in the landwehr or first
| reserve. in which he remains until he
is forty-gour He must give nine days
| of service during each four years that
he belongs to the landwehr. From
forty-four to nifty he serves in the
landsturm or second reserve.
Rich and poor serve side by side in
| the Swiss army. and there is none Of
the crack regiment idea to be found.
There IL only one general, and he is
lpicked from a nation OF soldiers; nor is
his remuneration lordly. for his salary
is only $40 day. The caste system has
not been permitted to creep into the
Swiss army, for the very essence of
the Swiss military idea Is that all men
start from the scratch. and that brain
and ability must win the race.
required by federal law to maintain
at public expense, a safe and suitable
ttarget range of not less than 1000