South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-28
No OPPORTUNITY
FOR MILITARISM
IN ITALIAN ARMY
Democracy Maintained by Civ
ing Poor Man Chance to Rise
in important Positions in the
Ranks.

ROME. May 2s.-How the organ
ization OF the Italian army on a war
footing is arranged IS "a secret. and
the government has prohibited the
publication Of any details relating 10
IT Without transgressing that order
IL may be said that the new scheme
provides for five armies not necessdr-
ily OF equal strength each forming "A
separate command, and ready to take
the field in different parts. This does
not mean that the five armies VIII
fight in five theaters.
In the training Of the Italian sol
der in the two classes Of work hes
may be required TO perform, the gen
eraI staff had plenty of the best
material available. The man from
his native Alps. and the people living
on the chain of mountains which form
the backbone of the Italian peninsula
are hardy fellows frugal and temper
ate. and cOnstituuOnaly fitted for
mountain warfare. on the seabOard
there is a big population which not
only supplies the men required for
the navy, but has an enormous sur
plus for the land forces.
In the Lybian war the landing at
Guiana. under heavy hostile fire,
would not have been so successfully
accomplished If the troops had not
been accustomed to the sea, and the
lesson OF TripOH is that in landing, OF
opposing a landing these soldiers have
a high value. Naturally none OF
Italy's regiments are so eihclent IN
mountaineering operations as the Al
pine battalions. who are properly re-
garded as specialists, but 1t has been
the practice to send many brigades
of infantry TO the hills for training.
Minimum is Three Months
Every Italian capable of bearing
arms serves n minimum of three
20 wi m Gf
in the army. The shOrt-service men
are only sons. or the sons on whom
widowed mothers are dependent Up
10 35 years Of age the soldier IS con-
sidered TO belong TO the army OF the
first line. He passes into the Militia
Mobile" at 50, and remains in that
reserve till he is 40 years Of age, when
he is transferred 10 the territorial
army whose main duty it is to gar
rfsOn towns The territorials are
strengthened by the inclusion of the
young men who, for various reasons,
have not been kept under the first
category. and after a short service
with the colOrs have been drafted
into the territOrials. There is no
doubt ttrat Italy takes the field with
an army of fully 100000 men, ca
pable of considerable expansion.
The popularity of the Italian army
is largely due to the opportunities 1t
offers for a career to men of poor
percentage IT is a democratic army
in the true sense. and, because IN
the officers ranks there are many poor
men who have risen to important po-
sitOns, there is no danger of militar-
ism. or of a military caste. The PEG
pie take a pride in the fact that Gen.
Angelic, who commanded an army
corps in TripOi rose from the ranks.
A Young man who wishes to adopt
the army as career, but has neither
the means nor the education to join
as an officer. enlists for five years If
he is qualified he becomes a sergeant
in six months. and later on, should
he show he possesses the military
qualifications, he moves up to com
missioned rank. and is sent TO the
cavalry or infantry school officers of
this class are not called upon TO pay
any fees. and if the progress in their
studies warrants it they are con-
hrmed in their rank and returned TO
their regiments
Discipline Is Strict
Discipline in the army is strict, and
care is taken to compel all ranks TO
be temperate. Drunkenness is an eX-
tremely rare crime. While never de
parting from the rules enforcing strict
discipline officers are encouraged 10
take interest in the rank and file, and
the almost paternal influence eNer-
ciSed by officers over the men they
command IS remembered long dlleI
the period OF service with the COlOrs
has expired 1t accounts. i'm no small
degree, for the splendid feeling among
all ranks.
There is an absence of bullying or
the part Of officers and nOn-cOmmis-
stoned officers. and the recruit is made
TO feel that it is his duty as a pa
triotic citizen 10 become q good sol
der servant of the state. and that
he should take a pride in this work
He returns TO civil life better for hi!
military training
Many men on joining are illiterate
They come from sparsely populated
district in the hills or in the country
where the benefits Of schools wer,
not within their reach in their boy
hood years. They pass out of tn
army with some education. for Z
each training center the government
has attached fully qualified teachers
who have daily classes for men no
able to pass an elementary test
P0NGPEGATI0 Will MEEI