Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-08-20


w they would to a man advise
Uncle Sam to inaugurate a system of
easy but compulsory military service
based upon that in operation in
Switzerland.
The forthcoming report to Presi-
dent Wilson of the Secretaries of War
and Navy may not contain such rec
ommendation because the experts
know of the prejudice in the Ameri-
can public mind against militarism
and compulsory service sounds mill
taristic. But they nevertheless believe
that this would be the best solution of
the question of preparedness.
For Switzerland, most peaceful OF
nations. has sifted the absolutely es-
sential out of the mass of work of the
world in training it's military and has
developed a system which in forty-five
days will convert the youngster of the
street or the farm into a flrst-class
| fighting man. If the United States had
the Swiss system in operation it would
be able to call to arms in a week
| 100000 soldiers capable of meeting
an army of equal strength from any
nation in the world and giving an ac-
count of itself. Had 1t such a dormant
army. it is claimed that 1t would be
absolutely safe from attack and would
remain forever at peace. 1t is also
held that the training thus given the
| youth of the land would be vastly to
| it's benefit.
What, then, is this system of Switzer-
land and is it adaptable to the needs
of the United States? Let us see
whether compulsory military service is
a burdensome tyranny upon this ad-
mirable people.
In Switzerland
In Switzerland every lad, during the
summer of the year in which he
o11, k1n Nf fufn ,fxr arfe fnr
military service. There are depots
within convenient reach of his home.
| He is carefully examined and if he is
found to be physically fit he has passed
milestone in his career as a possible
| defender of his country. About half
of those examined are accepted. 1t is
a recommendation to a lad to have
passed these tests and it reflects upon
him If he has failed Prospective en-
ployers take note of success or failure
/ in this test and, since the demand for
eugenic parents has come into being,
the young man who has been shown
unfit to serve his country may have
difficulty in getting himself wife.
Every lad hopes above all else to be
able to pass his examination with
credit. The public schools give set
| ting-up exercises and calisthenics to
develop the youngsters. There are
many military organizations among the
! boys to train them for the test The
effect Is felt among the youth of the
land in it's desire to become physically
| fit There is also a mental exami-
nation in common school subjects, and,
where a lad fails to pass this, he is re-
quired to go to night school and make
UP his deficiencies.
| Each young man Is given a book, in
which the results of these tests are set
| down. The following summer, that of
| in int "a fxua
one, he reports for work in the cadet
school. Here he gets forty-five days OF
very strenuous work in the few tasks
which Switzerland regards as most es-
sential parts of a military training.
These are field work and shooting. II
Is held that If man can do credit to
! himself in the open, on the march, in
camp. in preparation for battle, and If
he can shoot when the time comes to
| fight, he is a pretty good soldier.
Training Out of Doors
These youngsters do not know what
drill hall is. All their training takes
place out of doors. They learn how
to make camp, how to live properly in
| the open, how to carry their KNAPP
sacks. how to dig trenches, how to
shoot, how to bear gruelling marches.
What they learn of the precision of
the drill ground is merely incidental
and picked up during marches and
| other maneuvers. Switzerland does
not believe that great amount of this
parade ground precision is necessary.
During this first period of training
the recruit has fired 200 actual shots
with the sort of gun he would use
during war and his instructors have
seen that he handled his weapon cor
rectly. AS the weeks of vigorous ex-
| ercise in the open have passed he has
| felt his strength developing and has
grown to take pride in it. Finally
toward the end, he is given two days
and a night of ceaseless. grinding
marching-such q test as he might be
called upon to meet in a great emer-
i gency He Is shown what hardship is
how he may endure it, how he will
recover from 1t, 1t is six weeks as
though he were actually at war.
This is the major part of the COM
pulsory military service of the young
citizen of Switzerland. When he has
completed 1t his record is entered In
his book and he Is sent home. He Ii
assigned to a battalion. He Is giver
his uniform, his gun, his full accouter.
ment. He is now a member of the
'elite." Until he is sixty years old he
retains his uniform and gun and ii
subject to call by his country
Sixteen Days in Field
| Within year or two years he will
be required to do service with his regt