Evening star., 1916-08-17
Brig. Gen. Theodore Schwan,
U. S. A., Retired, Sees
Great Advantages.
SAYS PRESENT RECRUITING
SYSTEM WOULD FAIL
Compulsory instruction Always
Would Provide Adequate Units,
He Declares.

In the hope that It win help to clar-
ify the confusion OF ideas as to what
system of national military training
will mean to the people of the United
States, Brig. Gen. Theodore Schwan.
U. S. A, retired. has prepared a state
ment for the Association for National
Service.
Without commenting upon the
armies Of the civilized states of an
tiquity." he says. "and with respect to
the so-called hired armies, remarkfng
only that they disappeared with the
feudal system of the middle ages that
gave them birth, may state that there
supervened a period-ending. except In
England. with the Napoleonic era
during which armies were raised by
voluntary enlistment. stimulated. how
ever, whenever demanded by the oc-
casion. by methods bordering on force.
or at least by forceful persuasion.
This sort of recruitment attained its
height in the reign of Frederick Will
liam / of Prussia, the father of the
great Frederick, and filled the ranks
Of the armies Of those days with
class of men who under the then
prevalent iron discipline were readily
nodded into thoroughly dependable
soldiers.
Resort to Compulsion.
'It remained for the French revolu-
ton and the wars that grew out Of
it to bring forth armies Of a size there
tofore unknown to authentic history.
and necessitating, both in France and
the states of continental Europe at
one time or another arrayed in arms
against her-a temporary resort to
general compulsory service.
"In 1906 Prussia, having become the
most enterprising of the Germanic
truly national army. Napoleon had
sought to shackle Prussia in 1908 by
inserting a clause in the treaty of that
year prohibiting the recruitment of the
provision Frederick William ! managed
to circumvent when he caused each
contingent of the authorized maximum,
as soon as adequately trained. to be
replaced in the framework of the es-
equal strength. Napoleon's defeat at
the battle Of Leipzig demonstrated the
efficacy of this system of compulsory
military training.
would the present recruiting system
to it's utmost limit, yield the requisite
number Of fit men in time of need? 1t
sufficient in peace, would 1t be iikely
to break down in war time? what has
been the effect upon the economic af-
fairs and the character of our people
under compulsory taxation, compulsory
education and compulsory sanitation
Would the democratic spirit which
finds expression in our public institu-
tions gain or suffer by extending the
compulsory principle to include mill
tary training. e.. education for the
national defense? These and related
matters deserve to be pondered by
every patriotic citizen.
Sure to Break Down.
ION the whole the prediction seems
justified that the recruiting service, as
now conducted, would in the long run
fail to produce the required number of
men fit for service, even in time of
peace, and that it is sure to break
down when war comes or is threat
ened Under a system of national mill
tary training-obligatory for all young
men between the ages of eighteen and
twenty one-it is safe to assume that
the difficulties pointed out would dis
appear.
service-and here let me state that the
admirable policy of the Association for
National Service Is based upon this
fundamental principle and is in agree
ment with the best opinion of the mill
tary experts-among the advantages
are the following: Under the proposed
bill for national military training all
young men between the ages of eight
cen and enty-one-mentally, phys
ically and morally ft-will be liable
otptr nd
men who shall be chosen for such
training, irrespective of the accident of
birth, will be liberalized in their views
during this. the plastic period of their
from opposite social strata, serve side
by side through the training period,
each of them must gain an insight into
and be more or less affected by the
virtues and foibles, the good and the
bad qualities of the other. When now
1t is borne in mind that in military
service birth and wealth count for lit
tie and good department and soldierly
efficiency count for much. that the mill
tary instructor of a company is con-
scious that his superiors will gauge
his professional ability almost wholly
by the character. the sobriety and the
performance of his men, 1t follows that
the leveling process that Is going on
not downward: in other words. that the
chances are the student will return to
his home village or town a better man
than when he left 1t. He is sure to
return also a more efficient man.
Benefits Student Physically.
"As to the effect OF the training upon
the student physically. there can be no
question that 1t is highly bene-
fetal. for the major portion of this