The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1916-02-26
SWISS PLAN OF
A CITIZEN ARMY
EARLY TRAINING IN PUBLIC
SCHOOLS

With a population of only 4,CA0
900 the little Swiss republic has
a nonmilitaristic system of nation
al defense that commands the re-
spect and admiration of the world.
If menaced by invasion, the Swiss
constitution prohibits wars of ag-
erosion, the republic can call 20G,.
days, and in a week 100000 more.
so many illusions are made to
this excellent SYSTEM" said DIR. II.
Ferguson in a recent public address
which has just been published by
DR.. Drury, rector of St. Paul's
school for boys at Concord, N. H.,
.e'that it is well to understand ex-
plicitly what that system is. 1t
is as simple as it is admirable, COM
biring the earliest training with the
rudlments of elementary compulsolv
education, and keeping the adult
citizen in readiness for service with
out serious burden.
Every schoolboy is taught tina:
lis country has a claim upon his
services in her defense, and is
carefully trained by athletic exer.
cises, approved of and directed by
the government, that fit him to use
his growing strength to the great
est advantage.
There exercises are not of the
nature of a military drill, but fur
nish a progressive training, begin
ming when the boys are quite young
and continuing through their school
life. They not only lead to a sym
metrical and careful development of
the individuals, but also accustOm
the children to the common action,
under skilled directions. fitting them
to fall in readily with the later
technical military instructor when
the time shall come for it.
The great value of this train
ing of the children by the govern
ment is that it co-ordinates the
school with the subsequent camps
of instruction, so that all public
energies are directed to a common
advantage.
When the boys become young
men, rifle shooting is most care.
fully encouraged, and clubs, socie'
ties and associations formed tc
practice this useful accomplishment
Prizes are offered by the fedora
government by the various cantons
corresponding to our state govern
ments, by the municipalities and
the young Swiss is taught, as our
own ancestors were in colonial days
to shoot straight, to speak the
truth and tt keep his body under
subsection.
Once in every year the men OF
20 years of age are called upon
by their several cantons to meet IL
a central place in each canton and
take a series of tests with the OBJ
ject of ~ascertaining whether they
are physically and mentally able Il
serve their country.
The recruits and sent to train
ing camps, where they receive from
90 to 80 days instruction. After
this, for II years, from the age
of 81 to 32, the recruit is called
out for II days il the year., and
then he is transferred from The
elite to the landwehr or first &C.
serve. He serves in this for Il
years longer, being called into the
field only in alternate years, and
then for II days. Then he passes
into the landstrum or second
serve, until at AS his period of ser
/ vice completed.
Each soldier is given his uni
form and his rifle, for the care OF
which he is responsible. Cavalry
soldiers have also their horses. With
these hand mobilization is imme-
diate.
The system has not, indeed, been
tested by war, but on occasions
when mobilization was necessary re
preserve neutrality, as IL 1870 ano
at the present day, it has worked
well, and the tiny country is loyal
ly and vigorously defended by her
own citizen soldiers"