Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-06-01
Swiss Captain Tells Congress Of Bene.
fits Of Military Training

upon the efficiency of the man in in
dustrial and commercial life?" in
quired Senator Beckham.
II think, senator, it has good
effect" answered DIR. Christen. "a
man in the army gets his rating. An
army, If 1t amounts to anything, Is
training school for the Individual
If he makes good 1t is acknowledged:
II he does not make good he shows
it. If he does not make good in the
army his rating in civilian life is in
ferior considerably"
Does this system interfere much
with Industrial life injuriously%
asked Chairman Chamberlain; that
is, does it take men out of the busi-
ness and industrial life and interfere
with business%
mo, senator, it does not: The
fact that the original training SER
vice Of 67 days is in one year-that
is, the Goth year-and that there
after the man has for about seven
years only 13 days, lessons what
might be an interference"
Does Not Disturb the Industrial
Fabric.
ut takes him out of industrial life,
really at a time before he begins?'
Eyes, before he begins; that is, he
knows years before that he has to
put aside 81 days in that year, and all
the arrangements are made. He is
not very far advanced at 20 in any
pursuit. If the man is an employe,
many employers pay them part Of
their wages. All employers keep their
places open. There is really no
hardship, and it does not disturb In
ysvaN1tha-inA inAansasiaa .fsssiasafej
country"
Does this Swiss system have the
effect of cultivating an aggressive or
offensive military spirit, or is 1t a
policy which creates a patriotic spir-
it and one of defense simply?" asked
the chairman.
1T does not create that spirit Of
aggression. l think it curbs it to a
certain exeent. A man who has been
an actual soldier-that is, has train
ing and seen the effect of weapons
and seen the difficulties and dangers
to which a soldier is exposed-loses
the desire to expose himself, If he
does not have to, to any such danger.
1t has a SOLDERING effect, according to
my knowledge"
Compares Swiss Plan With Our Ma
tiOnal Guard. =
DR.. Christen is especially capable
Of comparing the Swiss compulsory
system with our American plan OF a
volunteer militia, for he holds an hon
orable discharge from the Ohio ma
tional guard.
Il entered that some years ago to
see what it amounts to-" he said. Il
have seen what it amounts to after
having been a Swiss officer. While
the spirit is very good want to
speak highly of tit is inadequate.
1T provides for inadequate train
ing, for absolutely no reserve. These
units are practically i'll the air; they
are not attached to any division; they
hre not attached to any army corps /;
they never see the man who would
eventually lead the whole body of
them. They have great many other
intrinsic weaknesses which can not
be eliminated by the volunteer sys-
TEN. The volunteer system, unfortu-
nately, has inherent weaknesses to
which l will not refer
Volunteer Plan Unfair, Says Former
CINCINNATI Mayor.
Former Mayor Henry Il. Hunt of
Cincinnati, who Immediately followed
Dr. Christen, emphasized the chief
weakness Of the volunteer plan. The
Swiss system, he said, is democratic,
but "the unfairness of the volunteer
system must be obvious to any man.
why" asked Mr.. Hunt, SHOULD
exl ect another man to volunteer and
risk his life and expose his family to
want, while I remain at home and
amass perhaps a fortune, leaving my
children we'll off, while his children
| perhaps are reduced to poverty? 1t
! strikes me that every man who Is an
American citizen, every man who has
the right to vote and control or affect
the policies of his government, should
bear his part of its responsibilities;
he should be willing, and he should
be trained to meet whatever may Of
fer. A part of what is sure to offer
is the aggression of some foreign
power.
"The volunteer system is really most
unfair. 1t takes the most patriotic,
the most intelligent classes of the COM
munity, the most unselfish, the most
enthusiastic, the very blood We ought
to try to retain in being, and sends
them forth, while the Indifferent, the