The Washington times., 1916-03-09
CHAMBERLAIN IS FOR
I! THE SWISS SYSTEM
Chairman Of Senate Military
Affairs Committee Has Army
Program Of His Own.

Senator Chamberlain Of oregon. chair
man of the Senate Committee on Mill
tary Affairs. has a bill for military
service modelled after the Swiss system.
Senator Chamberlain Is not hopeful
for its passage by this Congress. but will
press II for serious consideration as a
means OF educating the country to fuller
knowledge Of the merits and benefits
OF universal military training for the
young men of the nation, says the Spo-
kane 6pokesmen-Review.
He believes that dependence on the
volunteer spirit Is neither Just nor ade-
quate.
The Spokesman Review continues
washington and the officers OF his
time" said General Wood in a recent
ADDRESS. were convinced of the folly
OF depending upon volunteers. They
population during the early stages OF
war, but their enthusiasm soon passes
away and the bounty and the draft
follow.
Volunteer System Failed.
In the civil war we of necessity con-
tinued the volunteer system, no general
policy looking to military efficiency hav-
Ing been inaugurated. and the two
armies, each undisciplined and untrain..
ca, learned the game of war together,
and after several years were nodded into
excellent fighting machines.
In this war, as In preceding wars the
volunteer system failed absolutely, and
both the North and the South had 10 20
to the draft and every attendant evil
OF the bounty system. with its accom-
etc, which tended to demoraIize the
public conscience In all which pertained
TO the sacredness Of the military obliga-
Tho number of desertions, was enor-
nous. Charles Francis Adams paces II
as high as 81, o00. out OF a total enlist
ment In the Northern armies of some
thing over 100000. or nearly one in
FIVE"
Stimson Fav0rs Swiss.
Former Secretary Of War Henry l..
Stimson 10 another stanch advocate OF
the Swiss system.
SSwitzerland." recently said Mr.. Slim
son, furnishes striking example of
what can be done under an efficient
combination Of. short training and the
reserve system. The soldier as Sc to W
days OF intensive training anu then re-
turns to his home as a member of the
reserve From time to time Iabout once
In every two years. he has to serve for
Few days to renew his training.
This 10 an extreme application Of the
system and has given Switzerland q
force sufficiently large and well trained
10 save the little nation from the fate
which befell Belgium. Her population
In about that OF Massa chusetts, vet she
can mobilize 10000 trained soldiers,
FULLY equipped. In twenty-four hours,
and can support this first line in a few
days with 10000 more trained men.
The annual cost of this to Switzer-
land is little more than $6, 900, 100. COM
pare this with what we spend and what
we have to show for the expenditure.
Each Soldier Costs 1000 a year.
There are many reasons why we
cannot duplicate the record of Switz-
erland. but who is there to deny, In
race or the amazing facts and figures,
that We are much further from her
example than we should be? A total
expenditure OF $65. 900, 900 in ten years
has given Switzerland a trained army
or nearly 100000 men. The total cost
TO the government of each Swiss SOL
der during that period has been sl3O.
The cost of each American soldier
during the same period has been
1t costs the United States $1,000 n
year for each regular soldier because.
10 get enough volunteers even to re-
cruit our little army, the pay must
be made high and the service light.
Service Is pitched on inducement in
stead OF duty, while In Switzerland