Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-02-24
I From the Snokatie Spokesman
Review.

mas 2 nOn-m1ttt8flSylc system of
national defense that commands
the respect and admiration Of
the world. # menaced by inva-
sion the Swiss constitution pro-
hibita wars of aggression) the re-
public can call 100000 trained
men to the colorsiin two days, and
in week 500, 900 more.
So many allusions are made to
this excellent system,'' said Dr..
Henry Ferguson in recent pub
Ii address which has just been
published by Dr.. Drury, rector Of
st. Paul's school for boys at Con
cord, N. H.. "that it is we'll to I'M
derstand explicitly what that sys-
tenn is. It is as simple as it is
admirable combining the earliest
training with the rudiments of
elementary compulsory education
and keepin gthe adult citizen in
readiness for service without
serious burden.
Every school hoy is taught
that his country has claim upon
his services in her defense, and is
carefully trained by athletic ex-
erciscs, approved OF and directed
by the government, that 1T him to
use his growing strength to the
greatest advantage.
Athletio Tralnlas IN 9ehosjs.
These exercises are not of the
nature of a militory dfill. but fur
nish progressive training, be-
ginning when the boys are quite
young and continuing through
their school life. They not only
lead to a symmetrical and care
full development of the individ-
uals, but also accustom the chill
dren to the common action, under
skilled direction, fitting them to
fall in readily with the later tech
nical military instruction when
the time shall come for it.
The great value Of this train.
ing of the children. by the gov
eminent is that it cO-ordinates
the school with the subsequent
camps of instruction, so that all
public energies are directed to q
common advantage.
When the boys become young
men, rifle shooting is most care
fully encouraged, and clubs, So
cieties and associations formed
to practice this most useful ac-
complishment. Prizes are offered
by the federal government, by the
various cantons corresponding
to our state governmental, by the
municipalities and the communes,
and the young Swiss is taught, as
our own ancestors were in CO.
lonial days, to shoot straight, to
speak the truth and to keep his
body under subsection.
Becomes nsofult q Twenty.
"Once in every year the men
OF 20 years of age are called upon
by their several cantons to meet
in central place in each canton
and take q series of tests with the
object of ascertaining whether
they are physically and mentally
able to serve their country.
The recuits are then sent to
training camps, where they re-
ceive from sixty to ninety days
instruction, according TO the
branch Of the service they arc
thought qualified to enter.
After this, for eleven years,
from the age Of "a to SO, the re-
crnit is called out for eleven days
in the year to refresh. his train
ing, and then he is transferred
from the elite TO the landwehr Oh
first reserve. He serves in this
for twelve years longer, being
called into the field only in al
ternate years, and then for only
eleven days.
Then he passes into the
landstrum or second reserve, un-
til at 10 his period OF service is
completed. The government
keeps in existence the head of the
ordnance department, the general
staff and the corps Of instructors
need for the organization.
Each soldier is given his uni
form and his rifle, for the care
of which he is responsible. Cav.
airy soldiers have also Their
horses. With these in hand mob
|jlization is immediate.
THE system has not, indeed
been tested by war, but ON occa-
sions when mobilization was nee
essary to preserve the country's
neutrality, as in 1870 and at the
present day, it has worked we'll
and the tiny country is loyalls
and vigorously defended by hel
own dier-eitizens.
ideals ssfers ssiss yueth.
Officers are made through
merit and are given specia
courses and retained in active
service for longer periods. The
law permits no soldier to decline
promotion with it's added respon-
sibilities in either the commits.