New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-24

Bv the Australian defence act OF lsos' 'he
rrinciple that every citizen is liable to De
trained to serve his country was made Ia"
for the first time IN any English speaking
community The obligation is accepted ana
supported by the very class most oittef!
opposed TO militarsm as organized 1or az
gression and not defence-unlon laoor' III
the commonwealth union labor controls 'ne
federal and five out of the SIX state lesi
latures Union labor also controls the munlc-
irsl councils of many of the big cities.
Iabor oave it's sanction to compulsory train
inc as soon as it got assurances that the
citizen soldiers could not be used IN strikes
and industrial disorders to shoot down tneir
fellow men and women.
Australia has two very good reasons to be
ready for defence: First, as member OF
the British Empire she is legitimate prey
for any nation at war with Britain second
with a territorial erea larger than that oil
the United States ard population less than
that of greater New York to defend IT. she
watches with uneasy glances the teeming
millions of Asia seething outside her very
doors
The present system is provided for by acts
passed between 1908 and 1914. BY the acts
of 1903 and 1904 all males between the ages
OF eighteen and sixty were made liable to
serve in defence forces in time OF war. Later
legislation makes training and service COM
pulsory in time Of peace. All males between
twelve and twenty-six must serve framing
is arranged as follows: From twelve to four
teen in the junior cadets; from fourteen to
eighteen, in the senior cadets; from eighteen
to twenty-six, in the citizen forces.
Junior cadets put in ninety hours training
year. Aimed chiefly at developing the lads
physique, it consists Of exercises for at
least fifteen minutes every school day, with
elementary marching drill, miniature rife
shooting, swimming organized games, hrst
aid and Gin schools in naval training areas
mariners compass and simple signalling are
added No uniform is worn; instruction is
given by school teachers specially trained for
the purpose by government experts.
Senior cadet training, consisting Of forty
drills a year for each of the four years,
covers the foundation work for service IN
any military arm. 1t comprises marching,
q .
first aid guard and sentry duty, tactical
training MS a company in field work, ele-
mentary battalion drill The youths are not
required to attend camp.
Total Training in Camp
The eight years in the adult citizen forces
comprise continuous training in camp for
seventeen days each year for naval forces,
artillery and engineer arms, and eight days
for other arms-together with eight days
home training for all arms. Total service
is thus twenty-five days a year for specialist
and technical corps and sixteen days year
for other corps, chief Of which are light
horse and infantry. Only one registration
muster parade is required during the last
year in normal peace times. Uniforms, rifles
and ammunition are provided by the govern
ment. Uniform, worn on all parades and
drills, is forbidden when the citizen soldiers
are off duty. No opportunity or encourage
ment is given for the growth of military
caste, since there is no governmental or
social recognition of the profession Of arms
outside the bare exigencies of actual train
ing periods Anthropometric statistics, use
full in many ways, are taken of every trainee
and carefully recorded and tabulated when
taken.
No hardships or determinations. avoldable
after the larger interests Of defence are Sc
cured. arc permitted. Those forbidden 70
bear arms by their religion are allotted such
non-combatant tasks as stretcher-bearing,