Evening star., 1917-01-14
ARGENTINE SYSTEM
OF TRAINING MEN
Large Force Always Available
for War, Without Undue
Hardships on Any.
IN OPERATION SINCE 1901.

= Compulsory military training in the
most successfully. according to Col.
Eduardo Raybaud. military attache of
the Argentine embassy here. Col Ray
baud says that 1t is far superior to
any volunteer system which has ever
been tried. and does not work the
hardships attendant upon ordering out
militia In time of impending trouble.
Argentina has had this compulsory
system since 1901. and through it has
trained an enormous number of able
bodied men to serve with the colors
In time of war. for under the stringent
physical examinations provided under
the law a man with the slightest defect
is excused from military service.
Such a system as now exists in the
Argentine Republic can be worked IN
the United states. according to COZ.
Raybaud. who says that the conditions
in the two republics are similar
Growing Interest in System.
There is growing interest in the
United states in the Argentine system
.and Col. Raybaud is kept busy ex-
planning the system to army officers.
heads of colleges and others Interested
in establishing sound military poiicy
for the United States which would as.
sure to the country a large force OF
trained men who could be called to the
colors in time of war without .he
heavy annual expense of MAINTAINING
large forces always with the colors.
Argentina. like the United states
today" said Col. Raybaud. was faced
with the problem of getting volunteers
TO enlist in the army My country
had the regular army and militia sys
tenn now prevailing in the Unlted'
States Something had to be done. SO
in 1901, after Gen. Pablo Reichieu.
senior general of the Argentine mill
tary forces. and then secretary OF WaT,
had had personal interviews with
every member of the Argentine iegis-
lature, he succeeded in having the
present law, of which he is the autf0r.
passed. and it has worked successfully
ever since.
The militia system was costly. he
said. and while the young men or the
country were always willing 10 mock
to the colors in time of need. II was
not fair to them to take them away
from their families for long PERIODS
of military training.
Makes Liberality Possible.
There are so many men available
under the present system that the
government can be unusually liberal
in making exemptions from military
service and still continue training
very large force of men, said the
colonel. whose son has served under
the present compulsory system.
.Cnder the Argentine system the
training starts in the schools when the
boys reach twelve years. Cntil nfteen
take up the rife and continue to prac-
tice with.it until twenty. Upon reach-
ing this age their names are certined
to the war office and selections are
made Young men who are the main
supports of their families are excused
One Year in the Army.
THE young men selected are required
to serve with the colors for one year
In the army or two years with the
navy. The man does no. make the Sc
lection of either force. The heads OF
the military departments say what
branch of the service the man snail
go In. After the one or two years
of training the man passes to the hrst
reserve, remaining until he is thirty
years OF age. and then he goes 10 the
second reserve, which is supported by
the states At intervals he Is required
TO participate in maneuvers and TO
continue rife practice at the govern
ment ranges all over the country.
AT Ali times there are approximately
% 900 ofiicers and men IN the army and
10000 officers and men in the navy:
About $4,000 new men are selected
every year. The remainder are Volun-
,sers or what might be termed the
professional soldiers. who have taken
the military profession as life's work.
These men are the officers and non
commissioned officers who make up the
training force for the new men VINO
come in annually"