The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-11-01
DRAFTING AN army
CONSUMPTION Had Its Origin In
France In 1898.
Then SPREAD OVER EUROPE.

Inc errIp'e ROVER u RACED IN NaPo.
Icons Hands Forced the Other Ma
tions to Adopt the System-lts Intro
duetion Into This Country.
CONSUMPTION originated In France In
1898. At that time the country had
just passed through the long and
bloody war Of the French revolution,
which the monarchs of Europe had
banded together to crush. France, un-
der Napoleon, had come forth victori-
Gus, but her army was exhausted, and
it was evident that some new system
Of recruiting would be necessary, as
volunteer enlistment no longer sufficed.
1t was then that General Jourdan
brought forth and passed the law es-
tablishing CONSUMPTION. Since then 1t
has been the basis Of all French mill
tary legislation and, to certain ex.
tent, Of that of all other countries.
1t was through the terrible power OF
consumption that Napoleon was enabled
to carry on the gigantic wars which
characterized his reign and by means
of it, after losing in the SHOWS Of Rus
STA the largest army that up till that
time had ever been put into the field,
to reappear few months later with
another army almost as large.
: Out of necessity the other nations
were forced to follow Frances exam
pie, and CONSUMPTION became general.
Under the French regime every citi-
zen between the ages Of twenty and
twenty-five was liable to service for
five years. Prussia, however, still fur
Their developed the powers of conscrip-
ton by reducing the period Of service
In the ranks and passing her soldiers
as soon as they were sufficiently train
ed into reserve force, thus by de-
grees training her whole population.
This latter system, which was con-
sidered as one of the most farreaching
and important events Of the last GEN.
fury, owed it's origin to the conditions
imposed on Prussia by Napoleon at the
treaty Of Tilsit, whereby Prussia was
restricted to a standing army Of $4,000
men. She kept to the letter Of the law
by maintaining her army at the pre-
scribed number, but her trained citizen
reserve force was limited only by the
population of the country.
The military history Of the United
States Is as remarkable as the rise and
rapid growth Of the nation itself. In
1890, as fixed by an act Of congress-
the rank and file Of our army amount.
ed to 1,216 men, and in 1914 an English
expedition with only $500 men was
able to seize and burn Washington.
CONSUMPTION first made its appear
ance here at the time Of the war be
tween the states. at the beginning OF
| the war in 1861 our whole regular force
was but $4,000 men. At first the north
ern army was Increased by volunteer
enlistment, but the unexpected pro
longation of the war proved this meth
cd too slow to replenish the waste OF
| the armies, and in 1863 the govern
ment resorted to draft.
The first attempt to carry 1t out me
with forcible resistance and led to
serious riot in the city Of New York
which lasted for several days. All op
position, however, was put down ant
Il lut uldlL CACSolCu Win III PSSSAcA
forbearance and justice. Exemption
and substitute purchases were SO free
" given In the north that the draft hat
little effect except as a stimulus t.
the states in bringing to full strength
| their quotas Of volunteers by votini
bounties.
4 In the south, however, conscriptiol
was sweeping from the first, and to
ward the end Of the war it becam
!. omnivorous. Every man between tn
ages Of seventeen and fifty-five was le
gally liable to service, the only excus
being physical incapacity.
The total number Of men called ur
der arms by the government of til
United States between April, 1861, an
April, 1865, amounted to more tina
2,75OOOO, nearly half Of this numbe
being raised by CONSUMPTION. If to thi
we add the 100000 men from til
southern states the total armed fore
of the country at that time amounte
to almost 100000, drawn from pol
ulation of only 80, OOO,O 0O.-Philadelph
III | Ledger sa.rz. .as. -a.. eaH- E-. =.