Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-05-15
FRANCE PLANS
REDUCTION OF
ARMY SERVICE
Duration of Enlistment, 1t Is
Understood, Will Be Re-
duced to Is Months.
PAID LIKE CIVILIANS

scented to the French parliament shortly
| a bill which will establish the bases of
the French peace-t time army.
The representative of the Christian
| Science Monitor in Paris has been able
to obtain fro mauthoritative sources
forecast of the intentions of the govern
ment in this connection.
France has been greatly moved by the
suggestion that she is a military nation
and it is a fact that even the socialists
do not propose eto abolish compulsory
service in the army.
At the most they propose to reduce the
present period of three years service to
one year.
It is merely a question of few
months, more or less, for the govern
ment has arrived at the conclusion that
the duration of military service for all
young Frenehmen shall be reduced to
| eighteen months.
WHOLE COUNTRY
LIKES DECISION.
This is an important decision which
will be hailed with Joy by the whole
country, for certainly three years In the
army at a moment when young man
should be preparing for his future career
has been a serious burden both for the
individual and for the nation.
The present proposal IS bad enough,
but il is contended that in view of the
dangers which face France 1t is impos-
sibIe to go further in the way OF dis
armament.
with the normal amount of leave, the
young Frenchman will really serve under
the colors for fifteen months.
There will thus be at any given mo-
ment one and half classes in the army
and this works out at $50, 600 men,
Are $4,000 men sufficient
The authorities, although they have
taken this decision, reply in the negative.
There must be supplementary measures.
Big military commitments have been
made, and it will be necessary to double
this figure
During ahe period Of transition. France
will be obliged, It is urged, TO have
troops in Morocco, in TZecho- Slovakia, In
Turkey, In Syria, perhaps even in Austria,
certainly on the Rhine, while some sort
of forces must be kept in readiness in
case of trouble with Hungary and Bull
garia.
Europe Is so unsettled that France,
which considers herself the advance
guard of civilization, can not afford to
run risks.
Ii is therefore proposed that the total
number OF men in the French army until
such day as Germany and her allies dem
onstrate that they have only pacific in
tentions, shall be kept Mt 100000.
With a period of eighteen months
service how are the additional $4,000
men 10 be found?
The answer is by native troops. by
voluntary engagements and by the re-
engagement OF men who have served IN
the army.
MORE SUBSTANTIAL
PAY ENCOURAGED.
It is then necessary, according to the
government projects, to encourage en-
gagements and re-engagements by the Of
fer Of more substantial payment. From
the point of view OF the financial situa-
ton this is an unfortunate fact, but II
is argued that there is no way out
of It,
The people insist upon the reduction
obligatory military service and therefore.
to find the necessary men. soldiers must
be paid as much as ordinary workers In
civil life.
Naturally the cost Of their keep will be
deducted
The example Of Germany, which pays
the soldiers in the reichswehr tho same
wages as An apprentice would receive for
one year and afterward the wages OF a
worker. will be followed by France
There Is no other method by which
sufficient electives can be procured than
to augment to reasonable proportions the
payment of volunteers
AUGMENT PAYMENT
SERIOUS QUESTION.
This question is being seriously dis
cussed by the war minister and by the
finance minister.
1t is unnecessary TO insist upon the Inn
mense difficulties that present themselves
from the military and financial view
point, but the general idea has been de-
termined and the detailed solution will
follow.
As a fact, there will be FIVE bills pre-
scented.
One will deal with the organization of
the army, the second will deal with the
! method OF recruiting, the third will TX
the number Of cadres, the fourth viii ap-
ply 10 volunteers and the fifth will have
to do with the raising OF native troops.