Evening star., 1925-03-29
40 LISTED TO j. s.
IN FOREIGN LEGION
identities in Noted Group Al
ways Doubtful as No Ques-
tiOnS Are Asked.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
PARIS. February 23.-Approxi-
mately 40 self-styled Americans are
serving in the famous Foreign Legion
of the French army, scattered in
Algeria, Morocco, Syria and Tonkin,
but how many of that two-score are
really citizens of the United States
the French war department is un-
able to say. All it knows is that
within the past three years 40 men
describing themselves as Americans
have enlisted.
The reason for lack of accurate
data on these self-exiled or self
styled Americans is that the French
army requires absolutely no identity
papers of applicants for service in it's
renowned eXpeditionary corps. 4
German who has never been any
farther west than Frankfurt on the
Main may present himself before a
recruiting officer and join the legion
under the name of Otto Schmidt,
American, born in Hoboken. SINH
larry a Pole may join up as Stanislas
Skryzskinski American, born and
bred in Cleveland. Provided the ap-
plicant meets the physical require
ments which are fairly stiff, the
French recruiting authorities make
no investigation. mo questions
asked" is the legion's rule.
Founded "to Offer Refuge"
For the Legion Etrangere was
founded ito offer refuge" according
10 the minister of King Louis Phil
ippe, who organized it in 1881, ito
those foreigners who. by reason of
the troubled state of Europe, have
come within our borders and whose
presence, unemployed and harassed
by necessity, may constitute a pubic
o 49, ~
in the legion was thrown open to
Frenchmen. From the beginning of
its history of nearly 100 years the
legion has normally been good 40
or 80 per cent German in makeup.
Yet never, according to the French
army chiefs, has that high percent
age made the slightest difference in
the legion's loyalty either to the
white flag or Louis Philippe or the
tricolor under which Frances armies
have marched during the reign of
Napoleon III and the present repub-
lican regime. The glowing citations
which the poIyglot warriors amassed
during the late war are ample proofs
that their famous song,
Having no fatherland,
France is our mother"
is no mere poetical imagery.
Now Has 10000 Members.
The legion's strength is now close
to 10000 men. In times of peace it's
electives are normally not employed
IN France proper, but in the colo
MES. The regulations provide that
the legionnaire who enlists for a
hVe-year first term of service shall
be rotated from Africa to the Far
East and back again. For the legion
the French high command tries to
1--we up to the old recruiting promise
or join the army and see the world"
The discipline, as far as regulations
go, Is exactly the same as in the reg
ular French forces. In practice the
presence of a large number of Ger
man non-commissioned officers tends
TO make it more strict. However,
foreign officers who can show good
service records may be admitted as
legion second Heutenants after six
month training period Opportunity
for attendance at the French officers
training schools is held out to all
ranks of legionnaires who show the
necessary aptitude.
Among the officers now serving
with the legion three are known to
be bonafide Americans who joined the
force during the late war. One cer-
titled American is serving as a first
the reputed 40 little is known in Off
cial quarters. And official quarters
keeping to the idea of the refuge"
are not anxious to be further in
formed.