Evening star., 1934-11-11
BY NICHOLAS ROOSEVELT,

drill young men in camps and
barracks, old men planning war
this is what lies ahead of Italian
manhood under the direction of
new ministry headed by Mussolini
hinself-the inSpectorate of pre-
and post-military service. This body
will coordinate the activities of the
military and naval ministries and the
department of education.
At the age Of all Italian boys will
Join the so-called Wolf Balilla" or
ganization and be given uniforms.
At the age of they will become men,
bers Of the Fascist "Balilla" organi-
zation to receive "premilitary" in
struction. This is to consist OF phys
ical exercises and drill. To quote
the formal announcement, "the pur-
pose of the first stage of compulsory
pre-military training Is to give boys
a passion for military life through fire.
Quent contacts with the armed forces
whose war-like glories and traditions
will be re-evoked."
Given Weapons in Drill.
At IA the boys join the so-called
"Avanguardisti," where the training
becomes more intense and drill with
regular weapons commence. The pur-
pose of this second stage, according to
the official declaration, lis to perfect
the spiritual, physical and military
training of young man so as to
form a soldier physically and tech
nically prepared as an individual and
to prepare the specialized element of
which the armed forces have so much
need-especially the navy and air
force"
At the age of 18 the young men
begin their regular military service,
which lasts for year and a half.
For the following 10 years they are
obliged to undergo a brief military
service in camp each year. The pur-
pose is that Italy shall thus be pro-
vided with the largest possible number
of competent well trained soldiers It
means, in effect, that Immediately on
the outbreak of war the entire ma
ton will be modified or in arms.
In praising this project the Italian
papers have taken pride in pointing to
the fact that Italy is going the way of
ancient Sparta If the histories of
Greece can be relied upon, Mussolini
has not yet gone quite as far as did
the Spartans who put boys in camp
and deliberately separated them from
their families. If the histories tell the
truth-and this point none of the
Italian papers dared mention-the
Spartan system brought only tenn
porary military triumphs to Sparta and
in the process wrecked the greatest
culture that the world has ever known.
Athenians Still Symbol.
The Athenians of the age of Pericles
had no such prolonged military serv-
ice as did the Spartans. 1t was their
boast that in spite of this they had
repeatedly repulsed Spartan invaders
When they finally were defeated-as
much through their own political mis-
take as through the fighting strength
of Sparta-they left behind them the
traditions on which the civilization of
Europe was largely based-as is the
civilization of America today. Athens
still symbolizes all that is greatest in
western culture. Sparta's only claim
to fame is its system Of military train
ing-which brought all Of Greece to
ruin.
Mussolini is not alone in aping
Sparta. In Germany various groups
since the disastrous peace treaty have
been industriously training youth for
war. Today, under the leadership of
the Nazis, system is being evolved
which, although it does not exactly
parallel the Italian. is achieving the
same purpose with perhaps even
greater success. The spirit of war is
being inculcated into the youth Of
Germany-just as Mussolini hopes to
do in Italy. Military virtues are once
more being popularized The doctrine
that the salvation of Germany lies in
ultimate war is being widely and in
sistently preached. The old Teutonic
mythology is glorified. Force and
fighting is being revived and spread
throughout the country.
Warfare Occupation of Men.
The Germans do not talk so much
about Sparta. They do not even refer
to Tacitus But it is interesting to
note that observant historian, writing
of the Germans 19 centuries ago, re-
marked that warfare was the chief
occupation of the men, and that the
bravest warrior was named to lead
his countrymen in the field. The
young men enlisted in the service of
a chieftain and strove to win glory
for themselves by feats of arms. They
were ready to give their lives for their
leaders and in return expected in
event of victory to receive fair
share Of plunder. When not at war
the warriors scorned work of all kinds
and spent their time in gambling and
drinking beer. Peace bored them and
made them restless. War gave them
not only occupation, but distraction.
This Is the terrible curse of Eu-
rope-that not only is the tradition
of war centuries old, but that the
young men of Europe, with very few
exceptions, have always looked upon
war as an adventure and a release
from the dull grind of daily existence
In this respect the youth of Europe
today is little different from its armed
ancestors. Unfortunately the World
War is not even memory to children
in school. When their elders seek to
impress them with the horrors Of war
and with the suffering and losses Of
their own families in the last World
. War, their words fall on un-under-
standing ears.
Charges to WussOlini.
ffLssolini, by carrying the theory
Of militarism to logical and orderly
conclusion, has been accused by some
of his enemies of striking the death
blow at disarmament. Such a charge
is unkind to Mussolini. Disarmament,
If it was ever alive, was killed when
Hitler came to power in Germany. A
plausible case can even be made that
Germany's insistence on rearming
was the direct result of mistaken poll
cies on the part of the allies since the
war.
To apportion the blame for the fail
ure of disarmament is of only aca-
demic interest. The important thing
Is to endeavor to ascertain what will
be the results of present tendencies in
Europe.
Yto1, ool o,o