SOUTH AFRICA'S ARMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15884, 3 April 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

SOUTH AFRICA'S ARMY.

BT R. W. riEID. (Several Botha is now in German Southwest Africa at the head of an army larger than he ever personally commanded during the South African war. The exact strength of the Union's citizen force now in the held cannot be given, for the reason that since the first day of mobilisation over most, details has been drawn the Kitchener " veil of reticence." But, judging by the number of districts which were called upon to muster men. and by the fact that, practically, all males within those areas between 19 and 45 years of age went on active service, it is apparent that Botha's army must be of very considerable dimensions. In South Africa, it is interesting to note, the situation is altogether the re- | verse of the position, during the opening phases of the war, in France and in Belgium. In the sub-continent the British are overwhelmingly the stronger in food supplies, horses, motors, guns, and j men. Were General Botha as foolish and I bombastic as the Kaiser we might expect to hear that he had "ordered" Colonels I McKenzie and Brit/.—his principal commanders—to " walk over the Kaiserj< contemptible little army." The general, however, is a man of little speech, but of great action, and that fact makes a remarkable difference. The Kaiser threatens but fails to perform: General Botha will be silent, but will fully and effectively perform The Union of South Africa's defence system was inaugurated about two years ago, by the coming into force of the Defence Act of 1912. Already the system has been well tested; first by the calling out of the burghers in consequences of the Rand strike; then to quell the "five shilling" rebellion of Manly, and De Wet; now. to settle accounts with, and drive Herman troops out of South Africa, (in even- one of these three occasions the system has worked well, and the main cause of its success was that the members of the active citizen force responded to the call for men with most admirable alacrity. there is no absence of the very best of fighting material in South Africa, now that British and Dutch have become 60 intermingled that the descendants of the two | long-separated races are as soldiers indis- j tinguishable. When the Defence Bill was j before the UnTbn Parliament frequent re- j ference was made to the Xcw Zealand Act, j and though the Union measure follows, in i the main, that of the Dominion, it pro- i vide« for several notable departures. ! Critics of the Union system are scarcely at one as to whether South Africa's Act is more drastic, or less drastic, than the Xcw Zealand Act, Both, in any case, achieve the object for which they were j placed upon the statute book—they are ] capable of promptly providing large and fully effective armies for purposes of defence. Within the four provinces of the Union every male, from the age of 17 to that of 60, is liable to be called upon for active service. It is improbable that the full powers vested in the Government will ever be exercised in calling to the colours the entire manhood of the country. But the power to do that exists. An early beginning, it will be seen, is made. When the Defence Act came into force, early in 1913, all white males who that year attained the age of 17, 18, 19, 20, or 21 years registered their names and addresses at tire military headquarters established in every district. For the purposes of the Act the Union is divided into thirteen district*. With the registraton of the younger sections of the citizens completed, the system became so far simplified, afterwards every young man on reaching his seventeenth year simply taking care to have his name and address placed upon the official register. When the citizens present themselves for registration they fill up a form to show whether they desire, or do not desire, to enter voluntarily upon peace training. Tie penalty for neglecting to register and intimate willingness, or otherwise, to train is a fine which may be as high as £25, or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three mouths. Incumbent though it may be upon every young citizen to register, only a proportion of the whole is called upon to train. For each of the thirteen districts the Minister for Defence fixes a quota,, and only the necessary number is enrolled for training. In the event of a district not providing the quota of volunteers, a ballot is taken among the registered, men, and the required number of the district corps is thus obtained compulsorily. But in no single instance, so far as the present writer has observed, has it been necessary to resort to the ballot. Thus, at the first registration, in 1913, in the Capetown area, the quota was 2000, and, well within a week, those registering and volunteering for training reached a total of 4470. When a young citizen enters voluntarily for peace training he has the advantage of being able to select his corps; but were the ballot and compulsion required he must go to any corps in which there is a shortage of men Young fellows possessing horses, saddles, and bridles—and most South African's possess all these—are trained as mounted men. The Government provides forage during the training period, allows the owner £3 per anum. and, in addition, insures the animal free of cost to the owner. The Act, however, makes full allowance for youth who may be engaged in study, or absent from tho country. They will not be selected even by ballot, and will not be called upon to perform any service until they are 21 years of age, when they will have to join either the active citizen force or a defence rifle association. Tho active citizen force consists: First, of men between IT and 21 years of age; and. second, of men over 21 and below 25 years of age. After the latter age, and if they prefer it, on reaching 21 years, the citizen soldiers become members of the defence rifle associations. Indeed, the Government encourages even- young man, if not undrgoing the routine peace training, to join hit. district ritio association. Kvery year no fewer thar. 12.000 young people are expected to reach training age. But less than halt that numoer supplies the yearly quota required from all the dis- , tricts combined. The other half are, there- ' fore, free to join rme associations, where they are drilled, taught to shoot, and to judge distance, and, generally, rendered fit to take the field as burghers or rough riders. Members of rifle associations must attend Gaining and practice for four years, during which period they are designated as the active defence force. • But many members continue to attend the frequent meetings of the rifle associations long after their compulsory period has ended, for, i until the age of sixty has been reached, • as stated, they remain members of the active defence force, and liable to be called ! upon to defend their country. The Union has also its permanent forces, consisting ! of five fairly large divisions, each, with artillerv, stationed on or near the borders of the'native territories. South Africa is not in the happy position of possessing I a class of natives like the New Zealand [.Maoris. Xo natives and no "coloured i folks can become soldiers in the Union I permanent or citizen forces