THE ARMY PROPOSALS

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 19

THE ARMY PROPOSALS

SWISS MILITARY SYSTEM TO BE STUDIED. LONDON, July 28. Owing to the interest aroueed in Mr Haldane's army proposals, a mixed com- « mittee of representative men, including j some of the Labour members of the House I of Commons, will visit Switzerland in i September to study the practical working ; of the Swiss military system. The perpetual neutrally and inviolability of Switzerland is guaranteed by several of tho great Powers, including England. Her security is enhanced by the natural strength of a portion of the country. Switzerland, therefore only requires a mili1 tary force to guard against a violation of her territory when two of the adjacent nations may be at war ; or, at most, to stand on the defensive until one or other i of her neighbours come to her assistance. I Under 6uoh circumstances a regular army | is unnecessary, and Switzerland is able to j rely on a national militia. This force is j formed on the German model, adapted to j suit the briefness of training which is the • essential characteristic of a militia, also to the peculiarities of the country, and its constitution. Service in the national force is compulsory and universal, with few exemptions except for physical disability. Those excused or rejected pay certain taxes in lieu. Liability extends from the seventeenth to the 50th year, actual 6ervice commencing at the age of 20. The first 12 years (to 32 years of age) are spent in the first line, called the " Auszug," or "Elite"; the next 12 in the Landwehr; j and the remaining six in the La n detour m. For the infantry and foot artillery, Landwehr service is divided ; the men being for eight years (i.e., from 32 to 40 years of ! age) in the first " ban," and afterwards for four years in the second " ban." The Landsturm is divided into " armed " and " unarmed." The armed Landsturm includes those who have passed through the Auszug and Landwehr, and also those fit to beer arms who have not been trained. i This category Js provided with arms and annually inspected. The unarmed Landsturm comprises all other males between . 20 and 50 whose services can be made avail- . able for non-combatant duties of any description. The initial training of the Swiss militia soldier is very short. It is carried out in recruits' schools, and the periods have hitherto been from 42 4h>?& for the infantry to 80 days for the c&valry. The further training, called the " repetition courses," has been 10 days every year for cavalry, and about three weeks every other jear lot the infantry and artillery; while

the Landw&hr men have had about three trainings of one week each in their 12 years' Landwehr service. For several years past the Swiss staff has been trying to get these periods extended. After much delay and discussion the National Council passed a bill in December last which may be regarded as a compromise. Under the new law the periods of initial training will be 65 days for the infantry and foot artillery, 75 for the field artillery, and 90 for Hie cavalry. Tne repetition courses have also been extended, and the infantry of the first line are to be called out annually for 11 days instead of every second year for a longer period. Every Swiss militiaman has to fire a musketry course annually. He can do this at his own convenience, m the neighbourhood of his home; but if he fails to carry out the regulation, he is called up to the headquartere'^of- his unit and put through the course under k supervision. There are numerous ranges ' all over -the country, but the maximum distance fired at is only 300 metres. "■ The field army consists of four, army corps (160,000 combatants), to. which must be added the mountain and heavy batteries, and the Landwehr battalions and squadrons enumerated above. The total number of combatants may therefore be taken at 200,000. There are also separate forces? mostly Landwehr, for manning' the fortifications which close the -St. Gothard_ Pass and the" Rhone Valley to possible invader from the south. They amount to about 21,000 men. Altogether Switzerland can mobilise upwards of* 220,000 men (combatants), irrespective of " th^g armed Landsturm, who may amount to another 45,000 or 50,*000. .-