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SW

The Ounce of Prevention

Switzerland versus Belgium, with a Lesson for the United States

By R. M. JOHNSTON

Author of "Arms and the Race," etc.

WITZERLAND, the center of Europe, has for years possessed the perfect model of a national army. The policy of the nation was easy to frame in relation to its surroundings. North, south, east, and west lay neighbors so powerful as to preclude any territorial ambition. On the other hand, these neighbors presented a threat along every mile of frontier. So the Swiss decided on a policy of national defense. And defense, to be bearable with a small people and relatively poor country, had to be inexpensive; while, on the other hand, to stand any chance of success, it had to place large masses in the field.

To carry out this policy, Switzerland gives preliminary military instruction in her schools, and calls on to train for sixty days every man mentally, physically, and morally fit. In the artillery and other special services the service is for ninety days. Thereafter he trains eleven days a year until he reaches the age of thirtytwo, when he is turned over to the reserve, which holds him till he is fortyeight.

The framework for this militia army -armament, equipment, officers' corps, technical services, munitions of war-is maintained in a highly organized state, so that mobilization of the Swiss army can be effected within a few days of the call to arms. On first assembling, it is not to be supposed that the Swiss infantry would equal the quality of the German

or French. But a very few weeks' experience in the field, added to their early. training with the rifle, would probably turn these hardy and liberty-loving mountaineers, with their splendid fighting qualities and tradition, into an army formidable enough under modern standards to put up a strong resistance in defensive positions.

The authorities give varying numbers for the Swiss army. Their first line is placed at from 150,000 to 250,000 men. The reserve may be reckoned at almost as many more. An army like that, concentrated on a front extending from Bienne to Zurich, would prove more than an embarrassment to any French or German army that should venture to cross lots through Basel and the northwestern corner of Switzerland. It is the virtual guaranty of the independence of a brave people who have too much sense to put their faith in international guaranties of neutrality, and enough spirit to be willing to face the military issue instead of feebly evading it. With Belgium, we come to the opposite case.

Belgium had twice the population of Switzerland, almost one eighth of the population of Germany, and a commerce that ranked higher than that of great powers like Italy, Austria-Hungary, or Russia. She had other advantages in the compactness of her population, her developed railroad system, her supplies of coal and iron, her open sea frontier. She pos

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