pushed forward with enough energy, nor, more important still, with the necessary method. It has been 1 carried on without a general programme, without stability of purpose, by improvisa- tions, by little jerks, a system which has led to failures and, which is worse, to delays. M. Albert Sarraut, Minister for the Colonies in 1921, drew up a list of the great public works which had to be carried through in the colonies. In this programme he has applied the most recent doctrines of industrial organiza- tion, in particular the principle of division of labour, by which each colony will have to cease frittering away its efforts, and will have to concentrate upon the production or the industry to which its soil, climate or native traditions are the most suited. This programme of works covers railways, roads, canals, ports, irrigation, and farming, and provides for an expenditure of about 4,000 million francs. The chief of these works are the extension of the port of Dakar, the completion of the Thies- Kayes railway line, and irrigation works in the valley of the Niger in French West Africa; the railway line from Brazzaville to the Atlantic, in French Equatorial Africa; the rebuilding of the central Cameroon line, and the extension of it as far as Yaunde; in Indo-China, harbour works at Saigon, Haiphong, Tourane, Kwangchow-Wan, the completion of the Vinh-Donghoi line, and the continuation of the line across Indo-China from Tourane to Saigon; harbour works at Madagascar and at Jibuti.
(M. R.*) ARMY
The French army of 1921 was essentially in a stage of tran- sition between the army of the World War, which had grown out of the pre-war national army (see ARMY: French), and the army of the future, which had to be adapted to future needs.
Demobilization. In spite of the inevitable difficulties, espe- cially in providing employment, demobilization after the Armis- tice of 1918 was carried out smoothly. The army was demobil- ized in ten echelons, as shown in the tables below, the whole pro- cedure being directed by a specially created Under-Secretariate of State for Demobilization. The demobilization of these echelons was carried out in two stages, separated by an interval (April 3 1919 to July 9 1919) due to the necessity of retaining with the colours a sufficient strength to enforce, until the signature of the Treaty of Versailles (June 28 1919), the observance by the enemy of the conditions imposed by the Armistice. The tables below show the progressive movements of demobilizable per- sonnel towards the demobilization dep6ts, whence the men were dispatched to their homes. The great task of transporting the men was successfully carried out, the first six echelons by special trains, the last four by utilizing the leave-trains.
After Jan. 1919 no men of the 1906 or older classes had been sent to the armies as reinforcements.
having been called to the colours prematurely. The general mobilization of the army ceased on Oct. 23 1919, when hostili- ties were officially declared to be at an end.
Men called to the colours during the war, of ranks from captain inclusive downwards, received a fixed gratuity of 250 francs, with an additional bonus of 15 francs for each month of embod- ied military service; for each month of such service spent actually at the front, this bonus was at the higher rate of 20 francs.
The Army in 1921. The actual situation in Jan. 1921 may be summed up as follows. France had an army of 100,000 men on the Rhine for 15 years (six infantry and one cavalry divisions). The strength of troops under arms was 830,000 men, made up as follows: French (including 10,000 in the colonies), 572,000; natives of N. Africa, 152,000; foreigners and natives of other colonies, 106,000. In the 572,000 French troops were included the 1919 class (226,700), the 1920 class (first contingent, called up April 1920, 166,200; second contingent called up Oct. 1920, 83,000); voluntarily enlisted (45,500); voluntarily reenlisted and commissioned (40,000), and those in the colonies (10,000).
The new army laws of Dec. 1920 to May 1921 would take full effect on Oct. i 1923. Until that date the army was to be gradually reorganized in accordance with these laws.
The organization of the nation in arms rests on universal, obligatory, equal and personal service. It is based on the princi- ples of the inviolability of the military frontiers (which, for 15 years, include the Rhine) , and of preparation for an administra- tive, industrial, and agricultural mobilization of the country.
The peace strength of the army is intended to be such as will secure for the nation the necessary time for the mobilization and concentration of its reserves, and for the organization of the entire productive forces of the country. The army in peace is further a school of instruction for the nation in arms, and a vast well, producing instructed reserves. The national army of 1914 had given place to the conception of the mobilized nation; the new army laws were directed to provide for the uncertain conditions of the transition period, in which the problem to be faced was not so much to meet and overcome foreign aggression as to be ready to maintain, by force if necessary, the conditions secured by the Treaty of Versailles.
The active army is recruited by contingents called to the colours each half year, and by voluntary engagements and reengagements. Every Frenchman who is physically fit is obliged to serve ij years in the active army, i8| years in the active army reserve, and 10 years in the territorial army. Time in excess of 15 years spent in the active army, on voluntary engagement or reengagement, is deducted from the period to be spent in the active army reserve. In peace-time only Frenchmen or naturalized Frenchmen may be enrolled, but foreigners de-
Movements to (he Demobilization Depots. ist Stage.
Echelon
Classes
Personnel of the Armies
Personnel of Regions Territoriales
1st 2nd ......... 3rd : 4th 5th .
1891 to 1893 1894 to 1897 1898 & 1899 1900 to 1902 1903 & 1904 1905 & igo6
fro
m 25-12-18 t
21- I-I9
IS' 2-19 27' 2-ig
II- 3-19
23- 3-19
3 8-I-I9 4-2-19 23-2-I9
7-3-19 I9-3-I9
3I-3-I9
fro
m 9-1-191 5-2-19 24-2-19
8-3-19 20-3-19 1-4-19
D I9-I-I9 I4-2-I9 26-2-I9 IO-3-I9 22-3-19
3-4-19
6th
2nd Stage.
Echelon
C
lasses
All Personnel
1907
9-7-19 to 20-7-19
7 th . . .
1908
21-7-19 30-7-I9
1909
31-7-19 9-8-19
1910
8-8-19 15-8-19
8th .
1911
16-8-19 22-8-19
1912
23-8-19 29-8-19
1913
21-8-19 6-9-19
9th .
1914
7-9-19 12-9-19
1915
13-9-19 18-9-19
loth .
1916
19-9-19 24-9-19
1917
25'9-l9 30-9-19
After the demobilization of class 1917 there remained with the colours two classes those of 1918 and 1919, the latter
daring themselves without nationality may serve their time in one of the " regiments Strangers." In time of war, the Minister of War is entitled to create corps of veterans by voluntary enlistment of men who have completed their full military service. Soldiers of all arms are debarred from voting while serving with their unit. Each year returns are made, in every commune, of the young men reaching the age of 19 in that year. The classes are incorporated in two contingents. The first contingent, formed in April of the year following that in which the age of 19 was attained, comprises all those born before July i in the birth year of the class. The second contingent, formed in Oct. of the year following that in which the age of 19 was attained, com- prises all those born after June 30 in the birth year of the class. Thus, the April contingent of the class 1923 would contain men
