Flaw In French Army Bill.

New York Times 100 years ago today, March 8, 1913:
Increased Period of Service Presses Hardest on Skilled Workmen.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    LONDON, Saturday, March 8.— The Times's correspondent in Paris says that it ought to be noted that in addition to raising the term of service with the colors to three years, the new French Army bill increases the period of service in three branches of the reserves by two years. At present the French soldier serves two years with the colors. He then belongs for eleven years to the reserve of the active army, six years to the territorial army, and, finally, six years to the reserve of the territorial army.
    When the new bill becomes law he will serve three years with the colors and belong for eleven years to the reserve of the active army, seven years to the territorial army, and a further seven years to the reserve of the territorial army. His total period of liability to service will be thus raised from twenty-five to twenty-eight years.
    Some Deputies who favor the bill and desire to see it voted with all speed nevertheless believe that certain classes of skilled labor in France will feel the extended period of service as a heavy burden. The case of a young watchmaker is instanced. The heavy-handed toil in which he must engage in the army will unfit him, even more than the three years' want of practice, for the delicate manipulations of his trade. In view of the large number of such cases — for France is pre-eminently a country of highly skilled handicraftsmen — it is thought by many patriotic Deputies that the Army bill has been somewhat too hurriedly drafted, and that those familiar with the conditions of all kinds of highly skilled labor ought to have been consulted as well as the Generals. It is easy enough to get up what used to be called in Germany the "hurrah mood" for an army bill and to publish reports from all parts of the country that the conscripts and their relatives are ready for any sacrifices. The critics of the bill have already noted various manifestations of a less undiscriminating character, and it is extremely probable that reflection may suggest a number of amendments.
    As for the Socialists and other opponents of the bill, they are already asserting that some extreme patriots, although pleased at the success of their own movement, are afraid that alleviations in favor of the professional classes may be swept away by the anger of the populace and peasantry unless they are counterbalanced by similar alleviations in favor of certain kinds of manual labor.