Foreign News: Soldiers: 8 to 33

Italy’s War Minister was busy last week. Less than a month ago Benito Mussolini straddled a tank in an open field and shouted to his officers: “We must become a military nation, even a militaristic nation, even a warlike nation” (TIME, Sept. 3).

Last week Minister of War Mussolini showed that his words are not to be taken lightly. As a preparatory gesture fortnight ago, all Italian divisional commanders were assembled for a conference. Last week the War Minister announced a new plan for universal military service under the slogan: “The functions of a citizen and of a soldier are indivisible in the Fascist State.”

Seventeen years of military liability was enough training for the pre-War legions of Wilhelm Hohenzollern. Under the new dispensation Italian bambini will shoulder wooden muskets at the age of 8. A quarter of a century later they will put away the last of their peacetime arms.

Military training will be divided into three categories:

Preliminary which will include two classes: from 8 to 18, from 18 to 21. Training in the first period will be conducted through the Fascist Balilla and Avanguardisti “to give boys a passion for military life through frequent contacts with the armed forces whose warlike traditions and glories will be re-evoked.” Besides drilling, 20 hours of the high-school year will be devoted to military history (the Fascist version of Italy’s part in the War): map reading, the organization and duties of the various branches of the service. No schoolboy may be promoted to a higher class or receive a degree unless he passes his military science “with profit.” At 18 a schoolboy becomes part of the Fascist militia and is given training in specialized branches of the service.

Military. At the age of 21 Italian boys will pass from the militia to the regular army to serve their 18 months with the colors.

Post-Military. For ten years after finishing his service the young man will be back in the Fascist militia, serving 20 days a year and having additional drills on Sundays and holidays.