"APACHES" IN ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 726, 27 January 1910, Page 5

"APACHES" IN ARMY.

TO GO TO AFRICA. AN EXILE TERMINABLE BY GOOD CONDUCT By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyricht. (Rcc January 20, 1015 pm )

:■■':: -y.H/./ :v l -vX'/. -■'Paris,"; January.. 26. '.-■ WTho .French Government, is : introducing a Bill, to .purge'the Army. in. France of its criminal and hooligan elements. :■ It relegate ; such; : to'-the 'African..:baitalions.'

f AnV-act: of ■ c'ouroge; or./.years.of' good conduct,; will, qualify "a, man so dealt with to/returri to Franco.-:''- : -V'■.■•'■'; :.'"'■■'■& ''■'.•/'■

SPIKE-STUDDED RUFFIANS.

;'.Though the; nhove/Bill has been'.proposedl for/'some;,time, 'its', promotion has. evidently:' been stimulated by'! 'the ■ incident ■,reported from; Paris,' recently,' when ;an : "Apaphe," , who -was ..wearing .leather, batids;.-studded . irith;''sharp-fspikes aui razors,' 'was arrested by' tho police after, a: desperate";struggle..VThe ■"Apache", l :used a; long, knife "and ,'a .revolver. ■ HeVkilled one and : .'five.-bthers had. to be ;takeri';to; the;.•■hospital; ; before he was -'}. ] k':"'K:i^'^^^-'^-' : -';'-'-x^':~

. This', fatal "conflict directed -fresh •' attention.''to. the .'.'fact jthat; there .are ;il,ooo men ! in;-'the.French , Army.who have undergone .sentences prior itb' '.'the.;, system tas;.-; one , whereby; criminals' contaminate barracks, and. demanded that hooligans';should be relegated :td the. camps : in North-Africa.: This.has. been.a custom in the , past, but. has inot-been'-enforced, in all. .cases. '■■'. A .writer.in'an English.newspaper, remarks! . .■>"Curipusly ; enough, •■'these'.'/ young fians, make..oxcellent soldiers, for , it has long bee'n'-the , custom inthe .French Army, to •.send;-all -the Apaches against , : whom" one ;br ■more'iconvictipns have: been , re-. corded 'for robbery,, or;"stabbing,' or street outrages,; to .the : disciplinary, battalions 'of,riflemen in.Africa when.the'timo comes for.them' to-undergo•.'militafy.'seryicby; , ;3;'^rb.-they i;aro irnledSjrith' a':rod. of : irou,;,but: : on \-:the ;ifew; ; occasions upon which '■■ these' regiments-of.criminals'have been /'under' fire ..they.: have; shown/: a". ■ dash' arid; savage' daring; against 'theVArabs. which 'has■"./aroused : /the', admiration rdf itheir; fpei"':■■;;;■':-.'."5".-•;■■•;.;''''■■■■'■')■''•'..■■.••',-^ ,, ■■;'■■■;■■',''.