The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1914-09-18
UNLESS GREAT WAR ENDS soon,
ENGLAND WlLLDRAFT MORE men

LONDON, Sept. 18-Unless the
"Great War"-that is the title given
to the present conflict by journalistic
consent-ends quickly two things will
happen here:
Consumption will be resorted to; the
rigors of the censorship will be miti-
gated.
Both events will be grounded upon
the same cause. Volunteers are not
coming forward in England as rapidly
as they should. That is most con-
sentative way of putting the fact. The
truth is that the war office authorit-
les are at their wits end. It was hard
sledging to get the first army of 100,-
900 men demander by Lord Kitchener.
1t was even harder shedding to get the
second army of 100000. This is what
Lord Kitchener demands:
Thirty Divisions Needed.
"Within the next six or seven
months thirty divisions of troops must
be continually maintained in the field"
Reduced to civilian intelligibility,
that means that not less than 1,O00,-
600 men must be recuited. Thirty divi-
sions mean 100000 men. The remand
er must be kept in training in order
to fill up the gaps made by operations
in the field. In spite of an almost
hysterical flagellation by the English
press the men are not coming forward.
Prime Minister Asquith has denied
that there is any thought of resorting
to CONSUMPTION. But Lord Kitchener
has said to the House of Commons:
"We must find means to provide
more men,"
That can only mean one thing
CONSUMPTION. He was wildly cheered
One of the striking things in the
English situation is the absolutely
loyal, single-eyed, whole hearted man.
er in which Kitchener is being support.
ed by every one in England. If he in,
dicates on Monday that there must
be CONSUMPTION, by Tuesday the bill
will have become a law if the purely
be overcome.
"Lord Kitchener" half a dozen
London papers have said in effect, "is
the one man in England who knows
precisely what he wants and how to
get it,"
No Preliminary Opposition Now.
There never has been any haggling
over details. Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer George rose in the House the
other day and suggested that more
money is needed, and that he should
be free from bondage of red tape in
using the funds now on hand. George
is prayerfully, consistently hated by
the strong minority of the House.
There wasn't a vote registered against
his request. The absolute forgetful-
ness of partisan division is illustrated
by another incident of the same day.
General French had announced that
the English had suffered heavily, but
that he was not yet in a position to
transmit names.
MAY l ask when he will be able to
give us this information ?" asked
! minority member-or member who
had belonged to the minority when
there was minority. There was no
indication that he wished to en-
barrass the government. He simuly
wanted to know when widows and be-
reaved mothers might know when
their men folk have gone, and when
relieved of this suspense.
~ am sorry the gentleman asked
that question:" said Mr.. Asquith. And
the whole house cheered him.
The whole country is seething with
loyal sentiment. People are suffer-
ing without complaint. have talked
with dozen men who have declared
themselves lined by the war. Not
one lip has quivered.
eve must jolly we'll play up, you
KNOW said one chap who has gone to
irremediable smash. He voiced the
feelings of the others.
The one obvious explanation of this
paradoxical state of affairs is that
the censorship which Lord Kitchener
put in effect has been of doubtful
value. No information has been print
ed which could be of service to the
enemy. The newspapers here have
loyalty co-operated with the war Of
flee in this, and the foreign CORES
pondents-some of whom in times
past have not been distinguished by
discretion-have been forced to obey,
whether they would or no. The war
news printed is that which has been
prepared by the official bureaus-and
only that. It has been marked by the
bald and sterile brevity. Only results
of operations have been given, and
only those when the operations were
either successful or too important to
be concealed.
Where Kitchener Had to Forget.
One result was an immediate re-
bellion of the English when the news
of the fall Of Namur came through.
They not only demanded that they be
given more information in the fu-