Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-29
CIVILIAN CORPS
SUPPORTING
More Than 100000 Men Over IS
Years of Age Learning Rudi-
ments of Soldering.
PREPARING TO MEET ENEMY
Members Often Those Whose
Sons or Employees Already
Are at Front.

Especial Gable to The Times Dispatch. J
LONDON, November 2S.-More than
100000 civilians over thirty-fvo years
OF age are now learning the rudiments
OF soldering In self-supporting corps.
They are not as yet officially recog-
itized. but IL the enemy ever landed on
Britain's shores their services would
surely be utilized. They have done
much good work already.
The Eelf-supporting corps are made
up or business and professional men
for whom golf. billiards and the like
have seemed inanc In these stirring
days. The member is often a man
whose employees or sons ore now at
the front
The first advantage gained By the
Joining of a corps Is that the man a,
once voluntarily accepts discipline: mis-
civilian life Is largely made UP OF Civ
ing orders, and II is a new thing to
MIN to take" them. He finds that
pill hard to swallow at first, and then
he likes 1t; he gets keen on doing
what he is told. and hnstcns to become
efficient. Thus he becomes under COLI
troll. He learns to form fours.'' TO
stand erect. to become part OF great
lie feels 1T. fresh and ready for hard
work. lie learns for the first time how
heavy q gun Is. he realizes family the
hardship OF carrying such a weapon all
day. let alone Of shooting with II. lie
practices shooting, and comes to under
stand how many things go to the max
Ing of a good rifle shot. He begins
to feel the spirit OF soldering: lie
gets IA point OF view on recruiting
which is vastly illuminating.
~ al t.,sa ,iE.,,
comes large. he eau shoulder n gun
aud fire IT, he can march twenty miles
without fatigue. he can get orders
he IL disciplined. He VIII not light
like mailman, but calmly and cf-
iiclnntly.
THOUSANDS OF REFUGEEs
PROMPTLY CARED FOR
II he is not wanted as aghte.. he
!se one Of Il. band OF men who know
VIA; organization Is. And ne him
sclf IL organized. Tie can relieve the
country OF, one OF it's lighters. and
serve In his place as a worker. Thou
sands OF Belgian refugees were re-
) cetveh,, housed and caredFfor by means
ofsa fund raiscc by "A private group
the war refugees committee. But they
had problem to face: the police We're
very buoy. soldiers could not be spared.
yet these unfortunate children and wo-
men had TO be met at tho various
railway stations.
The optirnists' National Corps volun-
tccrod FOR the work. and their SER
vices were gratefully appreciated.
These men were uniformed, and, there
fore, easily Identified; they inspired re-
spect OH the part Of the distressed
women and children. They met the
trains, they put their charges in the
omnibuses, cleared the platforms quick
escorts to hotels and residences.
properly delivered their charges. and
saw that they were fed comfortably.
Archibald IIurd. the naval critic, fig
urcs the navies Of Germany. Austria
calculates that roughly every ton
averaging the outlay on hattlcships.
cruisers. destroycrs aud submarines.
tho cost of naval bases and trainint;
acknowledgements SUM of $4,000,
the total aggregate naval capital being
$1,000, 100000.
This sum corresponds. roughly, to
the amount spent on their fleets by
Germany. Austria Hungary and Tur-
key during the past fifteen years. the
ENGLAND HAS HER FIRST
WOMAN TOWN GREER
England has her first woman town
crier. She Is Mrs Blaker. who Is now
serving at Chertscy while her hus-
bano, sergeant baker, the holder or
the post, Is at the front.
Tho functions of town cricr OF
Chertsey have for several generations
been performed by the Blaker family.
At the moment not only is the holder
OF the Office serving with the Terri
forials. but his only son also has en-
listed. On these circumstances the
fcoffces permitted Mrs. Blakcr to oc-
cupy the Office temporarily.
Particular interest attached to Mrs.
Flaker's first appearance. I'm Wow of
the tact that recently picturesque
Georgian uniform had been provided
at q cost of $50 for the holder of the
Office for use on official occasions.
Mrs. Blaker succeeded In cncctins
an admirable compromise. wearing the
three-cornered hat, tho long, heavily
gold -hraided coat. yellow stockings
and heavily-plated shoes, but substi-
tuting dark skirt for the neither
garments of her husband.
She fulfilled her functions most sue
ccssfully, her powerful voice being
distinctly audible at distance OF
fifty yards. and her salute, as she pro-
nounced the words, God save the
King" at the close of each crying was
of sqldier-like smartness. She carried
heavy staff Of office. but used