The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-11-29
LEARN RUD|MENTS
OF ASOLD|ER'SL
100000 Elderly Civilians
Drilling In London
GOOD WORK ALREADY
Would Render Invaluable Service If
England Ever Was Invaded-Only
Woman Town Crier In Eng
and Serves Now
by PHILLIP EVERETT

ny PHILLIP Et ERETT
London. November 2S.-(Special)
More than 100000 civilians over 80
years of age are now learning the
rudiments of soldering in self-support-
ing corps They are not as yet off
cis.lly recognized but IL the enemy ever
landed on Britains shores their serv-
ices would surely be utilized. They have
done much good work already.
The self-supporting corps are made
up of business and professional men
for whom golf. billiards and the like
have seemed inane In these stirring
days. The member is often man
whose employees or sons are now at the
front
The first advantage gained by the
joining of corps is that the man at
once voluntarily accepts discipline; his
civilian life is largely made up of "giv-
ing ORDERS and it is a new thing to
him to take" them He finds that
pill hard to swallow at first and then
he likes it; he gets keen on doing
what he is told and hastens to become
efficient. Thus no comes under con-
troll. He learns to form fours.' to
stand erect, to become part of a great
| machine.
Learn Lots of Things
He feels fit fresh and ready for
hard work. He learns for the first time
how heavy a gun Is. he realizes family
the hardship of carrying such a weap-
on all day, let alone of shooting with
ii. He practices shooting and comes to
| understand how many things go to the
| making of a good rifle shot. He he
gins to feel the spirit of soldering:
he gets a point of view on recruiting
which is vastly Illuminating.
II the worst comes and invasion
comes large he can shoulder a gun and
fire it, he can march 20 miles without
fatigue, he can get orders, he is ais
ciplined! He will not fight like a mad
man, but calmly and efficiently.
If he is not wanted as a fighter,
he Is one of a band of mep who know
what organization is. And he himself
is organized He can relieve the coun-
try of one of its fighters and serve in
| his place as a worker. Thousands of
Belgian refugees were received, housed
ard cared for by means of fund
raised by private group-the war
refugees committee. But they had a
problem to face; the police were very
busy, soldiers could not be spared, yet
| these unfortunate children and women
had to be met at the various railway
Stations.
|
| tcered for the work and their services
were gratefully appreciated. These men
i were uniformed and therefore easily
i Identified; they inspired respect on the
| Fart of the distressed women and chill
i dren. They met the trains; they put
their charges in the omnibuses, cleared
/ the platforms quickly, found missing
relatives, acted as escorts to hotels and
| residences, properly delivered their
charges and saw that they were fed
| comfortably.
Some Naval Statistics
| Archibald Hurd. the naval critic, .ig-
ures the navies of Germany, Austria
| and Turkey total 100000. He cal
culates that roughly every ton-aver-
| aging the outlay on battleships, cruis-
| ers. destroyers and submarines the
cost of naval bases and training per-
| sonnel--represents sum of $4,000. the
| total aggregate naval capital being
| 81, 5000, 900, 900.
This sum corresponds, roughly. to
| tho amount spent on their fleets by
Germany Austria Hungary and Turkey
during the past Is years, the effective
| life of a battleship or cvuiser.
Woman Town Crier
England has her first woman town
crier She is Mrs. Baker, who is now
serving at Chertsey while her husband,
| Sergeant Blaker, the holder of the
pest, Is at the front.
| The functions of town crier Of ebert
sey have for several generations been
performed by the Baker family. At the
moment not only Is the holder of the
office serving with the terrltorals, but
his only son also has enlisted On these
circumstances the officers permitted
Mrs. Baker to occupy the office tenn
! pcrari1y.
Particular interest attached to Mrs
| Bakers first appearance in view of the
| fact that recently a. picturesque Geor-
! gian uniform had been provided at a
| cost of $3.50 for the holder of the Of
| fee for use on official occasions.
Mrs. Baker succeeded in .effecting
an admirable compromise, wearing the
three cornered hat, the long heavily
gold braided coat, yellow stockings.
and heavily plated shoes, but substi-
tutlng a dark skirt for the neither
| garments of her husband.
The lady fulfilled her functions most
successfully, her powerful voice being
distinctly audible at distance of so
yards, and her salute as she pro-
nounced the words. God save the
King" at the close OF each crying was
of soldier-like smartness. The lady
carried a heavy staff of office, but
| need a smaller bell than does her hus-