The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-29
GOSSIP IN LONDON
From the London Times.

From the London Times.
 | This is the subtle way in which Brit 1 ish prisoner in the civilian concentration
 camp at Ruhleben indicated to those at
 home that food would be accepta ble. He referred to a concert which the prisoners had given-choir and orchestra l50 strong and continued: "It would have been benefit if we had had MT. Hovis or MT. Turog or Senor Bermaline to assist us. Without the necessary foundation it IS difficult work. Did you get my card ask ing for things for Little Mary?'
 Fred Winter, who was attached 10 the Graditz stud as first jockey to the Kaiser, writing to his parents at Newmarket from Ruhleben. under date April '. says:
 q do wish you would send me some more socks, and please note al letters and cards must be addressed in ink. In tht parcel you must send me some bread and plenty of plain biscuits. Don't send me any more soup squares, as we get it from Sunday to Sunday. Oh, d. wish I
 
 what 1t Is like to be caked up as we are. Just think, from in tht morning until o'clock we have nothing whatever to do but walk about. It plays on ones mind. I am pleased to say 1 drew Ally Sloper in the grand national sheep, about 30 shili- ings and it, I assure you, came in very handy.
 "Oh by the way, 1 am in box with five other jockeys. They all send kind regards. F. Slade also sends his best wishes. You might also send me a big cake" Winter is in Baracke No. 2, Box 16 Englander, Ruhleben.
 Belfast, Irtland, was the scene on Sat urday of recruiting effort of an espe- cially stimulating kind. The men cf the Ulster division of the new army were brought in from their camps in various parts of the province and reviewed in the Malone district in the morning. In the afternoon the entire division marched through the principal streets of the city, and it took between two and three hours to pass the city hall. A largt numner of recruiting officers were on duty during the day and troops lined the streets The great majority of the men who paraded were members of the Ulster volunteer force. Saturdays effort, of course, has no connection whatever with politics, and Sir Edward Carson had the novel experience of being present at a great Belfast demon- stration purely as a spectator
 A day spent shopping in the West End of London and the big centres in Knights bridge and Westbourne Grove indicated, superficially at least-from the point of view of an ordinary purchaser-t,e num- Der of men of service age still available in different neighborhoods.
 MT, Asquiths view that the substitution of women for men in the wholesale and retail distribution of goods ought to be | an easier task than to recruit them for | the supply of munitions would not appear 1 to be that of many employers; and his | statement that there are hundr eds of thousands of men of military age still in the distributing trades who might be at the front must affect the consciences of different firms in different ways. Taken as whole, from Oxford street to Vest bourne Grove and from Piccadiilj Circus to Brompton road dncludng Bond street., the impression gathered is that an enor- nous number of elderly men have been
 recalled to work. that fair sprinlding cf
 women has been introduced Into depart
 ments such as those dealing with jewclry l summer fabrics, and silks, where trey
 were not engaged before, but that there | are in certain houses-one in Kensingtor l High street calls for special notice-ma ny ! young men who could well be spared from behind the counter.
 In large jewelry establishment in Reno street there were only three men of serv' ice age visible, and onesof these did no
 look strong. In a large drapery house in the same street all the male asstetant' ranged from the middle-aged to the vener able But there did not seem to be an, substitution of feminine labor in the de
 partments devoted to fabrics. In tOxfort
 street one of the big firms had goot
 sprinkling of women who were It wori
 instead of men in the departments fe
 silks and summer voies and linen, bu | there was also a large percentage Q young men of service age as saesnen.
 In another firm with a large weoesal 1 side there were many young men to b seen Tn certain branches. notably thos
 for carpets and furnishing, kitchen u.en sils, iewelry, household linens, pianos an
 dress fabrics, young men are sti. to b } found in large numbers everywhere. A two shops visited, within short distanc of each other, they were selling umb:e las. In one a young man was offering on l of the new short-handled umbrellas to l customer. This is called La Militaire Madame" he said. She turned oa him : little disgusted saying, Why don't yo ) try a military style yourself?"