Evening star., 1915-12-19

those who are doing their duty. 1t
isn't conscription,- but it's moral COM
pulsion. Armlets to be worn by civil
lans are to be issued to men who have
enlisted and await the call of the
colors. for those who have offered and
been found medically unfit and to those
soldiers who have been invalided out of
service War and munition workers
VIII have other badges. so that the fit
man who refuses to- go will be amply
marked, and it's safe to say his life
Will scarcely be worth living, for. in
England the time has gone when the
Stacker can get away with it,"
1t is being strongly put to the un-
enlisted men that if they do not come
of their own accord they will soon be
fetched" 1t is frankly stated on re-
cruiting platforms that if a fit man
doesn't voluntarily join he will be con-
scripted.
In the fight against conscription the
effort to obtain recruits has been pro-
digious. Many methods have been tried.
Some things proved good, others worth
less, until now it has been reduced to a
science AT the beginning the govern
ment turned to advertising, pure and
simple. All the kingdom was plastered
with placards and posters urging men
to join. Speeches were made on the
street corners, in the parks and in the
theaters This sufficed for a time, but
then the flow of recruits dropped off
and new methods were required
Simple advertising was not enough.
In some way men had to be gathered
together in large groups, and then an
appeal was made direct to them by
some one who knew how to make it,
some one with the force to convince
lingering men, not necessarily slack
ers,' that their path of duty led them
n % Cj c
and more for the authorities to organ
ize large number of bands for re-
cruiting work, and then only after
there was a good deal of agitation in
the press.
After the appearance of bands, which
helped cheer up London immensely, re-
cruitfng again picked up. but the best
success was obtained through the in
to be brought together; to attract peo-
pie to meeting places something more
had to be done than for man simply
to start speaking. The recruiters then
began to produce dramatic effects.
They would turn out picturesque
pipers, bands of Boy Scouts, soldiers
from the trenches. recruits who would
do a bit of a drill, naval cadets who
would do signaling with flags and
broadsword exercises.
+
oHe SUCCESSFUL was Orlll Ol
soldiers directed by orders which came
forth from a phonograph. Wounded
soldiers were placed on exhibition and
made speeches in which they told what
had happened to them, and how, as
soon as they were well, they were
going back to France again, and
wouldn't some Of those in the audience
come along. There are recruiting
meetings everywhere, morning, noon
and night, and many are most inter-
esting.
In Trafalgar Square the other day
there were on the "plinth." as the base
group of black men in the kings uni
form. One of them made a speech. He
said he was from British Guiana. in
South America. and that he had come
5000 miles to fight for the king. He
wanted to get Just one man to go along
10 France with him, and he would be
content. He was quite frank. He de-
c1ared that he thought he owed some
thing to his country, and that if he
went to France and was wounded he
wouldn't mind. If he was not wounded
too badly. and that after being wound
ed he didn't expect, and obviously his
thought was that he did not have the
slightest desire, to return to France
again. His bit would be done and he
asked for just one recruit to justify
him in what he was trying to do. He
got him.
In Hyde Park one day a workman
took the stand. He was, in rough civilian
dress. with tattered cap, shabby clothes
and no collar But he had a story to
tell. in atrocious cockney, and with a
good deal of excitement as he pro-
gressed. He had been in the army and
had been discharged. He indicated
where he had been wounded. pointing
to so many places that he must have
been sprayed with machine gun. He
was unfit for service now. but if he
could go back he would gladly do so.
He declared he wanted to go back to
ave another go at them German 'uns
who'd murdered wimmin and children
as H'Tce done" When he noticed his
audience received this atrocious claim
rather peculiarly. he thought back over
his words and hastily added: LAS Hive
seen 'em done"
There are many paid recruiters, usu-
ally paid a pound a day for their work.
while the soldiers who work through
the crowds get a shilling for every
man they bring in. But there are even
more voluntary workers. Appeals for
recruits vary in kind. Prizes are some
times offered. A ten-shilling note will
be held up for the man who will come