Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-30
DENY RECRUITING
OF BRITONS HERE
TO join ARMIES
Those in Touch With Men Who
Went to Front Explain How
Assistance Was Given

! Associated Press by Federal Wireless
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. June 3o.-
Federal Investigators claim TO have
secured evidence that a tourist COM
pany has taken 200 alleged recruits
for the British army to England. The
British consul in New York denies
that Americans enlisted among those
who went to Europe and says that the
British were volunteers who were
sent home as individuals.
Charges that British agents have
been systematically recruiting men in
California to join the British army
have turned attention to the fact that
between 30 and so men have gone from
Hawaii to the front and that nearly
year ago a British subject here, E.
w. P. st. George, took steps for a
military census in the islands of those
willing to go to Europe and fight.
st. George denied absolutely today
that any recruiting" has been done in
Hawaii, saying that he and other Brit
ons here were perfectly aware that
such action would violate. the U. s..
laws preserving neutrality. He said
that when he was active last year in
securing the names of fellow-Britons
willing to fight he was careful not to
recruit them and that he and his
associates had the best legal advice
obtainable" which assured them they
were within the law,
A despatch from San Francisco yes
terday said that California federal au-
thorities allege that more than $lOO,-
900 has been spent in that state en-
listing recruits for the British army.
Some days ago the Advertiser printed
what purported to be despatch NEIL
tioning Hawaii as one OF the places
where recruits were alleged to have
been obtained.
st. George was asked today as to
the activities of himself and other
Britons and replied:
mo recruits for the British army
were enlisted here. 1t is true that
financial assistance was extended some
who wished to go TO the front but had
net the money to do so, but this assist
ance was given by individuals, not by
any association or organization and
there are no recruiting agents here.
We simply got those who wanted to
60 in touch with those who we're will
ing to help them. and this assistance
was only to get them to England. They
received no money except for passage
and subsistence on the way"
st. George was asked regarding the
circular letter sent out early last fall,
which began IF you are DESTROYS OF
coming to the aid of the Mother Coun-
try in this grave national emergency
by volunteering your services, will you
kindly fill out this information blank
and post it Immediately to the British
consul, Elite building, or to Edw. w. p.
st. George. The Above, Emma street.
Please answer fully all questions be-
low" Among these questions were
queries concerning name, age, previ-
Gus military or naval experience or
other qualifications.
To Secure information.
This. was merely to secure informa-
ton and was in no sense circular
to gather recruits" said st. George
when asked about the letter. Fur
thermore, it was sent out by no assoc
citation. About so letters went out, |
should say"
Asked as to how he and others Sc
cured the names of Britons willing to
fight, ST. George said:
Some would write to the consul |
asking if there were any fund to send
men to the front. The consul would
get In touch with us through, mutual |
friends Those who applied for as
sistanee to the consul later got in
touch with us. and we later informed
the consul no relief was necessary.
However. the consul had no connec-
ton, unofficial or otherwise, with the
sending of these men to the front.
a. u. C. Atkinson, secretary of the
British Association, was asked about
he matter He emphasized that the
British Association had nothing to do
With furnishing funds to send the Brit
ms to the front He said, further
more, that no recruiting has been done
:, kl,<, or, 70, ho /