Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-07-28
LONDON DURING d: !,
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MRS. NORTON WRITES DEMO
GRAFT INTERESTING LETTER
~. FROM ENGLAND.
SPIES and AIRCRAFT CAUSE AlARl
War 10 Making its Mark Upon
r.. the Great Metrop- y l.
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~ Special Correspondence /
BY Edith E. Norton. /
London. England
London after ten months of war
While we are waiting for our work
to open up, because in this country
at this time there is much red tape
t. be gotten through, before an
American can take up special relig-
ious work with the soldiers In camps
and hospitals, we are having oppor-
tunity to look about us bit.
We were impressed on landing a
week ago. with the extra formalities
to be gone through with. There
were the alien officers who came
on heard just after we docked in
Liverpool, and examined us one by
one. In loud tones the examing Of
ficer bade the crowd in the dining
saloon keep back, as he put his
questions to us aliens, as they were
Of personal nature, should say
they were, for he, asked us among
other things, for our ages
When we arrived in London and
stopped at our hotel, the Cecil, on
the Thames Embankment, where by
the way, we get a fine large room
with baths and electric light for the
sum OF 10-6 a day for the two of
US, or In, American money about
$3.50. We found still more rcd tape.
Each Of us had to sign paper tell
ing our name, nationality, business
here, and alas again, our. age. When
we leave London we shall be- COM
PEELED to sign another, stating how
long We have been here, and what
Is our next destination, also our busi-
ness in that place. So carefully are
aliens watched. OF course it is the
German spy peril, which makes these
people so apprehensive of foreigners
bearing American passports. -.
Last Friday I called at the war
office to see Lord Kitchener, whom
however I did not see. hut was sent
by his secretary to Chaplain-General
Taylor Smith, Chaplain of all the
Kings forces, as it was thought my
business more properly be done
through him. I had most interest
ing visit with him, and he promised
to carry my request concerning our
work, higher up, and as ! rose to
so lie handed me slip of paper
saying. "You had better carry that
out with you or you will land In
tile Tower The slip was print
ed form which had filled out upon
entering the war office. and which
gave my name and address, and the
purpose of my visit. The, Chaplain.
General stamped it, to indicate that
mine had been a bona-fide visit, and
when left the war office handed
1t to the officer at the door. ~. w.; ~
tsF One sees precautions being taken
too, to safeguard against Zeppelin
attacks. Some of the notable struc-
lures such as the Houses Of Parlia-
ment. the National Art Gallery ETC.,
are protected by wooden structures
built over them, and part %@of the
Serpentine Lake In st. james Park
quite close to Buckingham Palace,
has been drained, so that the reflec-
the location of the palace to a
watchful Zeppelin. -. y
Many Of the recruiting signs and
posters are most interesting. some
Of them pathetic in the extreme, as
the one OF two women standing with
arms intertwined, the one from the
top ranks Of society, and the other
from the slums, but both bidding
farewell and Godspeed to their hus-
bands khaki-clad, marching shoulder
to shoulder away to war. This war
is proving to be a great leveller OF
caste over here, where>of all places
it was most hide-bound, and that
poster is an illustration of the new
democracy that is coming into evil
dence over here. Other posters too
are striking, here is one showing
Zeppelin lowering over London, with
this incripticn, 1T is far better to
face the bullets, than to be killed at
home with a bomb. Join the army
at once, and help to stop an air
raid" Another noticeable one Is a
picture showing six hats, one OF
which is an army cap. Written be-
low, (Which ought You to Wear?'
Here Is another good one. Thou.
sands have answered the nations
call. but you may be the one to turn
the scale at critical moment, do
you realize this?"
The loss of the Lusitania called
forth many new: recruits, and one
poster shows the boat sinking be-
Meath the waves, while hands of the
drowning are upstretched, and in the
fore ground figure Of Justice, hold
ing out a sword and saying, Take
up the Sword of Justice. On one
recruiting poster; dealing with the
tragedy Of the Lusitania, read the
story Of one woman who was rescued
after being in the water two hours:
She had held up in the water all
that time her three children, OF four
wear. two, and six months, crying for
help all that time. When she was
rescued, all but the baby were dead
of exhaustion, and as the life boat
had no room for their little bodles,
with her own hands that had held
them up all that weary WHILE she
consigned them to their Watery
grave. s.,...
Every where are recruiting OFFICES
and groups of soldiers In uniform
accompanied by a band, marchihe
through the streets, encouraging
and inspiring recruits to fall In oe-
hind. and often we see them step
ming from the crowds and falling IN
as new recruits at the end OF the
procession.
One day my husband met crowo
on the strand, surrounding young
soldier. who proved to be James
Dwyer the youngest V. c. In the
British army, only nineteen years OF
age. Afterward he met him per-
sonally, and heard him make a re re-
cruiting speech, mounted on the Mel
son Monument in Trafalgar square.
It ia wonderful to see, how eager
those recruits are to get to the
front. and how enthusiastic those
Who have already been there.
One night as we were strolllng
along the embankment. Mr.. Morton Norton
naused to speak to young soldier
standing alone, or rather leaning