Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-05
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN =

oNTREAI Nov 25-In Canada this is a holy
MI war of all faiths. In the churches patriotic
AV4 meetings have held, and battalions re-
cruited; from pulpit it is preached thaI
this is a war to Christendom. In the churches'
too are hung the flags of the battaons and long
honor posted of the members that have gone 10
war These honor rolls appeal to revenge as wen
as patriotism. for they are mostly rolls OF the DEAD
Catholic and Protestant united to fight this bat
tie for common ideal 1t has been said that the
French Catholic priests in part responsible for the
failure of French Canadians to enlist as GLASS;
This S denied by men who know
Tho Protestant church Canada has given it's best
brains energy to the war Many of Its ministers
are in khaki The recruiting officer here is Ma
Tor C A. williams, big blonde brogue-speaking irish
man. When the broke out he was Reverend VIII
lams, pastor of the St James Methodist churcn' ms
first battle and that gained him his commits
sion was fought with the deacons and leading lights
of his church.
When the recruiting began, Williams saw one hor-
ror of war that thought he could mitigate Thou
sands of young men, filed with the unusual emotions
of the moment, thrown half-idle upon the town.
Drunkenness and prostitution were everywhere. Out
of one battalion seventy were sent home "medi-
cav unfit" as result of dissipation. Canada was
losing before they got to the 'front.' and many OF
these were MANNED by diseases worse than wounds.
Williams founded a soldiers, club in the spacious
basement of his arranged with the women of
his congregation furnish the members with meals
at less than He prohibited all religious preach
r,ents and solicitations. He had number Of pool ia
hles installed and allowed smoking The men joined TO
the limit of the establishments capacity 1t is no I'M
usual thing to a hundred and fifty of them in the
club at time
Rut the deacons of church rebelled in spirit of
holy horror The idea Of pool room and smoking in
the basement old and urarespectable St James
church strained their tolerance past the breaking point
The thing got into the newspapers and letters of ex
nostulation came Williams from all America.
I7rt he stood pat Another had made him Of
fer that included salary He said that he would
stav where he provided he could have his way
and his way included soldiers club with smoking and
pool tables A majority of the congregation backed
him and the club still fourshes.
Incidentally the military authorities quick
coo the mowers leadership in Williams He enlisted
ond became a major and chief recruiting officer He
has now applied for permission to to the 'front.' and
expects to leave soon
The recruiting problem irf Montreal is reach and
nersuade to who not indispensable
at home persuade to stay those who are neces-
sary muniton factories The trouble is that the
very men who needed at home often readi
est go to the front
In the early part of the war, recruiting carried
ON bv patriotic meetings in the churches and in Do
rinion square, recruiting addresses in moving picture
shows and theaters special moving picture meetings
where were shown, street car and military
parades with bands-all designed to stir
triotic feeling. In the country, similar
smaller carried out by recruiting agents sent
out from Montreal
All of these means hove practically their
efficacy The tumult- shouting period
over; spirit of the town is one of grim. resigned
determination; people longer respond drums
and oratory There more great armies to march
through the with bands and colors although
some soldiers coming back A detachment reached
Montreal yesterday There twenty-five men, All
of them had wounded many of them manned
for life They by a crowd brass band;
but there nothing exutant in the spirit of the
crowd. 1t dotted with women in black who had