New-York tribune., 1916-07-12
Bv ARTHUR S. DRAPER.


London, July l. Baxter Street
secondhand clothes dealers had moth
ing on British recruiting sergeants
who were stationed along the Strand
a year ago. They buttonholed one
when one least expected it and smil-
ingly asked "Why don't you join upV
Sometimes the simple statement I'm
an American" did not suffice and 1t
was necessary to produce ones pass
port. II one smiled one was courte-
ously informed, There are lots OF
Americans in the British Army but
if one had grown weary of the daily
and often hourly hold-up and hap
pened to suggest "there are lots OF
British who are not in the Britlsh
Army" it was a pretty sure bet MI
Sergeant would have something TO say
about "too proud to fight" Those
were the days of voluntary enlist
ment.
Later came the national reglstra-
ton act and every person, man ana
woman. had to fill in blank giving
age. nationality, business, etc. Ihus
the government obtained record OF
aliens as well as British subjects. II
was the forerunner of the Derby plan,
which gave men between eighteen ana
forty an opportunity to attest or JOIN
the colors by classes graded accord
ing 70 age and whether single or
married. Believers in the voluntary
system worked with might ana main
70 make the scheme succeed. A young
man of military age who had no m
clination for fighting lived miseraDIe
life trying to dodge those VINO "ah'eu
TO see him in khaki.
Fiery orators threatened that II VOL
untarism failed conscripts would De
forced to don different uniform from
that worn by the volunteer and that
tbev would be set TO work digging
graves and doing the work OF scav-
engers.
Urged TO "Come Forward"
"Slackerslv "Shirkersl" "Cowards, y
Everv day from the base of the Nell
SON Monument in Trafalgar Square
those words roared out from leather
luneed orators. who strobe back and
forth from one lion to another, now
appealing. now scolding. now threat
eninq. | listened to many Of them with
the same feeling | had as boy at
Methodist camp meeting, sitting on the
last bench under a great tent ana
certain the preacher had his eyes NV
eted on me as he invited Sinners,
come forward"
Even women became recruiting ON
GERS. and mighty good some OF them
were. One of them came to my nome
and informed my wife she would be
considered n Stacker unless ! Joined
m" II was long, chastening speecn,
calculated to drive the audience to
cr;of or fury. The speech had been
we'll rehearsed and was delivered with
tho Auencv Of an agent for the "fa.
mons Men and Women of the World
nothing down and only quarter
week "iust a little over three cents a
dav" But finally it ended. II seemed
cruel Of my wife to reply simply, but
INV husbands an American" The re-
treaf was rout. Whoever directed
the patriotic woman to my home must
have received definite report as 70
nv nationality after her call.
Put the DerLv scheme failed to sup
plv the demand, and now conscription
is in full swing.
Ordered to Join the Colors.
An order TO report 20 the army recruit
ing Office on Jury ito join for service
with the colors" has been served on
me by mail the notice being deliv-
cred at my home. the same pl lace | gave
under the national registration act rs
nv residence and the same place at
which the patriotic woman called. II |
do not report by a. m. on the date
mentioned shall be guilty of desert
ing"
am an American citizen, born and
raised in New York State; have been
in Germany since the war, have met
and interviewed half a dozen British
Cabinet Ministers, besides a host OF
more or less prominent statesmen and
army and navy officials, and still, II l
ignore the order of the army recruiting
Office. | may be arrested, fined and i'm
prisoned and suffer all the other things
which deserter suffers. And my .expe-
rience is that OF many OF my fellow
countrymen.
II plead that have conscientious