New Britain herald., 1917-02-08
ALL ENGLAND At WAR
AGAINST THE KAISER
DR.. Dunning Gives Interesting
Talk to CongregationaliStS

Rev. DR.. A. E. Dunning, former
editor of the "Congregationalist,"
gave an address, on the Soul Of Bri-
tain in the War" before the MEM
bers of the Central Congregational
club Of Connecticut in the First
church last evening, following sup
per held in the church dining room.
He said that England had become a
changed country during the past
three years but that the universe was
on the side Of the righteous and the
righteous would win.
At the beginning of the war Eng
land had an army no larger than the
one at present in this country and did
not anticipate, war. It was sixteen
years ago that he first visited Eng
land, becoming pastor of a church in
Manchester, where he was known as
the minister In residence. Since that
time he has visited the country on an
average Of every other year and has
been resident minister no less than
I'VE times.
The first thing tina, makes a change,
said DIR. Dunning, is the regulations
Of the defense of the realm act. 1t
Is -klHTQ WOTk 10 get d paSSpOIt
then after all the necessary formali-
ties have been gone through the pass
port Is not given to the traveller until
p few hours before sailing time. AS
the ship approaches the British
Islands Il is preceded by several
mine sweepers which clear the chan.
mel. Upon landing, the passengers
arc held for strict examination and
as they travel in the trains they are
hedged in by the regulations of the
defense Of the realm act. At London
more questions are asked and then
nil parties are sent to the police sta
ton where they register and have
their photographs taken. Every place
L person travels he is obliged to get
permission from the police to stay
over night as every one is regarded
rs an alien.
DR.. Dunning said that London in
the day time is far different from the
London at night. for during the hours
Of light the shops are open and the
streets thronged with people. Chances
In the bookstore windows show pic
lures of the war. At night the store
lights are out and on the streets the
lamps are all yelled and cast their
rays but q few feet. Huge rays Of
light may also be seen at night cast
imp their reflection, in certain sections
OF the sky and these, said DR.. Dunn
ing, are the searchlights set so that
when the Zeppelins appear they can
be seen. Warning is given twenty
minutes before the craft can get over
head and thus everyone is given a
chance to get under cover. At, one
place where he was, there were forty
persons, mostly women and girls,
killed by the bombs.
Everyone at War.
In speaking about the entire nation
being at war he said this was the first
time since the Civil war that he had
been in q country where everyone
was at war. He has travelled through
many lands and has been in places
where there was war going on but
never where the whole country, both
young and old, were in it.
In talking of the hospitals DR..
Dunning said that the wounded do
not like the glum ministers but they
do like ministers that bring them
cigarettes and tell them things that
they could smile at. The nurses in
these institutions are as brave as men
and they deserve the name sister
WHICH the SOlOleTS nave gwen tueul.
In some Of the larger houses the diff
ferent rooms are devoted to the max
ing OF bandages and other material
that will be used in the hospitals.
DR.. Dunning said that he was Civ
en- permission to visit one of the large
munition plants. Here the women
were doing the work formerly done
by the men. At the training camps
much Of interest is to be found. To
make q good soldier requires the bet
ter part of q year and much time
and labor must be put in by the re-
cruit before he can throw the hand
grenades. Each has brass band and
this must be broken by the thumb as
1t leaves the hand. The grenades ex-
plode just four seconds after the band
Is broken, so it is seen that if a SOL
der has not the necessary training
he is liable to blow himself to pieces.
Another skillful trick Is the use of
the bayonet as it must be thrust into
a body just far enough to kill, or the
man would be at the mercy of the
man behind the first victim.
The hardest thing he had to do,
said DR.. Dunning, was to visit the
families OF those that had been killed.
Each day the papers carry a list of the
dead There is always a feeling of
fear and expectancy among the peo-
pie that word will be received that
their dear ones have been killed.
In conclusion DR.. Dunning said that
the people did not have to be told
what they were fighting for as they