The sun., 1917-07-01
Hunnor and PathoS
Mixed in Census
Unconscious Heroism Expressed in
Many Answers by Men and Women
Listed for State Military Needs

Ave Children born in this country he
has never taken out even first papers
He has had no military training. not
even in Germany. as he left there
when he wac only 10.
And, OF course. being an alien, You
don't want to enlist in the United
states army or navy or marine
corps" l say.
He turns his sad eyes upon me. ,ad
as only Germans eyes can he sad
"Oh, I cannot" he replies. He hest.
tates a moment, then he adds despair
ingly: 1T was only carelessness that
1 did not take my papers"
And is it too late now?" ask
Z "Oh, yes" he says, too late"
give him his card, and as he goes
] realize that have been face 10 face
with tragedy. do not know wherein
Il lies. whether his heart is with his
birthplace or with the birthplace Of
his children; but the tragedy is there,
poignant and pathetic.
The next applicant is a young Ar
menian, very well dressed and intelh-
gent, who has come with two women,
apparently his sisters. 1t turns out
in-law the first II and the other "a
years old. He has, or had, a mother
and father in Armenia, 10 whom re
sent money, but for three years he
has not been able to get any word
from them.
Two Italian men follow. One can
not speak English and the other ha
come to interpret for him. 1t is akin
to the blind leading the blind, but by
tortuous questioning we get through
the paper of the one who cannot
speak English and he goes thankfully
away with his card.
The interpreter starts on his own
registration and the difficulties begin
to increase. 1t is harder for him 10
answer for himself than for his friend
and when it comes to the questions
about military service we seem to
have reached deadlock. He does not
know what / mean, and | am on the
point Of sending out for some one n
interpret for the interpreter when our
policeman looks in.
Policeman Rs Interpreter.
He is almost as good looking and
quite as nice as Cinderella's policeman
In Barrie's play, and he looks in upon
us every so often just to make sure
that we are all right. He leans his
tall form against the door CASING and
joins the catechism.
''Soldat?" he inquiries, in clarion
tones. Was you soldat in Italy"
The man looks more and more be.
wildered.
"Gendarme?" our policeman in
auires, still louder. The man brightcn=
"Gendarme," he repeats eagerly
Yes in Italy"
How long ago did YOU enlist"
ask, with simulated hopefulness
though | know he won't understand
He justifies my intelligence rather
than my hopes. but again the police
man comes to the rescue.
How old was you when you was
gendarme in Italy?" he inquiries. bend
ing his tall form over the seated man
The question goes home.' thanks po-
sibly to the Vigor with which II Sc
put, and again the mans eyes liCh'
up. We find out that he enlisted ir
the gendarmerie at 10 and left at .,
and he gets his Identification card and
goes off.
As he has no naturalization paper
he does not need a militia notification
slip, so am spared the pain of try!nG
to- explain to him that it does no'
mean what it says, as I must do -
the citizens who come within the az"
to he drafted for militia service
This slip is TO notify you that YOU
,I,t % e..
vice" tell "all males between Is and
As years OF age who are citizens o~
who have taken out their first papers
But you need not file your claim N
exemption at the County Clerks office
as II tells you to do. You needn't IN
anything about it at all. If you are
called, then is the time to file your
claim"
Some of them are inclined 10 no
sarcastic at this iuncture, and 4 7
hard not to agree heartily with then.
There is something singularlv un.n-
spring about this procedure. II gives
one a feeling of personal inefficiency
that the circumstances do not In any
way justify.
Autos Arouse Mirth.
There is singularly little criticism,
however. The most prominent char
acteristiCs displayed by those who
come to register are docility and
cordial spirit of cooperation. Somc ~
the questions are puzzling, and the
one about the possession of an auto
mobile frequently arouses mrth. /
soon learned to approach that m
jocular manner.
II suppose you own an automohue'
! inquire roSuishlS of the kindly neg
woman who has just told me that size
supports herself and two children %.
going out by the day.
mo, ma'am," she declares. a"
don't own nothinN Nothin a. p.
And I'm scared of automobiles more %
anything in the world
1t Is interesting TO see how 'n'
negro women differ from the Itt.,"-
in the frequency with which they go
out To work. or all the Italian women
| have registered not one has iu'
any work outside # her home aud rr'
one has done any work at home 'o
earn money. Their husbands ,uon
them. Among the colorcd W"u."
even those who have husband, ' ..
and working the exception o.
woman who stays at home OF fan. "
add to the family income hN E..
washing into her own domicilc
In spite Of the underuurr,r'
pathos, the general cffect-cG 'a...-
the CpusuS iS hpartpninp 1,N g..