Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-02-22

With disgust in my heart ] went out
in the street. ! had gone about Il
block when recruiting sergeant who
tapped me on the shoulder with his
Swaggrr stick and said: "Sy, ] can
get YOU in the army. We have lcf-
tenant down at the other office who
can do anything. He has just come
out OF the O. r. &. (OitiCers' Training
CorpS) and does not know what nru-
tr:lity is" decided to TAX" a chance.
and accepted his invitation for an in
PRODUCTION 10 the lieutenant. ! entered
the office and went mp TO him. opened
up my passport and said:
Before going further | wish To state
that am AN American. not too proud
To fight, and want to join your army"
He looked at m" in Il nonchalant
manner, and answered. That's all
right: We take anything over here"
| looked AT him kind OF hard and re-
piled. so notice" but il went over
his head.
He 20, out an enlistment blank. and
placing his finger on Il blank line said,
Sign here"
answered. mot ON your tintype.
Il beg your pardon"
Then | explained to him that ! would
not sign il without first reading il. |
read il over and signed for duration Of
war. Some OF the recruits were lucky.
They signed for seven years only!
Then he asked me- my birthplace. |
answered. ogden. Utah"
He said. "Oh. yes. just outside OF
New York."
With Il smile, replied. We'll. it's up
the state u little"
Then ! was taken before the doctor
and passed as physically tit. and was
issued "a uniform. When ! reported
back to the lieutenant. he suggested
that. being an American. go on re-
cruiting service and try TO shame some
of the slackcrs into joining the army
An you have TO do" hc said. "is to
po out on the street. and when you see
u young fellow i'm mufti who looks
physically fit. just stop him ana give
him this kind OF Il talk: Aren't you
ashamed of yourself. a 3ritisher, phEs-
,icalIy fit. and in mufti when your king
and country need YOU? Don't you
know that your country Is at war and
that the place for every young Briton
in on the firing line? Here | am. an
american. in khaki. who came four
thousand miles to fight for your KING
and country, and you. as yet. nave not
enlisted. Why don't YOU join" Now
is the time
This argument ought to get many
recruits. F.mpry. so go out ana see
what you can do.
He then gave me small roset'e o'
red. white and blue ribbon, with thrc'
nt,lr s,rcamcrs hanging down. THIS
WAS the recruiting insignia and was
,o he worn on the left side OF the cap
Armed with a swagger stick anu my
potriotic roscttc. went out into Tot
tenham Court road in quest OF cannon
fodder.
Two or three poorly dressed CIVIL
ians passed me. and although they ap-
n.orrd physically tit. said to myself
.Thry don't want TO join the army
p,rhops they have someone dependent
ON them for support" SO | did not ac-
cost them.
Coming down the street ! saw Il
Young dandy. top hat and all, win
fashionahly dressed. girl walking nc
side him. muttcred. You are III!
meat" and when hc came abreast OF
m, | strppcd directly in his path ana
s,oppcd him with my swaggrr stick'
saying:
"You would look fine in khaki; why
no, change that top hat for steer
helmet Aren't you ashamed of your
self. husky young chap like you IN
mufti when men are needed in the
trenches? Here am. an American
came four thousand miles from oe-
don. l'tah, lust outside of New YORK.
10 fight for your king and country
Don't he a Stacker. buck up ana get
into uniform: come over to the re-
cruiting office and III have you en-
listed"
He yawned and answered, Il don
care if YOU came forty thousand nt'ies
no one asked you to-" and he walk
ed on. The girl gave me sneerins
look: was speeches..
recruited for three weeks ana
nearly got one recruit.
This perhaps was not the greatest
stunt in the world. but il got back a'
the officer who had told me. Yes, we
take anything over here" ! had been
spcnding good lot nf my recruiting
time in the saloon bar OF the Wheat
Sheaf pub Chcre was Il very attract
i've blonde barmaid. who helped XIII
timc-I was not as serious III those
days as | was a little later when !
reached the frontl-well. II was the
sixth day and my recruiting reports
was blank. was getting low In the
pocket-harmaids haven't much use
for anyone who cannot buy drinks
SO | looked around for recruiting
material. You know a man on re-
cruiting service gets a bob" or shil-
ling for every recruit he entices int"
Joining the army. the recruit Is. sup
posed to get this. but he would not
be a recruit il he were wise to this
fact, would he?
Down at the end Of the bar was Il
young fellow in mufti who was very
patriotic-he had about four "old
Six" ales aboard. He asked me II he
could join. showed me his left hand.
two fingers were missing. but l said
that did not matter as we take any
thing over here" The left hand is
the rifle hand as the piece is carried
at the slope on the left shoulder.
Nearly everything in England Is by
the left" even general traffic keeps