The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-02-21
@IN7 by
lARThuR Guy EnHYI

/ scenes OF ucStruCtlOH. 1 DOulutu DuS
which carried me through Tottenham
| Court road. Recruiting posters were
everywhere. The one that impressed
me most was a life-siZe picture of
Lord Kitchener with his finger point
Ing directly at me, under the caption
Of "Your King and Country Need You"
! No matter which way / turned, the
accusing finger followed me. | was
an American, In multi, and had little
American flag IN the lapel of my coat.
had no king, and my country had
seen fit not to need me, but still that
pointing finger made me feel small and
III at ease. I got Off the bus TO try
to dissipate this feeling by mixing
with the throng of the sidewalks.
Presently I came to recruiting Of
! fee. Inside, sitting at desk WAS
| lonely Tommy Atkins. l decided to In
terview him in regard to Joining the
British army. opened the door. He
looked up and greeted me with II s'y,
myte, want to tyke onT'
looked at him and answered, well,
whatever that is, III take chance
at It,"
Without the aid Of an interpreter, I
found out that Tommy wanted to know
IL cared to join the British army. He
asked me: ''Did you ever hear Of the
Royal FusiliersT Well, In London,
you know, Yanks are supposed to know
everything, so / was not going to ap-
! pear ignorant and answered, Sure"
| After listening for one half-hour to
Tommy's tale of their exploits on the
firing line, 1 decided to join. Tommy
| took me to the recruiting headquarters,
where met q typical English captain.
He asked my nationality. l immedi-
ately pulled out my American passport
| and showed 1t to him. 1t was signed
by Lansing. After looking at the
passport, he informed me that he was
| sorry but could not enlist me, as 1t
would be breach of neutrality.
Insisted that / was not neutral, be-
cause to me it seemed that n real
American could not be neutral when
big things were in progress, but the
captain would not enlist me.
With disgust in my heart l went out
In the street. | had gone about Il
block when recruiting sergeant who
had followed me out of the office
tapped me on the shoulder with his
swagger stick and said: "S'y, | can
get you In the army. We have lief
tenant down at the other office who
can do anything He has Just come
out of the O. r. c. (Ofcers' Training
CORPSE and does not know what neu-
trality is" I decided to take n chance,
and accepted his invitation for an in
PRODUCTION to the lieutenant. | entered
the office and went up to him. opened
up my passport and said:
"Before going further I wish to state
that | am an American, not too proud
to fight, and want to join your army"
He looked at me in a nonchalant
manner, and answered, THAT'S all
right; we take anything over here"
looked at him kind of hard and re-
piled, $50 I notice." but 1t went over
his head.
He got out nm enlistment blank. and
placing his finger on a blank line said,
"Sign here"
answered, mot on your tintype."
IT beg your pardonT
Then explained to him that I would
not sign 1t without first reading 1t. /
read 1t over and signed for duration of
war. Some of the recruits were lucky.
They signed for seven years onlyi
Then he asked me my birthplace. I
answered, "Ogden, Utah"
He said, "Oh, yes, just outside of
New York 2"
With smile, replied, "Well, it's up
the state n little"
Then | was taken before the doctor
and passed as physically fl, and was
issued uniform. When l reported
back to the lieutenant, he suggested
that, being an American, | go on re-
cruiting service and try to shame some
of the slackers into Joining the army"
"All you have to do" he said, "is to
go out on the street, and when you see
young fellow in multi who looks
physically fit. just stop him and give
him this kind Of talk: Aren't you
ashamed of yourself, Britisher, phys
ically fit and in multi 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
is 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, have not
enlisted. Why don't you joinf Now
Is the time
'This argument ought to get many
recruits, Empey, so go out and see
what you can do"
He then gave me small rosette OF
red, white and blue ribbon, with three
little steamers hanging down. This
was the recruiting insignia and was
to be worn on the left side Of the cap.
Armed with swagger stick and my
patriotic rosette, went out into Tot
tenham Court road in quest of cannon
fodder.
Two or three poorly dressed civil
lans passed me. and although they APP
peared physically fit, Z said to myself.
sThey don't want to join the army;
perhaps they have someone dependent
on them for support" so did not ac-
cost them.
Coming down the street Il saw a
young dandy, top hat and all, with a
fashionably dressed girl walking be-