The Huttig news., 1918-03-09
0I9l7 BY l ARTHUR GUY EhEYI

street, l accosted a Robbie with
 "Gan you direct me to the place of damage"
 He asked me, "What damage?
 In surprise, I answered, "Why, the damage caused by the Zeps."
 With wink he replied:
 There was no damage; we missed them again"
 After several fruitless inquiries of the passersby, 1 decided to go on my own in search of ruined buildings and scenes of destruction. I boarded bus 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 I turned, the accusing finger followed me. I was ln American, In multi, and had little American flag Tn the lapel of my coat. 1 had no king, and my country had seen fit not to need me, but still that pointing finger made me feel small and i'll at ease. I got off the bus te try to dissipate this feeling by mixing with the throng of the sidewalks.
 Presently I came to a recruiting of flee. Inside, sitting at desk WAS q lonely Tommy Atkins. I decided to in terview him in regard to joining the British army. I opened the door. He looked up and greeted me with "I s'y myte, want to tyke on?"
 looked ut him and answered, "Well, whatever that is, I'll take a chance at it."
 Without the aid of an interpreter, I found out that Tommy wanted to know If cared to join the British army. He asked me: Did you ever hear of the Royal Fusiliers?" Well, in London, you know, Tanks are supposed to know everything, so I 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, I decided to join. Tommy took me to the recruiting headquarters, where I met typical English captain. He asked my nationality. 1 immedi- ately pulled out my American passport and showed it to him. It was signed by Lansing. After looking at the passport, he informed me that he was sorry but could not enlist me, as it would be d breach of neutrality. l insisted that I was not neutral, be- cause to me it seemed that 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. l had gone about q block when recruiting sergeant who had followed me out of the office tanDed me on the shoulder with his swagger stick and said: "S'y, l can get you in the army. We have a lief tenant down at the other office who can do anything. He has just come out of the O. T. c. (Ofieers' Training eorps) and does not know what neu- trality is" I decided to take q chance, and accepted his invitation for an in trodueti0n ts the lieutenant. 1 entered the office and went up to him, opened up my passport and said:
 Before going further I wish to state that I am an American, not too proud to fight, and want to join your army"
 He looked at me in a nonchalsnt manner, and answered, "That's all right; we take anything over here.'
 I looked at him kind of hard and re piled "So l notice" but it went over his head.
 He got out an enlistment blank, and placing his finger on blank line said, "Sign here"
 l answered, "Not on your tintype."
 q beg your pardon?"
 Then explained to him that I would not sign it without first reading it. read it 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. 1 answered. ogden, Utah"
 He said, "Oh, yes, just outside of 1 New York;"
 With smile, replied, "Well, it's up the state a little''
 Then I was taken before the doctor and passed as physically fit, and was ] issued a uniform. When l reported i back to the lieutenant, he suggested F that, being an American, l go on re- crulting 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 a young fellow in multi who looks physically fit, just stop him and give him this kind of a talk: Aren't you ashamed of yourself, a Britisher, phys icaIly 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 Bfiten is on the firing line? Here l am, an American, in khaki, who came four thousand miles to fight for your king and country, and you, as yet, have hot