Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1918-02-14
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"Can you direct me 10 the place on
damageT
He asked me, "What damageT
In surprise, I answered, "Why, the
damage caused by the Zeps."
With q wink he replied:
"There was no damage; we missed
them again."
After several frultless inquiries OF
the passersby, I decided to go on my
own 10 search OF ruined buildings n
scenes of destruction. / boarded a 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 l turned, the
accusing finger followed me. l was
an American, In mufti, and had a little
American flag In the lapel of my coat.
1 had no king, and my country had
seen at not to need me, but still that
pointing finger made me feel small and
Ill at ease. 1 got OF the bus to try
to disslpate this feeling by mixing
with the throng Of the sidewalks.
Presently / came to a recruiting Of
fee. Inside, sitting at a desk was a
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 Il s'y,
myte. want to tyke onr
looked at him and answered, swell,
whatever that is, I'll take a chance
at It."
without the aid of an interpreter, l
found out that Tommy wanted to know
IL / cared to join the British army. He
asked me: odd you wei hear Of the
Royal Fuslliers7" Well. in London,
you know. Yanks are supposed to know
everything, so l was not going to APP
pear ignorant and answered, "Sure."
After listening for one half-hour to
Tommy's tale of their exploits on the
firing line, l decided to join. Tommy
took me to the recruiting headquarters,
Where l met a 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 a breach Of neutrality. l
insisted that l was not neutral, be-
cause to me 1t seemed that a real
American could not be neutral when
big things were In progress, but the
captain would not enlist me.
With disgust in my heart went out
In the street. / had gone about a
block when a recruiting sergeant who
had followed me out Of the office
tapped 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. g. (Onicers' Training
corps) and does not know what neu-
trality Is" l decided to take a 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 I am an American, not too proud
to fight, and want to join your army"
He looked at me in a nonchaIant
manner, and answered, "That's all
right; we take anything over here"
I looked at him kind of hard and re-
piled. $50 / notice." but 1t went over
his head.
He got out an enlistment blank, and
placing his finger on a blank line said,
"Sign here"
answered, "Not on your tIntype."
II beg your pardonr
Then / explained to him that l would
not sign 1t without first reading 1t. /
read It W. and signed for duration Of
war. Some Of the recruits were lucky.
They signed for seven years onlyl
Then he asked me my birthplace. I
answered. "Ogden, Utah."
He said, "Oh, yes, just outside Of
New York;"
With a smile. / replied, swell, it's up
the state a little"
Then 1 was taken before the doctor
and passed as physically fit, and was
issued a uniform. When l reported
back to the lieutenant. he suggested
that, being an American, I go on re-
crulting service and try to shame some
Of the slackers into Joining the army"
"All you have to do he said, 'fs to
go out on the street, and when you see
a young fellow In multi who looks
physically at, Just stop him and give
him this kind Of a talk: Aren't You
ashamed OF yourself, a Britsher, phys
icalIy at, and In multi when your king
and country need your Don't you
know that your country is at war and
that the place for every young Briton
Is on the firing llnef Here l am, an
American, in khaki, who came four
thousand miles to fight for your king
and country, and you, as yet, have not