IN THE CLINK

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 258, 19 July 1918, Page 6

IN THE CLINK

The soldier who has been in the "clink," or military prison, is not shunned by his triends in tJie same way as people Bhun the wrong-doing oilman emerging irom durance; He is lionised rattier tnaiv ostracised. The announcement "Finished 28 days' clink this afternoon" is usually a certain prelude to canteen hospitality being extended by admiring chums, ko matter what oifouce he has committed the released sinning soldier becomes something of a hero. In the old days no ranker was considered a real soldier by the old "swats" until he had been in "clink." Soldiers' "clink" differs in several re-' spects from the civil prison. The confined civilian suiters in the matter of food. The soldier docs not; he receives exactly the same ration as he ' would were lie free. His meals are brought to him and he consumes them in tho solitude of his cell. And it is a strict rule of the Army that a prisonor, being legally helpless, must bo fed first, even before the sergeant of the guard, The labour is different. Most tasks ore performed by civilian prisoners in their cells. The soldier does his iiard labour outside, sweeping, cleaning, whitewashing, window cleaning, digging, brick and stone removing. Every moment he is under the watchful oyo of a guard, even on a briof journey to the cookhouse to obtain hot water. Ho is not supposed to speak. At six o'clock the sinning soldier is locked in his cell for the night. The solitude of the next twelve hours, dur; ing which he sees no one except tae ordorly officer (for about five seconds), is the most maddening part of the sentence. A short-time prisoner is not allowed to read, write, smoke, shave, wear puttees, or receive visits during the time he is in prison.

Tne only liumnnising touch about "clink" is tho food. For tlio first three nights the now arrival cannot sloop on the .hard plank bed with his boots for a pillow. Tho minutes drag along on leaden feet. All lie can do is to gazo dully in front of him. Through the tiny window, twelve feet high, beyond which lies liberty ho watches the sun eink. His dreams are wild. But after tho third night he sleeps. There is ouo thing to be said in favour of "clrnk." It makes men domesticated. A soldier for whom I have tho most profound respect was blissfully ignorant of the tiniest domestic detail before he joined the Army. He committed a military offence and received M days' "clink." Today ho is one of the most accomplished house-keepers I know. Ite is billeted at home. And the ironical part of it is that his wife, who is in the Women's Army, makes him do every bit of the housework, oven to the cooking and shopping! Most of his domestic accomplishments ho acquired in "clink." —T.P. in the "Daily Mail."