BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1915, Page 5

BRITAIN

THE RECRUITING BOOM, j EXTRAORDINARY RUSH OF MEN. CONSCRIPTION PROBABLY AVERTED. ANIMATED SCENES. London, Dec. 12. The recruiting offices closed at midnight to enable the exhausted officials to snatch a few hours' rest before the final rush. The utter impossibility of attesting applicants fully justified an extension of time. So many were not attested that to-day promises to rival Saturday, which easily broke all records. Most of the offiees attested at the rate •f three hundred hourly. South London enrolled 11,000 men during the day. The Lambeth officials were overworked and had to send 500 men in one bate' l to Camberwell, where the total was 3000. Other districts had excellent results. The King set an example to employers. Many of his servants had enlisted long ago, but it was announced yesterday that in compliance with the King's wishes all eligible men in the Royal service had been attested and placed in their respective groups. Mr. O'Grady, M.P.. a member of Lord Derby's committee, declares that something like a miracle has been performed. He has never felt more proud of the country. He pays a tribute to Lord Derby's influence on all concerned in the scheme by his cheerfulness and undaunted courage in smashing red tape and overcoming difficulties. He also pays a tribute to the loyalty of the newspapers, irrespective of their views on conscription, in backing the scheme. The Weekly Dispatch warns the public. not to imagine that the final rush settles the question, It points out- that success depends primarily on the single men, whose response before the last week was disappointing. It was noticeable that the papers signed by enlisters included an empty space to record possible Victoria Cross men.

■Recruits took the oath and pocketed 2<! Oil. representing the recruiting fee and the first day's rations, and returned home "with a gratifying feeling of duty done. Several city banks and insurance companies sent all eligible men in their employ to sign on, hoping that those essential to the carrying on of business would be released by the investigation committees. The working classes were predominant in many London districts, particularly shoemakers and upholsterers at Shoreditch and hefty dockers at Deptford. All records were broken at Stratford and Barking'. Wonderful rallies were reported in the pnvinces. A feature of the recruiting in Scotland was the tremendous enthusiasm of the clergy. Many Presbyterian ministers enrolled and the divinity colleges and theological halls are almost empty. The Press Bureau issued a statement that, owing to the physical impossibility of attesting all offered it had been decided to allow men to offer for the army reserve on Sunday. These instructions were telegraphed throughout the United Kingdom, and the officers were instructed to make a list of applicants for attestation under the group system on Saturday and Sunday whom it was found impossible to attest before Sunday at mignight. Such men will be included in the lists if they attest up till Wednesday niglit. The Bureau urges citizens to attest to swell the volume of evidence of the determination oT the country resolutely to prosecute the war to a victorious conclusion.

Lord Derby's announcement of the result of his recruiting is necessarily postponed pending compilation of the figures far the extra days' recruiting. It is considered a good plan to allow a day's grace, as most of the eligible men were not working on Sunday and had the fullest opportunity to reconsider the position. Apart from Saturday night's overflow, to-day's recruiting is quieter, but, despite a snowstorm in the forenoon, many attested. A large number of unskilled men chose immediate service. The recruiters are reticent and do not desire to display optimism. They deplore the publication in to-day's newspapers of the speculation that between 80 and 90 per cent, of 'Britain's manhood has enlisted. They attribute to this the comparative slump to-day in some quarters. Throughout tlie provinces to-day's figures continue in the neighborhood of recent records. The thickly populated suburbs of London made a magnificent eleventli hour response. The general impression is that Lord Derby will report that he is well satistied, thus removing the possibility of tiie continuance of the conscription agitation. While many married men in the older groups are not likely ever to be called up, there is reason to anticipate that the overwhelming response of all classes and conditions of men will make * remarkable total, which will be sucli a demonstration of patriotism, willingness to serve, and stern determination aroused by the seriousness of .the situation as to liave a tremendous moral effect on the enemy. The close of Lord Derby's campaign was marked by memorable scenes. Every recruiting office had been thronged for several nights, and midnight on Saturday witnessed extraordinary displays of enthusiasm. Long queus stretched into the darkness. From 7 o'clock on Saturday morning enormous crowds were waiting in the rain. Lord Derby's report was presented on Sunday, but in order to facilitate enrolment lie issued a statement on Saturday entirely dispensing with the medical examination queries. The central offices at Whitehall comprised every class and profession, tophatted city men mingled with East End costers and Thames-side workers. For days it was noticed that recruits were silent and earnest, realising the responsibilities of breadwinners, but the Saturday night crowds cheered and re-cheered the newly-enlisted men.

RESULT TO BE MADE KNOWN ON THURSDAY. Received Dec. I.'!, 10.30 p.m. London, Dec. 13. Mr. Asquith will announce on Thursday the result of Lord Derby's scheme, The War Office announces that it is of the greatest importance that there be no cessation of the number of men offering for direct enlistment. BRITISH .RECRUITS. ENLIST IN PRANCE. Paris, Dec. 12. The response of 'British residents who are following Lord Derby's scheme lias greatly exceeded expectations, and an | excellent impression lias been j>rodacecl

SURPRISES OF THE WAR,

ESl'h, IA FOR GERMANY. SPEECH BY LORD ROSEBERY. London, Dec. 12. Lord Rosebery made a stirring speech at Edinburgh at the opening of tin; club for colonial soldiers. He said lie did not like the words- colonies and colonials; he thought they had expunged tliem from the language long ago, substituting the magnificent words "Dominion" and ''Commonwealth," expressing the grand Empire which had sprung from the British Tsles. He regretted, and all friends of the Empire regretted, that the words were creeping in again. The war Twd "''ought two .surprises. Germans had visited us with genial smiles and Judas kisses. Their chief came' with his chief spy, amid the acclamations of a simple-hearted nation. Bland deputations came calling us Teutons and brothers. Crowds of oily burgomasters "and silver-tongued professors came preaching amity and brotherhood, yet Germany all the time was plotting a war which meant the ruin and devastation of ihe earth. That was our surprise, but Germany's foul idea of conquest, God helping us, would never be realised. But Germany had her surprise also. Prussia sent spies and emissaries everywhere, to India, Egypt, Canada and Australia. What was the result? They leaped up by a common impulse the moment war was declared, and rushed to the assistance of the Mother Country. Come weal, come woe, the British Empire was a fact with which the universe had got to deal. We were able to confront any danger while we stuck together. The valor of the overseas troops at the Dardanelles would never be forgotten. Lord Kosebery added that a gentleman named Ford, who he believed made perambulators, Tvas coming to pour oil on the troubled waters. Ho hoped Mr. Ford would not get into mischief.

ALLIES MUST WIN

AN AMERICAN EDITOR'S VIEW. MONEY, MEN, AND SHELLS. Reecived Dec. 14, 1.10 a.m. London, Dec. 13. Colonel Harvey, editor of the North American 'Review, is concluding a visit t« the Anglo-French lines. He declares that it is absolutely certain that the Allies will win. The new British army is now four millions, and there has been a wonderful ratio of shell production in Anglo-France, It has risen from one to Germany's three at the beginning of the war to five for Germany's one. The Allies may be forced to fight for two years or longer, but money, men and shells are bound to win. Me says that Herr von BethmannHollweg's speech was bluff, though he does not believe that Germany can be starved into surrender.

THE CENSORSHIP,

PARTIALLY SUSPENDED. Received Dee. 13, 7.40 p.m. London, Dec. 12. The censorship by the Press Bureau of news of foreign affairs has been suspended, the responsibility of complying with the Defence of tiie Realm Act being cast upon the newspapers and news agencies. The censorship of naval and military matter otherwise continues. NEW ZEALAND STOWAWAY. London, Dec. 12. William Broad, who was rejected in New Zealand as too short, stowed away on a steamer, worked his passage, and enlisted in the 'Bantam Battalion at Leicester, his old home.