by Gavin Fuller
To put my case briefly, I was medically examined, approved and attested at Wimbledon as far back as 20 November. The following week I made application for an armlet, and was told that they had not arrived. The following week I was told a similar tale, and that they would be posted to those entitled to them by a certain day. Needless to say, the day arrived without the armlet. My next application was a few days before Christmas, when I was informed that they would only be issued to those up to the age of twenty-six until after Christmas.
When I saw the King’s request yesterday I thought surely I should get one at last, and made a special journey for the purpose last night. This time I was told they were only issuing them to married men up to the age of twenty-eight, and that I should most likely be able to have one next week. Surely this is an unusual procedure, and cannot be said to be due to the lack in the number of armlets, and it would not be out of place, therefore, to ask those who are responsible for some explanation on the matter with a view to those like myself being able to carry out the wishes of our King.
Yours truly,
A Would-be Armleteer
Wimbledon Park, S.W.
6 January 1916
LORD DERBY’S SCHEME
Medical Students
SIR – It has been brought to our notice that local tribunals are to inquire into the reasons why certain individuals have not joined His Majesty’s Forces. We would like to point out the difficulties with which we, as medical students, have had to contend. In October, 1915, the beginning of the university year, we were all informed by the Cambridge medical authorities that it was our sole duty to continue our medical studies. In addition, a letter from Lord Kitchener remained posted up in the medical schools authorising those instructions, and urging medical students already having taken combatant commissions to return to their studies, and that they would be discharged on application. Then came a week of crisis. Lord Derby, in his urgent need for men, pointed out that the duty of junior medical students was to take combatant commissions. While on the one hand Lord Derby claimed us, on the other, the majority of medical authorities, amongst whom were Professor Clifford Allbutt, Sir Frederick Treves and Dr Shipley, pointed out the shortsightedness of this policy. After listening to these various contradictory statements, our duty was not very apparent. The difficulty has not yet been cleared up, as can be seen from the following example. A medical student, in the same plight as ourselves, only yesterday applied for enlightenment on this subject from an officer of high rank in His Majesty’s Forces, and was told to ‘sit tight’. What are we to do?
We are trying to make ourselves useful by working as dressers at the 1st Eastern General Hospital, and we wear the Royal Army Medical Corps’ collar badges, but we are not officially recognised by the War Office. We are doing Government work which is not officially recognised by the Government. We are unable to continue work as dressers during term time as our superior officers refuse to accept us on the grounds that our medical studies are of more vital importance to the country. However, we carry on ambulance work in the Cambridge University Officers Training Corps (Medical Unit).
Are we justified in ‘sitting tight’, and what answer shall we make to the local tribunals?
Yours faithfully,
Three Medical Students
Queens’ College, Cambridge
7 January 1916
LIGHTS ON VEHICLES
Cartage Contractors’ Difficulty
SIR – May I, as president of the London Master Carmen’s Association, appeal to you to allow me space in your paper to ventilate what is a great injustice to owners of horse-drawn vehicles, namely, the strict enforcement of the new order issued on 30 September last compelling owners to place a red rear light on every vehicle. We all agree that the order is a necessary one in the present abnormally darkened streets, and immediately it was issued the trade ordered approximately 15,000 lamps for London alone, but, owing largely to lamp manufacturers being engaged on munition work, it was found impossible to obtain even a quarter of the number required.
Transport must be done, and to carry out the law, if lamps cannot be obtained, conveyances must not be worked after dark, or, alternatively, the owners of vehicles are to be summoned for non-compliance. It is obvious that no blame can be attached to the owner of the vehicle if it is impossible for him to obtain the lamp, and, whilst some magistrates are imposing a light fine, owners in most cases having to pay the costs, there are occasions when heavy fines are imposed.
I therefore feel that if the Home Office desires the order to be strictly carried out, it should under the circumstances see that the vehicle owners are able to obtain the wherewithal to do so, and I venture to suggest that if those summonses continue it may be necessary for the owners of vehicles to withdraw their conveyances from the streets at dusk, to the serious disadvantage of those relying on the transport trade.
I am, Sir, yours truly,
(Signed) G.A. Dutfield
17 Water Lane, Great Tower Street, E.C.
19 January 1916
BOOKS FOR THE ARMIES
SIR – An organisation has been formed with the title of ‘The Fighting Forces Book Council’. It is important to know that while this has the approval of the War Office, Colonial Office and Board of Education, and of the High Commissioners of the Dominions beyond the Seas, this organisation is intended to supplement, and not in any way to overlap, the existing organisations such as the Camps Library, which is the recognised collecting and distributing depot for the books sent through the medium of the General Post Office, the Red Cross and St John Ambulance War Library, which supplies the hospitals and the Young Men’s Christian Association. Through the machinery of these various organisations, large quantities of books are being regularly supplied to the Forces on active service, naval and military hospitals, and convalescent camps, both at home and abroad. The work done by these organisations is, however (mainly, if not entirely), that of distributing agents for the books generously supplied by the public, and sent by them through the Post Office or otherwise. These books are naturally of a miscellaneous kind, and consist preponderantly of light fiction, and the enormous numbers of books issued to the troops (about a hundred thousand weekly) make any systematic selection or classification impossible.
It has, however, been found that books of a more solid kind are largely asked for by an immense number of educated men now in the military service of the Empire, who find themselves cut off from the studies in which they were engaged, and which they are still anxious to pursue.
The objectives of ‘The Fighting Forces Book Council’ will therefore be to try to meet this need and at the same time to assist the existing organisations in every possible way. It proposes to:
1. Raise funds for providing reading matter of the kind indicated above for His Majesty’s Forces at home and abroad, including the wounded and convalescent and the British prisoners of war.
2. Procure, by purchase or gift, boosts of this kind in sufficient quantities, and arrange for their distribution through the Camps Library to the various organisations and corps.
3. Draw up lists of such books required by, or suitable for, various types of men.
The Fighting Forces Book Council is pursuing these objects, not only in concert with the above-named organisations, but also with the support of the Incorporated Society of Authors, the Library Association, the Publishers’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland, the National Home Reading Union and other like bodies. The council consists of representatives of almost every branch of letters and every side of public life.
An appeal is now therefore made for funds to carry on its work, and we feel sure that we need add nothing to commend such an appeal to the public.
Contributions forwarded to us or to the London County and Westminster Bank, Law Courts Branch, W.C., will be duly acknowledged.
We are, Sir, your obedient servants,
E.W. Ward, Chairman, Executive Council
I. Gollancz, Hon. Treasurer
Hon. Secretary
Alfred Perceval Graves, Hon. Literary Director
Seymour House, 17 Waterloo Place, S.W.
5 February 1916
LINGUISTS AS CENSORS
SIR – With reference to your publication of the official notice regarding the censorship of letters and the apparent dearth of qualified linguists, permit me to state my experience. In response to my application I was invited to call for an official interview, and was given letters in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, all of which I translated orally to the satisfaction of the examiner; but when I was informed that the salary would be only 30s–35s weekly I said I could not entertain the offer, as it would not be possible to live decently on such remuneration. I add that I was at an English public school, that I subsequently spent nearly three years in France, and that I have had a long commercial experience.
I am, yours faithfully,
X
9 February 1916
WOMEN’S WAR SERVICE
A Scheme Worthy of Help
SIR – In your issues of yesterday and of today’s date there have appeared two articles on ‘Women as Welders’ and ‘How Posts are Found’ respectively. The intelligent appreciation shown in these articles of a work as useful and fascinating as its inception has been unobtrusive, is bound to attract widespread attention. May we therefore beg of you still one more valuable service? We want through your columns to ask for public help, as well as interest, in order to extend our possibilities of usefulness in these directions.
Every woman selected for her fitness and trained to expert usefulness is, in our opinion, worth a soldier at the front: she only can liberate the ‘starred’ man, and therefore selection and training are our watchwords. Success of the sort which alone justifies our appeal has been so far ours all along the line; namely, the highly satisfactory quality of the work which our students turn out, and the fact that aircraft and munition factories swallow them up as fast as we can supply them. Incidental expenses must be met, and we want scholarships to help the women, the most suitable of whom cannot themselves bear the expenses of training and maintenance meanwhile. Will the more serious minded of your readers come forward and help us? We are aware that such work makes but little appeal through glamour or sentiment, and it has been organised by a Suffrage society!
May we, in this latter connection, point out that in pre-war times, in those far-off ‘happy days when we were so miserable’, we formed and perfected an organisation on strictly constitutional lines in order to get the vote for ourselves, but in the face of the national need it was our pride and privilege to turn over that organisation whole-heartedly and unreservedly to the national service. We believe it was no mean gift. Our women’s hospitals in France and Serbia, our Belgian brothers and sisters here, can answer for us. Will you help us to carry on now this invaluable work for our sisters at home?
The Hon. Mrs Spencer Graves will receive very gratefully donations addressed to her at 59 Victoria Street, and further inquiries at the same address will be welcomed by the Women’s Service Bureau.
Yours faithfully,
(Signed)
Frances Balfour (President)
Annie Cowdray
B.M. Graves (Hon. Treasurer)
Gertrude Kinnell
Edith Lyttleton
Women’s Service Bureau, 58 Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W.
CHURCHES AND THE WAR
A Layman’s Suggestions
SIR – Apropos the letter in Monday’s Daily Telegraph, regarding a proposed autumn work of ‘Repentance and Hope’, might I be allowed the great privilege of ventilating through your powerful columns a few thoughts or suggestions of a mere and very insignificant layman?
I would venture most respectfully to suggest for the consideration of those most competent to judge of the matter – that is, the leaders or heads of the religious bodies in this country, and perhaps elsewhere:
1. That, if feasible, arrangements be made to organise effectually, and carry out, a work of real and genuine prayer, accompanied by some voluntary penance – otherwise self-denial – amongst all classes and ages and both sexes as an act of reparation to our Creator and Master for our shortcomings and neglect of Him and His teaching in the past.
2. That such work should, if possible, be particularly devoted to one special week, to include the day of the Patron Saint of England – St George.
3. That this offering of prayer and voluntary penance be addressed to England’s Saint asking his intercession with the Almighty to succour and aid not only those in this country, but also those in all our dependencies, to overcome and muzzle for the future the ferocious dragon of uncivilised militarism.
4. That in order to make this effort really effective, and to bring religion to the masses, open-air services be held during the special week in as many suitable places as possible, and at convenient and promising times during the day, with early morning services in all the churches.
5. That special early morning and evening services be arranged and held in all our churches on next St George’s Day.
Such a work of earnest prayer and reparation would surely bring down upon us and our arms in this righteous war for civilisation the blessing of Heaven, and doubtless procure for us in the not remote future that permanent, honourable and lasting peace which the whole world is looking for.
Apologising for trespassing upon your kindness and courtesy, I am, Sir, yours truly,
M
21 February 1916
A MISUNDERSTOOD WORD
Attesting and Starring
SIR – I notice in the Daily Telegraph that it is stated that there appears to be considerable difficulty among men of an eligible age to understand the difference between ‘attesting’ and ‘enlisting’. May I suggest, from a very considerable number of applications made to me for advice from men of all agricultural occupations, that the real difficulty is that they do not understand the meaning of the word ‘attest’, or ‘test’ as it is pronounced in this county generally, and that they confuse it with a medical test which they do not consider at all necessary if they are persons who are entitled to be starred, or exempt, from service; and it is curious, but absolutely true, that it is almost impossible to make many of them believe that they must be attested before they can be starred.
Let me now give one instance out of very many: A miller desired to ask my advice how he could be ‘starred’, and on being told that he must go to Lincoln and be ‘attested’, and then appeal, he said, ‘Tested, tested! Cannot I go to Dr —’, mentioning the nearest local medical man, ‘and be tested?’ I could multiply examples, but will not ask more space in your valuable paper, and only conclude by expressing great fear lest this confusion of ideas should lead to a lot of trouble and some hardships.
Yours faithfully,
Heneage
Hainton Hall, Lincoln
8 March 1916
‘TOO OLD AT FORTY’
Sir – Your leader in today’s Daily Telegraph on National Organisation certainly touches the spot. I am one of thousands who came over from the Colonies to offer my services during the war, only to be put off from every department I have applied to. In one instance I am told I am too old, being forty, but I am sound in every way, and good for another twenty years’ hard work.
I have employed and controlled over a thousand men, mechanics and labourers, and earn a very large salary in the Colony I come from. Yet my services are refused even when offered free. Surely there must be work for everyone who volunteers and is willing to throw up everything and return to the Mother Country to assist.
Yours faithfully,
Colonial Engineer
9 March 1916
BANKERS’ POINT OF VIEW
SIR – In my capacity of manager of a very considerable provincial banking business extending over a wide area, I have recently found opportunity to ascertain the views of many of my investing customers regarding the subject of the suggested issue of premi
um bonds; and, except in two or three instances, they have expressed themselves as being not only favourable to the proposal, but as eagerly awaiting the chance to subscribe to such an issue, if it be made.
The only opponents are parties who have ‘conscientious objections’ to anything which they can conceive to savour of gambling, being quite unable to perceive that, as your correspondents point out, strictly, this element does not enter into the question at all. One, in particular, most strongly denounces the ‘iniquity’ of the scheme; and yet, having a most confident belief in the outcome of the war and in the future of the Empire, is making large investments at present low prices, with a view to the rich reward which he confidently hopes to reap by-and-by!
From the bankers’ point of view, such an issue is, manifestly, not to be desired, as it would entail an enormous depletion of the deposit moneys now held by them at interest rates ranging from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 per cent; and which, despite the huge sums I already raised on War Loans, still, for all practical purposes, remain intact. It seems, on the face, to be fairly obvious that when the small depositors – whose money constitutes the great bulk of that held by bankers – can obtain an English Government security, not subject to market depreciation, yielding so good a rate as three per cent. fixed, and offering at least a sporting chance of sudden fortune, a very large proportion of this money is bound to be withdrawn from bankers’ hands.