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CALL TO ARMS.
DERBY SCHEME CLOSED, j
OFFjGES OVERTAXED.
Overflow Enlisted on Sunday.
LONJ)OX, lMV Heccmbcr.
the close ot ,the recruiting canrpaign was
marked by. memorable st-cncs. Every Je
crniting office had been t-hronged for seve
ral nights, und at miidni^ht- on Sa'turd'ay
there were extraordinary displays of en
thusidsm, with long queues of men still
stretching into -the darkness awaiting their
turn. From 7 a.111. 011 Saturday enormous
crowds had been, waiting in the niiu. Lord
Derby's report was .presented 'to ^Ir. As
quith 011 Sunday, but in order to facilitate
(-lirnllii0)tl: ilirt iciltivl u :i t I ?»»» Sirifnt
day entirely dispensing with the medicail
cxaniiiia't-ion.
T.he queued at the central office at
Whitehall comprised every class and. pro-
fession. Top-hatted city men ' mingled
with East liiid costers and Thames
side workers. f-'-)r days it was noticeable
that the -reem iters -were silent- and. ear
nest, realising' the --responsibilities of the
?breadwinners, but 011 Saturday nigjht tlie
crowds ohcercd and re-c'heercd the new
volunteers.
The Press Bureau issue-l -a statement
t'luit owing to the physical impossibility
of attesting all the men who had offered
it was decided to allow -men to offer for
the array reserve. On Sunday these' in- 1
striietions were telegraphed -throughout tihe
United Kingdom, and the officers were in
structed to make if'iist of applicants for
attestation under the group system 011
Saturday and 'Sunday whom it -wits im
possible -to attest beforo Sunday midnight,
such men to be 'included in the lists if they
attest up to 'Wednesday night. The
bureau urges citizens :to -attest and swell
the volume of evidence of the deteumina
tion of the country -to resolutely prosecute
the war to a victorious conclusion.
'Throughout the provinces 011 ISunday the
figures continued in the neighborhood of
-recent records: and- iilhe thielrk- imnnl.-ifp.-l
suburbs of London made a magnificent'
eleventh .hour response. The general im
pression is that Lord -Derby will report
that he is well satisfied, thereby .removing
the possibility of a: continuance of t,he
conscription -agitation, while many .married
men in the older groups are -unlikely ever
to be. called up. There is reason to antici
pate Irfiat the overwhelming Tesponsc of
all classes and conditions- of men. making
0. remarkable total, 'will be such a demon
stration of -patriotism, solidarity and stern
dcU-nniiuiUon aroused by the seriousness
of the situation' as to have a tremendous
moral elTect on the enemy.
Lord Detib.v's announcement of the result
has necessarily been .postponed pending
the compilation of tlie figures fov tho
extra -lay's recruiting. It is cotisidereil a
good plan to allow a day's grace to most
of the eligible men wlto were not working
on Sunday, and the fullest opportunity was
given them to reconsider their position and
to enlist
Apart from. .Saturday nijrlit's overflow
the recruiting on.' Sunday was quieter, but
despite a snow' storm in r.he forenoon
many attested, and' large numbers of un
trained ime'11 chose 'iiiYmediaite service. The
recruiters are reticent, ana uo not ucsiru
to. 'display optim'iflni. They deplore tlhc
.publication in the 'Sunday newspapers oi
the speculation ? that -botween 80' and 90
per cent. of. 'liritain's 'manhood had en:
iisled.. They, attqlniti? the comparative
slump on Sunday in spine quarters to tais
assertion. ? ..
.It is noticeaible that some of the papers
signed . by -men .who Oiave enlisted included
an empty space in the. 'record' section. It is
possible that same Victoria Cross men took,
the oath, pocketed tilie 2/9 representing the
recruiting fee ami the first day's rations,
and returned fnomc with . tlie gratifying
feeling that their duty was done. Several
city 'banks aud insurance companies sent
an .1 ne cngjoic men 111 i.acu- eiupiu.v w
on. hoping tiliat those essential '.to , tihe carry
ing on of tlie business .would be released by
the investigation committees. The working I
classes -weve predominant in many London
districts,. {particularly shoe .makers and up
holsterers in Shorcditch and -het'ty doclters
in Deptford. All records iwere .broken at
Stratford and .Barking, and wonderful
rallies. are reported from the provinces.
A feature of tilie recruiting .in Scotland
was tfac tremendous enthusiasm of the
clergy. 'Many Presbyterian ministers .nave
enrolled, and .the divinity colleges and tiheo
logical balls arc a'most .empty.
A message from Paris sUites .tihat the
response of- British residents of Paris, in
enrolling under Lord Derby's scheme
greatly exceeded anticipations, and created
all excellent impression among Parisians.
RESULT OF THE SCHEME.
Announcement on Thursday.
Mr. Asquith w-11 TiToelaini on Thursday
the .result of the Deniiy scheme. The War
Ofllce announces that it is of -the greatest
ihiportanee -that there fliiould .be no cessa
tion of men offering for direct, enlistment.
Lord Dcilby .has expressed appreciation and
thanks to the press for its efforts ill the
recruiting campaign.
'The 'Dally Telegraph' says:— 'As far as
we can. judge Lord Dettby's scheme has re
sulted in a great itriiunph.for -iflio voluntary
system. Wc believe the report will .be very
different from what was anticipated a week
ago.'
The 'Times' says: — 'The whole issue of
ilhc scheme turns upon .whether a sufficient
proportion of young, -men ha.s enlisted.'
Jlr. Ilodge, M.P., chairman of the' Labor
party, in a speedh in Birmingham, *aid:—'T
am .-if raid even tiliis last rally ihas not given
all the men required.'.
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