Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

5 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

Another Side of the Con-I…

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

Another Side of the Con- I scription Farce. UNFIT" CANARY'S BESCRIPTION I OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION. .1 We invite our readers' careful attention of the following letter descriptive of the treatment that is meted out to the Conscript before the military authorities. The letter is a pri- vate one received from a friend by one of our glllal' contributors, and was not written for Publication. The writer of the letter is a Coring man who has only recentV left a sick bed, having been laid up with pleurisy, and he IS the sole support of a widowed mother and young sister. Some purel- personal passages 111 the first and last part of the letter have Wen deleted, but this does not m any way af- fect what is reproduced under, which was writ- ten exactly as we have printed it: — Upon Saturday morning I arose at about 7 a.m.. had breakfast, and at my toother's wish called upon my doctor. That old Tory, with four sons in the Army—three being doctors, the fourth a barrister. I ex- plained that I was called up under the M.S. Act and desired him to give me a note in order that the military doctors would be able to see and readily localize my ailings! He declared that my ailings would be apparent as soon as ever he put instruments to my Iwngs; that I was useless for military ser- vice. and should present myself and obtain my discharge papers! Of course. I have been anxious to get the thing settled a long time, and this made me demand of the aeroplane manager my discharge, in order that. I should be aBle to go meet the wolves in their den. Upon informing my mother of what the doc- tor had said, she at once declared I ought to go down and see the military doctors, which I at length decided to do: this was my un- doing. as you will see later. Upon entering the recruiting office. I was immediately faced with a huge soldier, who emerged from a ?mall room just within the doora He inquired my business. I declared 1 "I wanted to see the military doctors." "Have you any papers?" Yes." Look at them ;and replies. "Up those stairs first room to the left." The recruiting office was a Unita- rian (thapel., and its vaulted ceiling, stone stairs well worn. and semi-lighted dinginess gave it a foreboding appearance. I made my way up the well-worn steps of stone, and Im- mediately hear a pandemonium! I pass along a passage at the stop of the stairs, and to the left is an open door with a G.R. Volunteer in knee breeches at the door. Ho seems ignite 45 or 50 years old; and I am asked my business, and repeat. "I desire to see the military doctor." Have you any papers?" Yes." "Ah! vou're a Canary, are you? Inside here. sir, please." My eyes had already rested upon the scene inside the room. There was about 50 young fellows (" Canaries. so called owing to the yellow calling up papers of the M.S. Act). Some were Jews; indeed, a good proportion were; others were Russian; there was a, Swede, too, and about a round score of English. All were Proletaii-es ,or seemed to be. True. there Were two loud-mouthed Cockney clerks, who effected airs. and deceived much attention from the others; also many slurs and re- marks as to the lowness of their boot heels, with "jaw-breaking words, as a red-faced 3okel declared. The Cockneys, however, Remained reserved from the rest, and seemed to be immeised upon serious conversation. I seated, myself upon a long form, and gazed around the walls. There was a framed di- ploma. which stated that the Girls' Club had Won this honour for various fancy work, crotr- oheting, etc., and other framed references, to this work. which led me to think the room was where the Girls' Club met. In the middle of the room was a theatrical, with a sort of half-bred wide-awake hate upon his head. He Was step dancing and made a respectable show too. The biggest part of the audience (all Canaries ") clapped their hands to make time for him, and sang various rag-time kitties. The noise was terrific, and in spite of an protes is of the G.R. Volunteer to be quiet pandemonium reigned supreme. Oaths, foul and otherwise, intermingled with the lIoise of clapping, singing and the dancers' feet, when a blear-eyed military clerk asked 1119 to go into the big room in twos. Im- Iediately there was a rush and a scrimmage. G.R. Volunteer" yelled, "Get back, damn Yon!" Get Back!" Go steady!" etc., etc. At last two got out of the scrimmage, and fol- lowed the clerk, and this process was re- peated until we all went through, including the Cockney clerks. The bleary-eyed clerk, an ev-soldier, presided at a raised desk, upon a tall four-legged buffet. He wore eye glasses and frequently gazed over them in order to obtain a. full detailed view of you. Ah! so you have had to come at last. eh?" Then i loud laughter or cackle, in a Scrooge fashion. i." We told you to come; we have had to make you come. (More cackle !) What's your name, birth place, age, trade, etc., etc. During the Writing of all these particulars he keeps up a continuous roll of jibes. Conscripts, eh! A.h! Ah! You have had to come. I have three Ronsjn the Army. And I have done my bit. (More cackle.) We're having no shirking here, young man." After making inquiries as to the nature of his bit done years ago, he ?Forms us, while gazing with bleary eyes over the ?ye gl?sae?. that He fought for liberty. of course." When I asked what li(b- orty-—the liberty to starve, or the liberty of the boss to exploit and make profit out of You, he took an extra big gaze with his hlear eves over the glasses. Can't you be a boss if you want ? Some of you want mother's i Dap till" you're dead a. lot of shirkers, i ftrtd grousers, the whole gang of you." When t referred to him and the whole military Machine as being a stable for cannibals, he glared in a ferocious manner, told me to 1 <5lear. and "Give less damned lip!" Upon °otaini;ng the papers he had made out with the de-taws mentioned, you were requested to W seared by a big sergeant with n brutal Willy face. We were sat upon long forms ^-immedately facing was a hig screen of Paper over a light wooden frame it would be "bout 7ft. high and about '-0 long. On one "ide of the -oom it was about 3ft. from the wall. where there stood a." special Nonstable. On the other side was the blear- ^yed dcrk's dt'sk, then high' up were two tables upon which was a huge mass of Papers. Two persons sat at each table one ^as a sergeant-major besides whom was an- ^ther oVrk of one-time military service. On '?he other table were two more milita.rv rWks. These persons before the tables nil ? the papers with the doctors' remarks and ?scoye-ri? fr'om the medii"" 1" exam. (I '?'n.'t ?h?ik!) Now ere long the occupiers of f ? fvats w?:'c drawn from thence through í'. (yp.rvriint the screen and the wall. 110re stood the "special." who informed vnu ??hf-r) there was room for another batch. i*Miiiid the screens were forms, npon which ^0re piles of doth, half-dressed men also there was a long line of men say about a score, naked. The leader of this line Saced a door, through which one could see a weighing machine, a table with two more cleifcs seat- ed and military doctors (two). The floor upon which the naked men stood was con- crete and very cold. Unon oiie floor was a p4e of military overcoats, which were then placed in order two deep. You warm while waiting to go before the doctor. Upon the re- marks of a few in front, I heard they were not fit to cover oneself with, and finding an opportunity to examine them as I passed, I picked one up: it was filthy, and harboured vermin. Meanwhile the sergeant-major at We table yelled: "Any more Derby men? Any more Derbv men ? What are you ? Ah! a Canary, oh -p Stand back and wait, my boy! We have told you to come for this last 12 months. We have had to wait for you, so just stand back while all the Derby's are ex- amined; then you can wait a little longer." And those poor Canaries—I included—toasted ourselves upon the cold concrete floor until the Derby's were examined. Some poor devils stood quite an hour. Then they began to curse and become rebellious; one Canary told the sergeant-major to shut up or he would lay him low, if he had to swing for it. Im- mediately a chorus of approval went up. "Go on; bash him!" And the sergeant-major stood back, cabled off his brutal bully-faced sergant. no doubt to discuss the question of meeting a fight with those naked half-starved Canaries. But. doubtless, they thought that discretion was the better part of valour, for they motioned the leading man through the door. and our sergeant-major gave the "doc- tor a wink, and remarked. Canary, Doc- tor." "A Yellow Boy. Bosh! Laughs in a knowing manner. You are stood up against a post with feet and inches marked on. Sergean t-Ma i or places his hand on your head, and drops a projecting rod, and at- tempts to jolt your bead upon the post in taking the measurement. (I don't think!) The Canaries were informed of this by brother Canaries who had returned to dress, and the sergeant-major found 0. neck when he wanted to jolt. He oould not long vent his spite. Now you jump upon scales, and he veils out your weight and sfe_ e of chest which he "measures," I don't think! to the clerks before the table. Then you go before the doctor with the parting remarks of the sergeant-major, Uanarv doctor! can- cary, s<r!" Five out of six are insulted by this person, i.e., the "doctor." "When did you bath last," etc., etc. Then you are requested to hop across the floor, first upon one leg, then 1. pon the other; you swing your aims, stoop for rec- tum exam., and also have the instruments upon your chest, to be examined in the lungs. (1 don't think !) All the time, if the doctor is not too tired of wagging his tongue, he amu- ses himself with listening to jibes- of the ser- geant-major upon the virtues of "Canaries." When he remarks dress," and the Can- ary" scoots off back behind the screen, and you dress. Upon finishing this operation you visit the Special," whom you have ent- rusted with your money and watch. That is if someone has not taken your coat, and you have to find him first. After obtaining the return of your money and watch of the "Special," you are again requested to be seated before the brutal, bully-faced serge- ant. The blear-eyed clerk once again allows his dim eyes to wander over his glasses, and takes a glance at you all seated there. Suddenly a clerk gives him a handful of papers, and you hear the names of six or 12 persons called out, who are requested to line up, and then, under the care of two sol- diers, you aire marched off to the office away across the city square, and you leave the chapel with its vaulted ceilings, semi-lighted alleys and passages, to emerge before the open day again. Crossing the square (public) you are gazed upon by women whose husbands and would-be husbands are inside the gloomy chapel; and they, finding theirs not in the file, again gaze aimlessly up and down, awaiting his" appearance. You are marched into the recruiting office, pi-oper-the chapel being used for medical exam. And upon Sunday the good bourgeois Unitarian Christ- ians would render prayers to God from the forms from which those Cana- ries clapped, sang and swore, as the thea-trical danced in rag- time. The chapel upon week days witnesses the orgies of naked men being valued, and tested, by Christian "doctors," who report upon the respective value of such-and-such a carcase. This man foreign service" so-and- so. "Garrison abroad"; so-and-so, "Garri- son home"; so-and-so. "Sedentary duties"; Home defence," etc., etc. And so the trade in human cattle goes on tilt Sunday forces the sergeant-major to leave off jibing "Canary. Doctor!" Tunis the blear-eyed clerk from his desk, and the brutal hlliJy-faced sergeant from his post of guard. The screen no more stands to shelter Canary carcases"; the doctor no more reminds one he wants .a bath; and the parson and his flock throng the alleys. Miss Prim plays the organ, and all ).-also up their voices to God! Lord na ve mercy upon us! Spare those brave men upon the field of battle. Strafe all Germans; cast a plague upon all our enemies, and give us a glorious victory of right of which Thou know est over might! Till the day ends once more, night demands lights in our chapel; once more the parson addresses his fervent appeals to Our Father." Again his flock bow their heads and allow tears to fill their eyes, and then wander off home. Night vanishes; day again appears, and with it the serge- ant-major, the brutal bully-faced sergeant, blear-eyed cilerk, "doctors," lackeys, etc., and the cattle—the "Canaries" Uponn entering the recruiting office proper, you notice upon the sides of a large hall with forms, and recruiting sergeants stood in gossip, a painted sign. Upon one side Re- gulars"; upon the other 'Territorials." The soldiers open the door tipron. the side painted, with the word Regulars," and you are marched in, and again requested to be seats upon forms in front of tables, be- hind which are seated male and female clerks, who seem to be perfectly indifferent to your entering the room. One of the soldier es- corts takes the papers handed to him by the blear-eyed clerk over in the chapel, and tosses them upon a table, where there is seat- ed a, clerk. He tosses them back to the es- corting soldier, and tells him to take them to such and such a clerk, all of whom seem to hate the work of taking the papers at all. Meanwhile, humming, whistling swearing of a special 880 degree is heard, but the lady clerks seem to be perfectly proof against such, and do not even raise an eyelid. After a while you are taken to another table and are given 2/9 and a card —in my case I obtained a card—or instructions to present J oneself at such an hour in order to catch the train to training quarters, and a night's doss upon bare boards in a room in the bar- racks or camp. No grub at sill, because you are not received officially until next morning! So some of those poor Canar ies" -would have to make a breakfast do for 24 hours, and put up wfth it. I might say that some were sent right away by train, and when one asked if he could go bay some sandwiches, Escort replied they had seen sandwiches bought before," and refused until the fellows showed fire, and cursed real well. j I repeat I received a card and 2/9, upon the card was written the statement that I had that day joined the colours and would be called up when wanted I I am in Class 4B— Home Service," "Sedentaæy Duties." That was a result of seeing military doctors for one's discharge as unfit! The whole exam. occupies 1-J minutes at the most, and you can guess what kind of an exam. it is! I saw a man with St. Vitus' dance strip to be examined! And, mind you, they also in- sisted upon his guardian stripping him! There were two men with legs so deformed that they resembled crooked billets; these two met a like fate, and had to be '•examined." The doctors are only paid for examining those who are fit; you may guess that there are very few unfits! I never saw one who was declared such.

At Random. I

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The Minimum Wage Act. I

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