THE STRIKER IN AMERICA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 53, 26 November 1917, Page 6

THE STRIKER IN AMERICA

INCIDENTS OF THE TRIBUNALS

THE SAME OLD EXCUSES

Each country that has come into the war has had to discover for itself the way to make nar, says Mr. Hamilton Fyfe, in the "Daily Mail," of his impressions of America at war. All-important problems/ which mean tho difference botwecn life and death perhaps to thousands of soldiers, and tho difference between comfort and hardship to millions of people at iflonie-theso problems can only be solved by separate and personal working out. The answer one has found is of little use to others. Bach must find a solution which fits the special case. So it is that I seo here repeated all the incidents which havo accompanied the successive stages of the war in England. These are tho conscientious objectors. There is tho uneasy feeling that baseball matches, attended by. thousands' of spectators, are not quite in the picture. There are the hastily celebrated war marriages. Women are being exhorted to save food. Men are urged to plant their back gardens. There are the same scenes, the same excuses before the tribunals which'are deciding claims for exemption from niililsry service. Everything here seems more amusing and on a larger, heartier'scale. The tribunals are sometimes very funny. I spend an hour or so listening to their proceedings whenever I can.

The number of rejections in this city on account of defective health or physique at first 6tartled New York. One of the examining physicians admitted ho was surprised and dismayed too at the weaknesses revoaled. Bad teeth v;ero the cause of tho greater number of rejections, One had an idea that all Americans took oare of their teeth. Feeble eyesight, flat feet, and "imperfections duo to lack of exercise," came next. "There are too many men," . said this doctor, "with pigeon chests, bij; stomachs, uncertain hearts, and spindly legs." But that is so in all great cities. It is from the fields that the finest recruits, though not necessarily tho finest eoldiers, come. The city weakling, as he 6eems to be, soon hardens and fills out. Regular feeding, regular hours, regular exercise have a rapid effect in malting a man of him. Probably the ■New York doctors aTe rejecting too readily, simply because they have not had the opportunity of seeing what the men who appear to them to bo "weeds" can be turned into. Weedy but Willing. Plenty of the undersized have gallant hearts. Let me present Mr. Nathan Rudinski. He was waiting a few days ago in the room next to that where tho examination went on. He is sft. (jin., and only just up to the Tight weight. "I hope the doc. won't' thump my dtomach, said Nathan. "I've just drunk fourteen glasses of water to make mo weigh heavier." German nationality is a cause of exclu6ion from tho United States Xriny. A German named Berger protested loudly when he was told he would not be wanted.

"I came away from that country nine years ago," ho said, "because I couldn't get on with autocracy. I want a chance to reform that same autocracy with a rifle. It's hard I can't go." A pathetic tale was told by a native of Russia named Weinski. I'ive of his brothers were in the war, he told the court. One had been killed, one had lost .Doth hands, a third was a prisoner in. Germany, two.were still fighting in Prance. His story was genuine, it appeared. He did not ask to bo let off. All he said was: "Take care of my wife and little baby." Another man whose brothers are fighting declared himself to be of Austrian birth. Unfortunately they were on the wrong side. "Should I have to fight against tnem?" he inquired, not as if he minded very much.

The most, amusing plea for exemption that I have heard was entered by one M'Bride, who called himself an artist. I only hope ho does not claim to be an Irishman. He brought out a roll of designs for posters. One was headed, "Up, Slackers!" another borotho legend, "Don't wait to be called, twice."

"Don't you think I should be more usefully employed doing this kind of work?" he\asked. The tribunal said rather coldly, "No."

"Very well," retorted If Bride, "then I object to serve because I am conscientiously opposed to the taking: of human life."

Another conscript named Isodire Kaininski, whose racial stook may also bo guessed without much cudgelling of brains, told the examiner that he had injured his foot. He limped into the room with the air of a man suffering tho extreme of pain. The doctor looked at the foot. "Nothing wrong there," he said shortly. Kaminski seemed to be more annoyed than astonished. However, he had another excuse ready. His eyes were weak. "And if dot von't do," he remarked without shame, "I haf an internal inohurae vich I caused by shtraining mcinself carrying rood." •

Aged Parents Supplied. If the men drawn for 6ervic.e can show that they are the sole supporters of aged relatives, they are excused. At one tribunal a letter was received from a poor woman, who wrote: "My son will - claim that he supports mo. He does not. He never did, and he never will. On no account let him off." A German plot to make strong young men ineligible by pulling a number of their teeth has been discovered. The Deputy Attorney-General of' the United States says he has evidence of this. Aged parents, grandparents, paralysed uncles, crippled sisters are supplied by another German' agency on application. But the tribunals have been "wised up," as they say here, to these and other vices of the enemy. > In Oklahoma the objections to national service took to the woods and defied the authorities. They'did their best to spread a reign of terror, but after some sharp fighting they, gave in. Strange that men should fight to avoid fighting, ehould more willingly take tho risk of being shot by a fellow-countryman than by a German! The explanation offered is that in Oklahoma they are glad of a chance to fight about anything. Now they havehad their private scrap the rebels will in all probability gladly go off \o be trained for more elaborate battles. A vegetarian society which appealed for the exemption of its njeinbws on the ground that "they <To not eat fish, flesh, or fowl, and are consequently opposed to the killing of human beings, received from the Deputy Attorney-General a diverting reply. "I think," ho wro e "there is no idea on the part of the Government, notwithstanding anything ihe Germans may hnve in mind, to km „ny human being for eating purposes. The vegetarians will therefore have to "do their bit" like those who cat mutton and beef. •