23 JANUARY 1915, Page 13

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

ORGANIZED RECRUITING.

[To zee EDIT= OT Tel ..STEGT.01:1 SIR,—It may possibly be of some interest at this moment, when different principles and methods of recruiting are under discussion, to give a brief summary of an actual scheme devised and carried out in one Scottish county. This was the county of Orkney, where early in November it was realized that, though the Orkneys bad already contributed a good proportion of men to the various branches of the Service, there were special reasons for further efforts—particularly in the interests of one branch, for which over eighty more men were needed. A Central Orkney Committee wee first formed, comprising representative men from all over the county, with a small executive Sub-Committee to transact the actual business. This Central Committee then put into operation a scheme, of which the chief features were these:—

(1) A circular letter was addressed to all the ministers of every denomination throughout the islands, asking them to make a strong pulpit appeal on the following Sunday, and indicating the lines which this appeal might follow. The appeal was universally made, and had an excellent influence.

(2) Local War Committees were appointed for every parish and island, requests to act upon them being sent to the ministers, doctor, Justices of the Peace, and schoolmaster in each district, and in many cases to one or two leading farmer& The duties which these Local Committees were asked to perform were : (a) The drawing np of a list of all the young men of military age within their district whom they conscientiously thought might serve their country. As a matter of fact, in almost every ease the Local Committees preferred to send a full list of all men of military age, generally adding notes as to whether they were married or single, sometimes giving their ages, and occasionally adding notes as to their circumstance.. (b) Bringing their influence to bear on these young men. (e) Making vp a Roll of Honour for their district. Other services were also rendered, which will be mentioned presently; but it may be said at once that this part of the scheme was entirely successful, and that too much credit cannot be given to these Local Committees for the valuable work they did.

(3) In conjunction with an officer and a recruiting sergeant sent to Orkney by the Scottish Command, the Central Com- mittee arranged a series of public recruiting meetings through. out the islands, providing the speakers themselves, but leaving the details to the Local Committees. A programme of patriotic songs and music was always interspersed between the speeches, and our experience proved that there can be no doubt of the value of a good song as a recruiting sergeant. By these means one hundred and thirty recruits were raised within three weeks (besides a number medically rejected)—a very good record for a remote agricultural population, largely denuded of young men by emigration, and already well represented in the Ring's forces.

At this point the schedule scheme of the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee was made known, and the Orkney Committee decided that their further efforts should be in the direction of assisting this. Through their Local Committees they were able to supply the Parliamentary Recruiting Com- mittee with the names and addresses of many householder. not on the Voters' Roll ; and then, on their own account, they sent to each young man of military age in the islands a circular letter pointing out that the reply of the householders to the schedules depended on the young men themselves, and urging them to give very earnest attention to the call of duty. The Orkney schedules have only just been sent out, and the results are not yet known, but—apart from them—the Rolls of Honour (which as an additional incentive were all printed in the local papers) already show that in nine parishes or islands from 41 to 6.7 per cent. of the population are now serving their country, and, whatever be the results of the Committee's efforts to obtain a good response to the schedules, I think there is no doubt that so far the results attest the value of organized voluntary efforts pushed well into every crevice of the country.—I am, Sir, &c.,

J. STORES CLOUSTON.