Conisbrough Recruiting Meeting

Labour Candidate and a Local Preacher

A well-attended meeting with the above object was held in the Station Road School on Wednesday evening. Amongst the gentlemen present were Mr H.L. Smethurst, Mr J Hoyle, Mr W Smith, Mr T.R. Sellers, Mr J Cox, Mr J Drabble, Mr W.H.Chambers, Mr S Roebuck, Lieutenant Milner Barry, Councillors T Hill, WH Jones, R Troughton and, G Starr et cetera

Mr Chambers, who presided, said he was there to plead for his country’s call. The call was urgent and a privilege of all. Many men are gone from this district; they did not need urging, they had gone willingly, and they all sadly missed them. He had received letters from Denaby Ambulance men describing the terrible hardships which had to be born. Yet such hardships would gain the reward of future freedom. Young men physically able should volunteer. Some were required for business at home to gain money for the war expenses, and to provide for the women and children. Women of Denaby had worked hard in making comfort for the soldiers and sailors (applause)

Mr Sam Roebuck who was the principal speaker, said he had just received the following letter:

“I have been informed since arriving in Conisbrough that about 10 days ago well-known resident in that village, when preaching in the local chapel openly advocated the policy of non-resistance, and asserted that this country had no right to join France and Russia in opposing Germany. I am thankful to say that this person occupies a position of splendid isolation. I may further tell you that he is of military age, if I hesitate to charge him with want of courage I have no scruples whatever in declaring that he is without a spark of patriotism in his soul. He requires a tonic, I should read the lines of Scott beginning; ‘Breathes there the man with soul so dead, never to himself has said, this is my own, my native land?” (Loud applause)

Mr Roebuck in the course of an appeal for recruits, said he had attended international congresses, but when they raised the question of international peace and disarmament, the German delegates sat with closed mouth, and this in spite of the fact that Germany was supposed to raise the greatest labour force in the world, with 5 million Labour votes and over 100 members in Parliament. They dare not speak of peace and disarmament because the whole of their funds would have been confiscated

Was there a man who was prepared to change the freedom and liberty which he enjoyed under the Union Jack for anything which Germany could giving? They were all out to make England better, but with all its failings England stood immeasurably higher than any spot on God’s earth

Mr Roebuck mentioned that he himself – although over the age – had asked the government is there was a corner in which he could be placed. Five of his family were already serving, and his sister-in-law, a widow, had given her two boys, all her support for the cause of the motherland (applause)

Lt Milner Barry gave a breezy speech, and asked for naval recruits to avenge the Antwerp defeat. A number of young men set for to sign their names, and were aheartily applauded. Two Boy Scout members volunteered. The local corps also attended in Scout uniform.