1 24, Buckingham Street, Strand. W.C. 3rd March 1916. Mr. Birbell. Chief Secretary of State for Ireland. House of Commons. S.W. Sir, I wish to place my services at the
disposal of the Government. For the last 25 years I have been
controlling large bodies of people, as
organiser of Exhibitions, Fetes, Theatrical
and Variety Companies &c. &c. so am used to
vast crowds of people, keeping them in order
addressing them &c. My business has taken me through nearly
every town and village in Great Britain and
Ireland as well as in S.Africa and Australia. I have been (till last Saturday) running
some important Theatrical Ventures, but
owing to the calling up of the young men, both Artistes and Audience I felt that my brains
may be better employed in the service of my
Country, where men with experience such as
mine are rare, and might put to a more
useful purpose during the Crisis. My age is 46: my father was a distinguished
Commander in the Royal Navy, who won the
Legion of Honour during the Crimean War. 2 During the early stages of this war,
I gave recruiting speeches at various Theatres.
At the Hippodrome, Stoke-on-Trent, I succeeded
in getting 13 members of the audience to come
on to the stage and enlist, whilst many others
went to the Town Hall the following morning
and enlisted also. I was a powerful speaker, a skilled organiser
and possess a thorough knowledge of the
British Temperament. If you can make any use of my services,
I will be glad of an early reply. Your truly Scott Alexander