ship to destroy a hostile submarine after this date. Money will be paid
on award by your office."

"BENJAMIN GRATZ

"ANDERSON GRATZ."

To which Mr. Daniels replied as follows:

"I thank you for the spirit which prompted your offer. It is my distinct
feeling that money rewards for such bravery is not in keeping with the
spirit of our day."

And neither it was. The American naval men were intent upon duty and
their duty was merely to protect the dignity as well as the safety of
our sea-borne commerce. The mercenary element was absent and that Mr.
Daniels did well to emphasize this fact was the conviction of the navy
as well as of the entire country; while, at the same time, as the
secretary said, the spirit underlying the offer was appreciated.

In the meantime the German Government--which no doubt had not expected
such drastic action on the part of the United States--was profoundly
disturbed, and it was stated that crews of American merchantmen who
ventured to fire upon German submarines before a state of war existed
between the two countries must expect to meet the fate of the British
merchant captain, Charles Fryatt, who as will be recalled, was tried and
executed in Germany for attempting to ram the German submarine 7-33 with
his vessel, the Great Eastern Railway steamship, _Brussels_, in July of
1916. This warning set forth in the _Neueste Nachrichten_, of Munich, is
so ingenious that the reader interested in Teutonic psychology will no