doubt be interested in the perusal thereof.

"We assume," the newspaper said, "that President Wilson realizes the
fate to which he is subjecting his artillerymen. According to the German
prize laws it is unneutral support of the enemy if a neutral ship takes
part in hostilities. If such a ship opposes the prize-court then it must
be treated as an enemy ship. The prize rules specify as to the crews of
such ships. If, without being attached to the forces of the enemy, they
take part in hostilities or make forcible resistance, they may be
treated according to the usages of war. If President Wilson, knowing
these provisions of international law, proceeds to arm American
merchantmen he must assume responsibility for the eventuality that
American seamen will meet the fate of Captain Fryatt."

All of which did not appear to frighten our government one bit. We set
ourselves to the task of equipping our merchant craft with
seamen-gunners and guns, and it was not long--April 25, in fact--before
an incident occurred that brought forth a chuckle from Colonel
Roosevelt, a chuckle accompanied by the historic remark: "Thank heaven!
Americans have at last begun to hit. We have been altogether too long at
the receiving end of this war that Germany has been waging upon us."

This ebullition was occasioned by the report of the first real American
blow of the war when, late in April, 1917, the crack American freighter
_Mongolia_ showed the German Navy that the time had arrived when the
long, strong arm of Uncle Sam was reaching out a brawny fist over the
troubled waters of the Atlantic.

The _Mongolia_ had left an American port after war had been declared,
and she was guarded by a 6-inch gun, with a crew of seamen-gunners under