eft." The advice was repeated July 9. The Swedish minister at Buenos
Aires sent these messages in code as though they were his own private
dispatches.

On August 26, the British Admiralty had communicated to the
International Conference of Merchant Seaman, a statement of the facts in
twelve cases of sinkings during the previous seven months in which it
was shown how "spurlos versenkt" was applied. It was shown that in these
cases the submarine commanders had deliberately opened fire on the crews
of the vessels after they had taken to their small boats or had
attempted to dispose of them in some other way.

Within six weeks after the declaration of war our government was
preparing to send troops to France. An expeditionary force comprising
about one division of Regulars was announced May 14. General Pershing
who was to command arrived in England June 8, and in France June 13. The
first body of our troops reached France June 27 and the second a little
later. The safe passage of these troops was remarkable, as their
departure had been made known to Germany through her spies, and
submarines laid in wait for the transports. The vigilance of our
convoying agencies continued throughout the war and was one of the high
spots of excellence reached in our part of the struggle. Of a total of
over 2,000,000 soldiers transported to France and many thousands
returned on account of sickness and furloughs, only 661 were lost as a
direct result of German submarine operations.

On December 7, the United States declared war against Austria-Hungary.
This was largely on the insistence of Italy and was valuable and
gratifying to that ally.

President Wilson on December 26, issued a proclamation taking over the
railroads of the country, W.G. McAdoo was appointed director general.
The proclamation went into effect two days later and the entire rail
transportation system, for the first time in the history of the nation,
passed under the control and management of the government.

Excepting the revolution in Russia which led to the abdication of Czar
Nicholas II (March 11-15) and so disorganized the country that it never
figured effectively in the war afterwards, the year was one of distinct
advantage to the Allies.

Kut el Amara was retaken by the British February 24. Bagdad fell to the
same forces March 11. From March 17th to 19th the Germans retired to the
"Hindenburg Line" evacuating a strip of territory in France 100 miles
long and ave