258 BANQUET. 
time the appearance of a hostile submarine was possible at any moment. It was an inspir- 
ing sight to see our destroyers moving about our ship like swallows, and Captain Hayes com- 
mented upon it to the effect that “he felt somewhat more secure now that this fleet had put 
in an appearance.” It was certainly a grand sight to watch the maneuvering of our fleet 
of destroyers. 
On the morning of May 11, at about 3.45, we got a big bump. I was nearly thrown out 
of bed, and, of course, looked for my life preserver and couldn’t find it, although I re- 
quired the men to carry theirs at all times. Mine had been left upstairs in the saloon. Next 
there was a raking alongside the ship, and I heard two reports of gun fire. About that time 
an officer came down to the cabin bringing the compliments of Captain Hayes, and said in 
effect that “everything was all right, General, we struck a German submarine, cut it in two, 
and are now proceeding on our voyage.” Our destroyers picked up about fourteen sur- 
vivors of this ill-fated submarine, which turned out to be the German U-boat 103. 
We arrived at Southampton the next day where the Olympic was examined and found 
not to be damaged materially. 
Upon my return to the United States after the war was over, I sailed from St. Nazaire 
on the good ship Pocahontas, formerly the German ship Princess Irene, with Captain John 
Downs of the Navy as master. When we were about halfway home Captain Downs asked 
me where I desired to land. I suggested New York Harbor. He thought that port would 
be somewhat congested, so we decided to run into Newport News. We landed there on 
June 1. The following day I received a telegram which had been waiting for me at Ho- 
boken, demoting me from the grade of major general to my army rank as colonel. So, 
gentlemen, ! had the pleasure of deferring thiskind news for forty-eight hours by setting 
Newport News as the landing place. (Laughter and applause.) Before proceeding to Camp 
Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa, to demobilize my division, I went to Washington on the subject 
of my demotion, but there was nothing doing. I stated emphatically to the authorities that 
I did not mind demotion, so far as my army and navy friends were concerned, because they 
would understand it, but it was a pretty hard thing to explain to your friends on the outside 
of the service. 
Now I wish to say a few words on the subject of ship subsidy. I happened to be in the 
Hawaiian Islands when I saw our merchant marine leave the Pacific. I recall distinctly how 
one by one they disappeared. It was a day of great sorrow and regret to our people, for we 
saw nothing but Japanese vessels and no American ships. At that time I asked myself the 
question: What is going to happen to this great country of ours? and ever since I have 
been watching this, and I only hope, gentlemen, for the good of our country, that it will 
reestablish our merchant marine in proper form and size. Then if we are called upon again 
to furnish transportation or convoys or supplies, we will have ships that we will not be 
afraid of sinking every moment because of the fact that we had to buy any “old tub” in an 
emergency. 
We have the men, we have the materials, we have the products to ship and we have the 
wealth to make our country the greatest on sea in the world. 
In my opinion, in regard to preparation for offensive and defensive action on the part 
of our Navy, reasonable preparedness is all that we ask, so that when a great national crisis 
occurs again we will not be trying to prepare in fifty weeks what we should have been doing 
for fifty years. (Great applause.) 
