The Defenders of Democracy | Page 7

of Mercy, in
expressing its gratitude to the men and women so greatly endowed who
have made this book possible, trust they will find a rich reward in the
thought that it will give both spiritual and material aid to those who are

fighting in the great war.
The book will be sold for the benefit of the families of the men of the
Naval Militia now in the Federal Service and taking part in sea warfare.
John Lane Company have published the book at cost, so that the
publisher's profits, as well as our own, will be given to the patriotic
work of the Militia of Mercy.
It has been repeatedly said during the past year that America had not
begun to feel the war. If America has not, how many Americans there
are who have! We all know that the responsibilities and inequalities of
war were felt first by our sailors. The whole outlook on life changed for
many families of the Naval Militia the day after diplomatic relations
with Germany were severed. Husbands, fathers and sons were called to
service without any opportunity to provide for current expenses or to
arrange for the future welfare of their loved ones. The burden of
providing for the necessities of life fell suddenly, without warning,
upon the wives and mothers of the civilian sailors. The world knew
nothing of these cases, but the members of the Militia of Mercy who
have visited the needy families, realize with what heroism, courage and
self-sacrifice the women have done and are doing their part.
For those of us who look on, to help them is not charity, but
opportunity for patriotic service to give a VERY LITTLE to those who
are giving ALL THEY CHERISH and ALL THEY HOLD DEAR for
the sake of human Liberty and Democracy.

Table of Contents

Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States. A Message. . . . vi
Vice Admiral William Sowden Sims, U.S.N. A Message . . . . . . . . vii
Commanding the American Naval Forces Operating in European
Waters General John J. Pershing, U.S.A. A Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Commanding General American Expeditionary Force Lord Northcliffe.
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Chairman, British War Mission

to the United States Theodore Roosevelt. Essential
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Twenty-sixth President of the United
States. Author and Statesman William Dean Howells. A
Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv American Author, New York,
President of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Hermann
Hagedorn. "How Can I Serve?" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv American Writer,
New York. President, Vigilantes, American League of Artists and
Authors for Patriotic Services
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii
Contributions of Writers
Belgium
Gaston De Leval. Belgium and America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Belgian
Advocate for Edith Cavell Emile Cammaerts. Good Old
Bernstorff! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Belgian Poet
China
Tsa Yuan-Pei. The War in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chancellor of
the Government University of Peking (Translation, Courtesy of the
Chinese Minister)
A Symposium--Democracy
George Sterling. Invocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 American Poet,
California George A. Birmingham. The Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
(Canon James O. Hannay) Irish Clergyman and Man of Letters John
Galsworthy. The New Comradship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 English
Writer William J. Locke. Questionings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
English Novelist Henry Van Dyke. Democracy in Peace and
War . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 American Clergyman, Diplomat and Writer
An Interlude
Harriet Monroe. Sunrise over the Peristyle . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 American
Poet, Chicago

The Drama
Daniel Frohman. Reminiscences of Booth . . . . . . .