s that the authorities shall have the right to exempt
from military duty among those registered such persons whose employment
in civil life is necessary to the maintenance of the industries and
business of the country, as well as those who, though physically fit,
have others dependent upon them for support.

One of the first acts of the Government after the declaration of war was
the seizure of the German merchant vessels interned in United States
ports. These vessels had a tonnage of upward of 629,000 tons and were
estimated as being worth in the neighborhood of $100,000,000. The
seizure was notable in that it was the largest ever made by a country at
war.

When the Government went to take charge of the vessels it was found that
the German officers had destroyed parts of the machinery in many of them
in an attempt to put them out of commission. The condition of the boats
was such that all of them had to be put in drydock, and it was several
months before some of them could be put in condition for use.

SIXTY RINGLEADERS ARRESTED.

Immediately the ships had been seized an order was issued by Attorney
General Gregory for the arrest of sixty alleged ringleaders in German
plots, conspiracies and machinations throughout the United States. The
Department of Justice, which had long been gathering evidence in
connection with the suspects, had complete reports about their
activities. They were all German citizens, had participated in German
intrigues, and all were regarded as dangerous persons to be at large.

They were all arrested, bail was refused them, and they were locked up
for safekeeping. This was the first step in the general rounding up of
the conspirators throughout the country. The men were placed in three
groups: Those having previously been arrested charged with violation of
American neutrality in furthering German plots of various sorts and who
were at liberty under bond awaiting the action of higher courts; those
who had been indicted by Federal Grand Juries for similar offenses and
were at liberty under bond awaiting the action of the higher courts, and
persons who, although they had never been indicted or convicted, had
long been under surveillance by the Secret Service, or the investigators
of the Department of Justice.

These arrests were the first of alien enemies made in this country in
more than a century, under the direct order of the Attorney General
without reference to the courts or obtaining