All American troops had been withdrawn from advanced positions, and all the troops, except a very small detachment, were withdrawn from Northern Russia in June. Then the withdrawal of naval ships began, the last one, the _Des Moines_, leaving in August, taking out the last of the Americans. Prior thereto, after our Ambassador, Hon. David R. Francis, had, even in illness, exhausted every effort to serve Russia and the world's peace, the _Olympia_ gave him passage to England on his way home. This was only one of the many services of Dewey's flagship in the war. Dewey and the _Olympia_ were the link between the Spanish-American and the World War. Under Dewey's leadership the plans for war with Germany were made before we entered the war. His old flagship was the ship of service during the war, of diplomacy in Europe after the war, particularly in the Adriatic, and was often the bearer of food to starving peoples. The duty of almoner by America after the armistice endeared our country to all Europeans, particularly those in distress. The Navy not only transported and distributed supplies but also took over the repair and operation of the telegraph and telephone, the operation of wireless, and made possible communication by trained radio men and other naval personnel. "I do not see how we could have carried on the work without the wonderful help of the Navy," said Mr. Herbert Hoover, who was telling me in Paris in March, 1919, of the splendid service of navy men in the countries devastated by war. In December, 1920, Russian refugees began arriving at Cattaro in the lower Adriatic. There was no one to give them immediate help but the Americans. Admiral Andrews sent the _Olympia_ and wired to Paris for doctors, money and nurses, and hurried them to the place by fast destroyers. They fed and organized the first 8,000. There was no food but ours. There were some soldiers, but most of the refugees were old men and women and children. Many died coming from Constantinople. Fortunately the American Red Cross was near, and it is safe to say that but for the American Navy and the American Red Cross, there would have been thousands of deaths from typhus alone and that disease would have spread all over the Balkans and Central Europe. In November, 1918, Assistant Secretary Franklin D. Roosevelt went to Europe to expedite settlements with Allied governments and speed up the return of American ships and men. During the war we had agreements with them not reduced to writing, and these called for adjustment. Mr. Roosevelt was accompanied by Assistant Attorney General Thomas J. Spellacy and Commander J. M. Hancock, of the Supply Corps. All negotiations were satisfactorily completed, demobilization hastened, and excess material sold or salvaged. The most important of these transactions was perfecting the sale to the French Government of the high power radio station built in France by our Navy and named for Lafayette.