FROM THE GREAT WAR
33
For a man who said that sailors had not simply got to swear!
And there swept across the Nation, North and South and East and West
The unanimous conclusion that Josephus was a jest.
But when Congress started peering into things that had to do
With the arming of the warship and the comfort of the crew,
When grave statesmen asked him questions as to this and as to that
It was noticed that Josephus answered right straight off the bat.
For his drinkless, curseless navy—every unit—thanks to him,
From the dreadnoughts to the cutters, is in first-class fighting trim.
Now at last the pitying jesters (we among them) see a light,
For the fact has dawned upon us that Josephus is all right!
