AllMovie

In early 1917 America's involvement in World War I was still controversial -- many citizens still wanted their country to stay neutral. Others were ready to jump into the fray. This satire pokes fun at the peacemongers. The female heads of two antiwar organizations have been pestering Henry Olmstead (Howard Crampton), the head of a munitions factory. He finally can't take it anymore and he sends for his nephew, Billy (Herbert Rawlinson), who he had recently disowned because of his frivolous ways. Olmstead explains that he will pretend to have died, and Billy will take over the factory for six months. The large sum of money he offers to pay Billy will enable him to marry his sweetheart, Marion Winters (Neva Gerber), so he accepts. While in charge of the factory, Billy naïvely buys a fake explosive from a swindler for 50 thousand dollars, and another invention for twice that amount. Olmstead is convinced that if Billy is in charge any longer he will be ruined, so he plots with Marion to get him away from the factory. Marion pretends that she has been kidnapped. Meanwhile, Billy who now believes the invention is useless, hands it over to the antiwar ladies to appease them. The only problem is that the invention turns out to be real. Marion comes out of hiding to help Billy get it back from the ladies, and Olmstead is more than happy to take over the factory's operation once again.