DescriptionBlack-and-white aerial photograph of British ships being outfitted with armor at Bethlehem Steel shipyard, Hoboken, April 25, 1940. 7" x 9" print. Photo taken by Acme Newspictures, Inc. (inkstamp credit on reverse.) Printed caption on reverse; dated file inkstamp: Ref. Dept. 4-30 '40 N.E.A. [Newspaper Editors Association]. Text on reverse: 553652 BRITISH SHIPS FITTED WITH ARMOR PLATE IN HOBOKEN HOBOKEN, N.J. - A fine point involving the United States' neutrality law has been raised with the disclosure that two British merchant ships are being fitted with armor plate in the Hoboken shipyard of the Bethlehem Steel Corp. The ships, one of which may be seen in the center of this air photo with gun mounted on after deck, are having steel plates put on pilot houses, bridges and vital parts of the superstructure as protection against air bombs. It will be left to Secretary of State Cordell Hull to decide if this violates U.S. law. CREDIT LINE (ACME) 4-25-40 (JO) ==== View is north. Several docks and drydocks at the shipyard are seen with the one at center being drydock 3. North (right in photo) of the British merchant ship in that floating drydock is a Moore & McCormack (Moore-McCormack) Line freighter. World War Two had started in Europe in 1939. France was invaded in May 1940 and the French Republic surrendered to Nazi Germany in June. American neutrality laws were under debate and government policy had been shifting. As the war progressed during 1940, major changes took place in America's role as a neutral country.