s at stake, Roumania declared war on Austria, August
27, 1916. The response of Germany and Bulgaria to this new menace was
prompt and decisive. Before the end of the year Roumania was crushed,
the capital city, Bucharest, was taken. Roumania was not at all prepared
to wage war on the scale this war had assumed, but the immediate cause
of her easy conquest was the failure of Russia to keep her promises of
assistance. Russia, undermined by German intrigue, with traitors at
court, was already tottering to her fall.

EVENTS OF 1917.

The year 1917 witnessed startling changes in the grouping of the
belligerent powers. The three largest republics in the world--China,
Brazil, and the United States,--were drawn into the war on the side of
the Entente Allies. Other small nations, members of the Pan-American
Union, joined with the United States in this action. Other South
American nations showed their sympathy with the United States by
severing diplomatic relations with Germany. In Europe, Greece made a
formal declaration of war July 2, 1917. Thus all of the Balkan States
were finally involved. To complete the record, we must note that Siam in
Asia and Liberia in Africa also joined the Entente Allies. Never before
in history had there been such an alignment of nations for purposes of
war. It was significant of one thing,--growing resentment against what
had long been recognized as the criminal ambitions of Germany to
dominate the world.

THE UNITED STATES IN WAR.

April 6, 1917, will hereafter be one of the most important dates in the
annals of this republic. Then it was that Congress in a joint resolution
declared a state of war existed between the United States and Germany,
and authorized the President to employ the naval and military power of
our country to carry on the war and pledged all our resources to that
end. We can now see that the hidden currents of national destiny were
tending in an irresistible way to war on the part of the United States.
Every consideration of national safety and every principle that we hold
dear, demanded that we should respond to the call of the President to
arms. Then commenced the wonderful preparations for war on the part of
the United States. Official Germany in conversation with Minister
Gerard, before the rupture of diplomatic relations, laughed to scorn the
thought that the United States could render any military aid worth
considering to her allies. Germany in the fall of 1917 was