nly realised that public opinion was the biggest
factor in the world? Each one knew that a war could not be waged
without public support and each one knew that the sympathy of the
outside world depended more upon public opinion than upon business or
military relations.

II

How America Was Shocked by the War

Previous to July, 1914, the American people had thought very little
about a European war. While the war parties and financiers of Europe
had been preparing a long time for the conflict, people over here had
been thinking about peace. Americans discussed more of the
possibilities of international peace and arbitration than war.
Europeans lived through nothing except an expectancy of war. Even the
people knew who the enemies might be. The German government, as the
announcement of the Post and Telegraph Director shows, knew nine of its
possible enemies before war had been declared. So it was but natural,
when the first reports reached the United States saying that the
greatest powers of Europe were engaged in a death struggle, that people
were shocked and horrified. And it was but natural for thousands of
them to besiege President Wilson with requests for him to offer his
services as a mediator.

The war came, too, during the holiday season in Europe. Over 90,000
Americans were in the war zones. The State Department was flooded with
telegrams. Senators and Congressmen were urged to use their influence
to get money to stranded Americans to help them home. The 235 U.S.
diplomatic and consular representatives were asked to locate Americans
and see to their comfort and safety. Not until Americans realised how
closely they were related to Europe could they picture themselves as
having a direct interest in the war. Then the stock market began to
tumble. The New York Stock Exchange was closed. South America asked
New York for credit and supplies, and neutral Europe, as well as China
in the Far East, looked to the United States to keep the war within
bounds. Uncle Sam became the Atlas of the world and nearly every
belligerent requested this government to take over its diplomatic and
consular interests in enemy countries. Diplomacy, commerce, finance
and shipping suddenly became dependent upon this country. Not only the
belligerents but the neutrals sought the leadership of a nation which
could look after all the interests, except those of purely military and
naval operations. The eyes of the world ce