Miss Jeanette Rankin ran for Congress as Representative-at-Large from Montana, on the Republican ticket. She was elected and was the first woman to enter Congress. Michigan, Nebraska, South Dakota and Montana became dry by constitutional amendment at the November election.

In December negotiations were practically completed with the Danish government for the purchase of the islands of St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John which were in the West Indies, for $25,000,000. They were bought primarily for the purpose of national defense.

The report of Major General Hugh L .Scott, of the Department of War, at the end of 1916, spoke of the fight to be made during the coming year for universal military training. Secretary Redfield of the Department of Commerce drew attention to the great increase of trade; drew attention, too, to the fact that

the average daily wage had increased 137.4 percent from 1854 to 1915. Yet food and other commodities and necessities had increased in cost as well. Secretary Lane reported that homesteaders were taking

up land in rapidly increasing numbers, that the Reclamation Service was carrying on construction work on twenty-four irrigation projects and that the Indian Bureau had conducted a highly successful health campaign. The Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. McAdoo, in his annual report declared that the

stock of gold in the United States on November 1st was the largest any country ever had ($2,700,136,976.) He estimated that the Government finances will show a deficit in 1918 of $185,000,000,000 because of expenditures for preparedness.

The end of the year found the President addressing a note to the belligerent nations in Europe suggesting that an early occasion be sought to call out from these nations an avowal of their respective views regarding peace terms. He did not propose peace nor mediation; the note added that the people of the United States stood ready to co-operate when the war was over, to secure the future peace of the world. The Central powers, in replying to the President's note, proposed "an immediate meeting of belligerent states at a neutral place." The reply, how

ever, made no statement as to war aims or peace terms. The reply of the Entente Allies demanded in the main the following:

Restoration of Belgium, Serbia and Montenegro and indemnities which were due them.

Evacuation of invaded territory in France, Russia and Roumania with just reparation.

Restitution of provinces and territories wrested in the past from the Allies by force or against the will of the populations.

The enfranchisement of populations subject to the bloody tyranny of the Turks and the expulsion of the Ottoman Empire from Europe. The Allies assured the United States Government that they would be glad to co-operate with it after the war to bring about future peace,

CHAPTER CXXIII

1917

WHY AMERICA ENTERED THE WAR

A synopsis of U-boat Warfare-Conditions of transportation of opposing forces-Germany's belief in the value of the Submarine-The U-boats' success-Germany's failure to recognize International law and the laws of HumanityAction of the President of the United States-Germany promises to curb Submarine activities-Her failure to keep her promises-Germany resumes Submarine Warfare German Ambassador given his Passports-Russia overthrows the Czar-Preparedness on a Large ScaleWoodrow Wilson inaugurated-New Congress in Session -Turkey severs Diplomatic Relations-Missions from the Allied Countries Arrive-Conscription Day-Negroes in the North-The I. W. W. and Pacifist Propaganda-The Pope's Peace Message Reply of President Wilson.

Of all importance to America, involving it finally in the great struggle was the sea warfare of the opposing forces. There were many in the United States who believed that England's mighty navy and its supremacy on sea counted for the safety of this country. It cannot be denied that America had little to fear from Germany so long as England's supremacy on the sea was maintained.

Germany's action on sea brought forth, first, strong protests, then warnings, finally the severance of diplomatic relations followed by war itself. There were other reasons for America's final action, German plots and propaganda among these.

The problems of transportation of men, food and supplies could not have been more at variance than it was with the Allies and the Central Powers. Germany's transportation, practically speaking, was wholly on land. All of its fighting fronts could be

reached by land-this meant that it had nothing to fear in the way of loss of men, food and supplies through any attack while being transported. From the French to the Russian, the Macedonian or Mesopotamian fronts, the road of travel was on land.

On the other hand, consider the case of the Allies. For England to reach a fighting front meant the crossing of the sea or channel and this brought the ever present menace of the submarine. She had to cover thousands of miles to reach Archangel and to reach Macedonia or Mesopotamia she had to pass through the Mediterranean, a sea infested with submarines.

Then too, men had to be transported from Australia, New Zealand and Canada and this involved thousands of miles of travel over sea. Also, supplies from the American markets had to come through a zone which the Germans guarded closely with their undersea vessels.

France, too, in sending troops to the East, had to pass through the danger zones of the Mediterranean and Italy surrounded on one side by the enemy and on all other sides by the sea had a big problem to face to obtain its necessary food and other supplies.

The submarine at one time was Germany's strongest asset and this statement is made with a full appreciation of Germany's progress and victories on land. Until the allies learned to overcome some of its dangers, the submarine menace made the situation extremely grave. For the ship tonnage of the Allies was being destroyed faster than it could be replaced.

At the same time it was through the very submarine that Germany brought about its defeat.

Briefly, we recount some of the submarine activities. A U-Boat destroyed the Path-finder, a British