The daily Nome industrial worker., 1917-04-04
THE CRISIS.

take sides in the great European struggle. Certainly, it has been evident that the country, notwlth- standing the somewhat nebulous neutrality supposed to prevail, found itself divided in the sympathies eX- tended to the bellgerent nations across the water.
 Broadly speaking, the close con nection which had been naturally and artificially established between Great Britain and the United States had served to create such condl- tion between the peoples of both countries that the majority of the more influential citizens of the United States sided in with the Entente.
 The masses of the people reflected the opinions Of this more or less constantly emphasized view. and the ma iority ot Amercican papers while affecting an earnest neutrality were nothing of the kind.
 II was too late for Germany to do anything when it was discovered that the Allies controlled the prin- cipal papers of this country, and the efforts to remedy this state of affairs were not marked with happy gact especially because the fact was observed too late.
 While the Fatherland endeavored to carry on propaganda devoted TO Fair Play for Germany and it's Allies. it fell into the same eXces- sively biased policy as was mani tested by the pro-Entente press of the country, and the somewhat spiteful energy of the Hearst papers to deride peace poiiciee and at the same time to support Germany, only made matters worse. The Hearst papers are without any real intlu- .s.nce.
 Consequently the situation pro gressed from bad to worse and al- most uncoAsciously a pro-Entente policy was adopted throughout the country: in government and in the nation.
 Aside from these emotional fac tors which are after all themselves effects of a more important cause, the real factor in creating strong pro-Ally sentiment and shaping strong pro-war sentiment in gov ernment and in the nation was the fact that the economic interests oi the capitalists of the United States were almost entirely on the sioe of the Allies.
 The great war orders which came flooding into the country scattered prosperity among American specu- lators and business men. The tide of gold that flowed into the cofters of the financially great exceeded the dreams of avarice. The con tinued traffic with the Entente beiligerents became the foundation of collosal industries in the United States of America and some men saw their incomes reach the billion aire standard
 Since the war broke out in Flu rope only one serious panic occur red on Wall Street, and that follow ed a prevalent idea that peace was not only possible but ac;u- n1y crumbled in price; uneasiness pre- vailed everywhere and even food prices were allowed to decline by the scared spectators holding for a rise.
 The export trade of the United States during the war reached peaceful and normal conditions would have been impossible and it is true to say that large section of the United States manufacturing industry became an industry devoted to the service of the Entente Allies New factories went up, huge blocks of steel and concrete grew overnight cities were born in a month and the prosperity of businessmen be- came fact in every way.
 Consequently the manufacturing, the commercial, the financial inter ests of the United States became in- defnably but indissolubly linked with the Entente nations and al-