The Washington times., 1939-01-20
Wilson's Road to War

Wilson's Road to War
No man is enough. nation important
enough, interest precious enough
justify the wholesale destruction and murder which
constitute war-Rev John Haynes Holmes, 1915.
WE'VE been dipping again into Walter Mills
w terly book of three years ago, "The Road to
War (Houghton-Mifflin Co..; and the book
to us as grimly interesting ever. 1t
PGCHLSt is the detailed story of how Woodrow
President Wilson, President and avowed pa
cifist took us into the biggest war
known to history.
It is strange that the public didn't come suspect
the genuineness of Wilson's pacifism within three
months after he and his New Freedom administration
took office March 4, 1913. It took him no longer than
that to get into row with Mexico. Gen. Vctoriano
Huerta had pulled off successful revolution and pro-
claimed himself President of Mexico; but Wilson
felt that the United States ought not to recognize
Huerta because Huerta was Mexican-stye tyrant in
stead of an Amercan-style democrat
The dispute smmered along for a year. Finally,
Wilson seized on flimsy pretext to order American
naval forces to grab the custom house at Vera Cruz
(April 21, 1914). The European War broke out in
july while we were still holding Vera Cruz and think
ing of fighting Mexico
In March, 1910, FreSlQent wilson SeHC CHe 1FuCleSS
Pershing punitive expedition into Mexico to avenge
the bandit Pancho Villas raid Columbus; N. NJ
Pershing didn't catch Villa, at cost of some $780,
100000 But Wilson was reelected in November, 1916
chiefly on the ground that che kept out of war;"
We had been drifting into the war, though through
out the third and fourth years of Wilson's first term
And it Wilson who at last got us into the war
with the help of Walter Hines Page
UUHLyH' anglophile American Ambassador to
Tueifnnin Great Britain.
In February, 1915, Germany pro-
claimed a submarine "war zone" around the British
1sles warning that all hostile merchant ships caught
in that zone by German U.boats would be sunk
sight, and that neutral shipping had better stay out
to avoid mistakes.
Wilson protested solemnly to Berlin. On May /,
1915 the American merchant ship Gulflight sunk
in the and six days later the Lusitania 1t
was the Lustania sinking that shifted onto the road
to war. 1t started barrage and counterbarrage Of
bristng notes between Washington and Berlin-notes
which William Jennings Bryan, genuine pacifist, re-
signed as Secretary of State rather than write.
Time hurried on. There the great German spy
scare of the summer of 1916 when Dr. Heinrich AL
bert head of the German propaganda service in this
country, absentmndedly left
Votes, votes briefcase full of discriminating
no4.o No4oo papers in New York elevated
''O''0' ''OO train, and New York newspaper
got hold of the documents and published them.
There was the ridiculous Zimmerman Incident
an intercepted wireless telegram from Berlin to Ger
many's Mexican representative outlining Mexican
attack, with German help the United States, Mex
leo to be rewarded with Texas New Mexico and
Arizona
There were to repeat, notes upon notes from Wash
ngton to Berlin all them provocativey selfrghteous.
The Great Day turned out to be April 6, 1917. On
that day, just month and two days after Wilson's
second inauguration. Congress declared against