by Richard van Pelt, WWI Correspondent

With war dominating the news, the United States was the largest and most powerful nation remaining neutral. As a nation of immigrants sympathies for the belligerents was strongly based upon the background of those in question. The United States saw itself as a continental power, with no particular aim to be a world power. The war would result in increasing strain on the economy, politics and foreign policy of the nation.

It was against this background that the paper reported the death of the President’s wife: “Mrs. Wilson Dead – Summons Came At Five O’Clock.”

“France Feels Safe Since Belgians Whipped Germany”

“The Belgians were holding Liege with the utmost courage and success, slaughtering Germans by Thousands and apparently in no danger of being overwhelmed.”

“Within about ten days it was predicted Russian soldiers would be pouring across the kaiser’s eastern border in almost irresistible force.”

With casualties in the first days of the war exceeding the combined American casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan over a ten year period, readers would think that the war would not last long. The Belgian fortresses, completed in 1892 were built predicated on an assumption that opposing artillery would not exceed 210 mm. When the Germans moved their “Big Bertha” Krupps 420mm howitzers into position, a single shell could destroy a Belgian fortress.

Public opinion supported U. S. neutrality, which would be no simple matter as the short articles above indicate. On the 4th of August President Wilson set out his policy with respect to neutrality:

The effect of the war upon the United States will depend upon what American citizens say and do. Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned.

The spirit of the nation in this critical matter will be determined largely by what individuals and society and those gathered in public meetings do and say, upon what newspapers and magazines contain, upon what ministers utter in their pulpits, and men proclaim as their opinions upon the street.

The people of the United States are drawn from many nations, and chiefly from the nations now at war. It is natural and inevitable that there should be the utmost variety of sympathy and desire among them with regard to the issues and circumstances of the conflict.

Some will wish one nation, others another, to succeed in the momentous struggle. It will be easy to excite passion and difficult to allay it. Those responsible for exciting it will assume a heavy responsibility, responsibility for no less a thing than that the people of the United States, whose love of their country and whose loyalty to its government should unite them as Americans all, bound in honour and affection to think first of her and her interests, may be divided in camps of hostile opinion, not against each other, involved in the war itself in impulse and opinion if not in action.

Such divisions amongst us would be fatal to our peace of mind and might seriously stand in the way of the proper performance of our duty as the one great nation at peace, the one people holding itself ready to play a part of impartial mediation and speak the counsels of peace and accommodation, not as a partisan, but as a friend.

I venture, therefore, my fellow countrymen, to speak a solemn word of warning to you against that deepest, most subtle, most essential breach of neutrality which may spring out of partisanship, out of passionately taking sides.

The United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days that are to try men’s souls. We must be impartial in thought, as well as action, must put a curb upon our sentiments, as well as upon every transaction that might be construed as a preference of one party to the struggle before another.

Despite the policy of neutrality “Ten thousand German reservists were threatening trouble this afternoon unless the German consul general sends them to the front. They were besieging the piers and demanding that the liner Vaterland take them home.”

Locally the editorial page noted that “A meeting has been called of citizens . . . for the purpose of discussing plans for replacing the steel bridge which has practically been condemned.” The editor noted that the existing bridge was dangerous and that it must be replaced. Strongly inferring the divisions of opinion on the need for a new bridge, the editor admonished that “The meeting is open for everybody and, unless you attend, you will not be entitled to kick very hard at whatever is done. Better go, for you might want to do a gladiatorial stunt in the open forum.”

On a cynical note the paper reported that “The sending of baseball scores from New York to London was forbidden by the British censor yesterday. The batting averages and home runs of the armies will alone serve to interest the fans in London and make the bulletin boards get gay and busy.”

In Astoria, the British consulate ordered that the steamer Strathalbyn remain in Astoria because of the rumored presence of a German cruiser in the north Pacific.

Salem Folk Also Do Some Fighting

As reported in the paper, opinion among Salem residents reflected a sophisticated view of the war and its outcome:

While war preparations are being rushed over two-thirds of the globe, war talk is the topic of conversation of the other third. And Salem is no exception to the rule. In the stores, hotels, depots, restaurants, business offices and homes the situation in Europe is widely and earnestly discussed.

It is a general opinion that this conflict will see the end of kings and emperors and that out of the confusion and melee there will rise a new era of political liberty. It is freely predicted that the conflict will engender revolutions in the various states of Europe which will end in the establishment of several independent republics or a confederation of republics in to a United States of Europe. It also is the prevailing belief that Germany has attempted a bigger task than it can handle in the embroiling of all Europe.

“War is hell” declared a grizzled old man who was earnestly talking to a group of men in a store this morning. He took an attitude of aggressiveness and brandished his cane, while his eyes took on an unwonted luster and his voice had an excited tremble in it. He was telling of what befell in the Franco war 44 years ago.