igisD T^he System and Its Purposes 



tern" (as, for want of a better term and without 

 prejudice, I may venture to call it), the powerful 

 organization which has its seat in the seaboard 

 cities — and which, when it chooses, largely controls 

 the press, the banking system, and the financial 

 plexus — had virtually decided that we must enter Vrge 

 the war. For the changing tone of the press Germany '""""^'^ 

 indeed gave persistent justification, so that during 

 the course of 1916 public opinion slowly veered 

 toward taking part in the conflict. And as regards 

 the country at large, our final participation was 

 wholly altruistic. Certain interests promoted it for 

 selfish purposes, but these did not sway people in 

 general nor did they control the President. 



An interesting sidelight is thrown by Gabriel Converting 

 Hanotaux in his "Histoire de la Guerre." Writing of ^"'^™" 

 a meeting on the eve of the battle of the Marne 

 between three Americans — Herrick, Sharp, and 

 Bacon — all former ambassadors to France, he says: 



La rencontre des trois ambassadeurs americains a Paris, en 

 ces circonstances epouvantees, peut avoir a elle seule una haute 

 signification. L'un d'entre eux qui etait en meme temps I'ami 

 intime de Roosevelt avait avec celui qui ecrit ces lignes un 

 entretien qui merite d'etre rappele. "En Amerique," disait-il, 

 "il y a 50,000 personnes qui comprennent la necessite pour 

 les Etats-Unis d'entrer immediatement dans la guerre a vos 

 cotes. Mais il y a 100 millions d'Americains qui n'y ont meme 

 pas pense. Notre devoir est que les chifFres se retournent et 

 que 50,000 deviennent 100 millions; nous y parviendrons." ^ 



' Tlie meeting of the three American ambassadors at Paris, under these 

 frightful circumstances, had in itself a high significance. The one among them 

 who was at the same time an intimate friend of Roosevelt had with him who 

 writes these lines an interview which merits being recalled. "In America," said 

 he, "there are 50,000 persons who understand the necessity for the United 

 States to enter immediately into the war by your side. But there are 100 mil- 

 lions of Americans who have not even thought of it. Our duty is to reverse 

 these figures so that the 50,000 shall be the 100 millions; in this we shall succeed." 



n67S 3 



