s and the resources
of the government to carry on war against the Imperial German
Government; and to bring the conflict to a successful termination all of
the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the
United States."

Immediately President Wilson issued a proclamation in which he called
upon the people of the country to co-operate and give their support,
pointing out the necessity for doing things other than putting men upon
the firing line. And in his brief proclamation he outlined the entire
comprehensive plan which, within a few months, was well under way.

The placing of the navy upon a war footing; the creating and equipping
of an adequate army; the supplying of ships; creating of loans; the
financing of the Allies; the conservation of food products; the
development of food and material resources; the providing of munitions
and supplies for the fighting forces abroad--all of these things were
pointed to as necessary in the President's proclamation.

Thus America, which had endeavored to remain neutral during months when
Germany was arrogant and insulting, became aligned with the Allies in
the struggle which for nearly three years had been waged in Europe.

NEGOTIATIONS CARRIED ON.

The negotiations between this country and Germany over the question of
submarine warfare as affecting the lives of non-combatants and the
rights of neutrals on the high seas in time of war had been carried on
for two years. They had their origin on February 10, 1915, when,
following the German announcement of February 4 that "the waters around
Great Britain and Ireland, including the whole English Channel, are
declared a war zone on and after February 18, 1915," William J. Bryan,
then Secretary of State, sent the "strict accountability" note to
Berlin.

Through successive stages the exchange of diplomatic papers continued,
with growing feeling on both sides, because of the acts of German
submarines, until the torpedoing of the cross-Channel steamer Sussex, on
March 24, 1916, when the lives of twenty-five American citizens were
imperiled and several suffered bodily injuries or shock. This attack
resulted in the "Sussex note," or so-called "ultimatum" to Germany.

The Sussex note, signed by Secretary Lansing, and sent to Germany April
19, 1916, concluded with the following declaration:

"Unless the Imperial Government should now immediately declare and
effect an abandonment of its present methods of subm