n rates to
American vessels which the President believed to be in violation of the
guaranty of equal treatment pledged in the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty. With a
more portentous list of constructive laws than had been passed by any
Congress since 1890, the Democratic majority allowed an adjournment on
October 24, 1914, and its members went home to sound their constituents
upon the state of the Union.

The passage of economic laws had called for tact and force upon the part
of the President, whose party, like the Republican party, was without a
clear vision of its policy and included many reactionaries. Added
embarrassments were found in the continuance of civil strife in Mexico.
Here, shortly before the inauguration of President Wilson, there had
been another revolution, followed by the elevation by the army of
General Victoriano Huerta to the Presidency. The followers of the
deposed Madero went into revolt at once, and the new Government was
refused recognition by the United States on the ground that it was not a
Government _de facto_, and that its title was smirched with blood.
Patiently and stubbornly the United States held to its refusal to
recognize the results of conspiracy in Mexico. In April, 1914, Vera Cruz
was occupied by American forces in retaliation for acts of insult on the
part of the Huerta regime, and in July the steady pressure of "watchful
waiting" brought about the resignation of the dictator. The
Constitutionalists, succeeding him, quarreled shortly among themselves,
but the danger from Mexico appeared to be lessening as the year
advanced.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: NORTH AMERICA

IN 1915]

From Europe came other embarrassments in August. Here, the policy of
national armament which had been adopted in the middle of the
nineteenth century, reached its logical outcome in a great war
which was precipitated by Austria in an attack upon Servia. Russia
immediately came to the aid of her Slavonic kinsmen, and upon her
Germany declared war on August 1. In a few more days Great Britain and
France had joined Russia against the German-Austrian alliance, and most
of Europe was at war. To bring home the thousands of American tourists
whom the war had reduced to suffering was the first work of the
administration. The American ministers in Europe became the custodians
of the affairs of the belligerents in every enemy country, and with the
aid of all the belligerent nations Americans were carried home. After