h Century American
Plutocrats, working coatless in their tiny factories; managing their
corner stores; serving their local banks, and holding their minor
offices had never dreamed of the destiny that lay ahead. No matter. The
necessity for expansion had come and with it came the opportunity. The
economic pressure complemented the human desire for "more." The
structure of business organization, which was erected to conquer one
continent could not cease functioning when that one continent was
subdued. Rather, high geared and speeded up as it was, it was in fine
form to extend its conquests, like the well groomed army that has come
scatheless through a great campaign, and that longs, throughout its
tensely unified structure to be off on the next mission.

The business life of the United States came to the Pacific; touched the
Canadian border; surged against the Rio Grande. The continent had been
spanned; the objective had been attained. Still, the cry was "Onward!"

Onward? Whither?

Onward to the lands where resources are abundant and rich; onward where
labor is plentiful, docile and cheap; onward where the opportunities
for huge profits are met with on every hand; onward into the undeveloped
countries of the world.

The capitalists of the European nations, faced by a similar necessity
for expansion, had been compelled to go half round the earth to India,
to South Africa, to the East Indies, to China, to Canada, to South
America. Close at home there was no country except Russia that offered
great possibilities of development.

The business interests of the United States were more fortunate. At
their very doors lay the opportunities--in Canada, in Mexico, in the
West Indies, in Central and South America. Here were countries with the
amplest, richest resources; countries open for capitalist development.
To be sure these investment fields had been invaded already by foreign
capitalists--British, German, Belgian and Spanish. But at the same time
they were surrounded by a tradition of great virility and power--the
tradition of "America for the Americans."

XI. THE GREAT WAR

1. _Daylight_

The work of industrial empire building had continued for less than half
a century when the United States entered the Great War, which was one in
a sequence of events that bound America to the wheel of destiny as it
bound England and France and Germany and Japan and every other country
that had adopted the capitalist method