CHAPTER XXV. THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD WAR The reelection
of Wilson in November, 1916, could hardly be interpreted in any
other light than as an approval of his patient foreign policy.
Nevertheless, for the ensuing five months the problem of our
international relations, and especially the question whether we
ought to enter the World War, continued to divide the American
people into hostile camps. The opponents of the President, led
by Roosevelt, contended that Wilson was lacking in "patriotism,
courage and foresight"; that the failure of the administration
to protest against Germany's march across Belgium was due to
timidity and a "mean commercial opportunism" which caused the
President to act in the spirit of refusing to perform a duty
unless there was a pecuniary profit to be gained thereby; and
that the interchanges of diplomatic notes with the German
government were "benevolent phrase-mongering" which did not
accomplish anything. When Germany used the submarine to sink
vessels despite the President'