From the sinking of the Lusitania to February, 1917, President Wilson maintained diplomatic relations with Germany in order to aid the democratic forces which were working in that country to throw out the poison which forty years of army preparation had diffused throughout the nation. President Wilson believed that he could rely upon the Chancellor as a leader of democracy against von Tirpitz and von Falkenhayn, as leaders of German autocracy. The Chancellor knew the President looked upon him as the man to reform Germany. But when the crisis came the Chancellor was as weak as the Kaiser and both of them sanctioned and defended what von Hindenburg and Ludendorf, the ammunition interests and the navy, proposed.
If the United States were to disregard absolutely every argument which the Allies have for fighting Germany there would still be so many American indictments against the German Government that no American could have a different opinion from that of President Wilson.
Germany sank the Lusitania and killed over 100 Americans and never apologised for it.
Germany sank the Ancona, killed more Americans and blamed Austria.
Germany sank the Arabic and torpedoed the Sussex.
Germany promised after the sinking of the Sussex to warn all merchant ships before torpedoing them and then in practice threw the pledges to the winds and ended by breaking all promises.
Germany started anti-American propaganda in Germany.
The German Government made the German people suspect and hate President Wilson.
Germany supplied Russia and Roumania with arms and ammunition and criticised America for permitting American business men to aid the Allies.
Germany plotted against American factories.