THE WORLD SUDDENLY TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
Demoralization, like the black plague of the middle ages, spread in
every direction immediately following the first overt acts of war.
Men who were millionaires at nightfall awoke the next morning to find
themselves bankrupt through depreciation of their stock-holdings.
Prosperous firms of importers were put out of business. International
commerce was dislocated to an extent unprecedented in history.
The greatest of hardships immediately following the war, however, were
visited upon those who unhappily were caught on their vacations or on
their business trips within the area affected by the war. Not only men,
but women and children, were subjected to privations of the severest
character. Notes which had been negotiable, paper money of every
description, and even silver currency suddenly became of little value.
Americans living in hotels and pensions facing this sudden shrinkage in
their money, were compelled to leave the roofs that had sheltered them.
That which was true of Americans was true of all other nationalities,
so that every embassy and the office of every consul became a miniature
Babel of excited, distressed humanity.
The sudden seizure of railroads for war purposes in Germany, France,
Austria and Russia, cut off thousands of travelers in villages that
were almost inaccessible. Europeans being comparatively close to their
homes, were not in straits as severe as the Americans whose only hope
for aid lay in the speedy arrival of American gold. Prices of food
soared beyond all precedent and many of these hapless strangers went
under. Paris, the brightest and gayest city in Europe, suddenly became
the most sombre of dwelling places. No traffic was permitted on the
highways at night. No lights were permitted and all the cafés were
closed at eight o’clock. The gay capital was placed under iron military
rule.
Seaports, and especially the pleasure resorts in France, Belgium and
England, were placed under a military supervision. Visitors were
ordered to return to their homes and every resort was shrouded with
darkness at night. The records of those early days are filled with
stories of dramatic happenings.
On the night of July 31st Jean Leon Jaurès, the famous leader of French
Socialists, was assassinated while dining in a small restaurant near
the Paris Bourse. His assassin was Raoul Villein. Jaurès had been
endeavoring to accomplish a union of French and German Socialists with
the aim of preventing the war. The object of the assassination appeared
to have been wholly political.
On the same day stock exchanges throughout the United States were
closed, following the example of European stock exchanges. Ship
insurance soared to prohibitive figures. Reservists of the French and
German armies living outside of their native land were called to the
colors and their homeward rush still further complicated transportation
for civilians. All the countries of Europe clamored for gold. North
and South America complied with the demand by sending cargoes of the
precious metal overseas. The German ship Kron Prinzessin with a cargo
of gold, attempted to make the voyage to Hamburg, but a wireless
warning that Allied cruisers were waiting for it off the Grand Banks of
Newfoundland, compelled the big ship to turn back to safety in America.
Channel boats bearing American refugees from the Continent to London
were described as floating hells. London was excited over the war and
holiday spirit, and overrun with five thousand citizens of the United
States tearfully pleading with the American Ambassador for money for
transportation home or assurances of personal safety.
[Illustration: WHERE THE WORLD WAR BEGAN]
The condition of the terror-stricken tourists fleeing to the friendly
shores of England from Continental countries crowded with soldiers
dragging in their wake heavy guns, resulted in an extraordinary
gathering of two thousand Americans at a hotel one afternoon and the
formation of a preliminary organization to afford relief. Some people
who attended the meeting were already beginning to feel the pinch of
want with little prospects of immediate succor. One man and wife, with
four children, had six cents when he appealed to Ambassador Page after
an exciting escape from German territory.
Oscar Straus, worth ten millions, struck London with nine dollars.
Although he had letters of credit for five thousand, he was unable
to cash them in Vienna. Women hugging newspaper bundles containing
expensive Paris frocks and millinery were herded in third-class
carriages and compelled to stand many hours. They reached London
utterly fatigued and unkempt, but mainly cheerful, only to find the
hotels choked with fellow countrymen fortunate to reach there sooner.
The Ambassador was harassed by anxious women and children who asked
many absurd questions which he could not answer. He said:
“The appeals of these people are most distressing. They are very much
excited, and no small wonder. I regret I have no definite news of the
prospects or plans of the government for relief. I have communicated
their condition to the Department of State and expect a response and
assurances of coming aid as soon as possible. That the government will
act I have not the slightest doubt. I am confident that Washington will
do everything in her power for relief. How soon, I cannot tell. I have
heard many distressing tales during the last forty-eight hours.”
A crowd filled the Ambassador’s office on the first floor of the
flat building, in Victoria Street, which was mainly composed of
women, school teachers, art students, and other persons doing Europe
on a shoestring. Many were entirely out of money and with limited
securities, which were not negotiable.
The action of the British Government extending the bank holiday till
Thursday of that week was discouraging news for the new arrivals from
the Continent, as it was uncertain whether the express and steamship
companies would open in the morning for the cashing of checks and the
delivery of mail, as was announced the previous Saturday.
Doctors J. Riddle Goffe, of New York; Frank F. Simpson, of Pittsburgh;
Arthur D. Ballon of Vistaburg, Mich., and B. F. Martin, of Chicago,
formed themselves into a committee, and asked the co-operation of the
press in America to bring about adequate assistance for the marooned
Americans, and to urge the bankers of the United States to insist on
their letters of credit and travelers’ checks being honored so far as
possible by the agents in Europe upon whom they were drawn.
Dr. Martin and Dr. Simpson, who left London on Saturday for Switzerland
to fetch back a young American girl, were unable to get beyond Paris,
and they returned to London. Everywhere they found trains packed with
refugees whose only object in life apparently was to reach the channel
boats, accepting cheerfully the discomforts of those vessels if only
able to get out of the war.
Rev. J. P. Garfield, of Claremore, N. H., gave the following account of
his experiences in Holland:
“On sailing from the Hook of Holland near midnight we pulled out just
as the boat train from The Hague arrived. The steamer paused, but as
she was filled to her capacity she later continued on her voyage,
leaving fully two hundred persons marooned on the wharf.
“Our discomforts while crossing the North Sea were great. Every seat
was filled with sleepers, the cabins were given to women and children.
The crowd, as a rule, was helpful and kindly, the single men carrying
the babies and people lending money to those without funds. Despite the
refugee conditions prevailing it was noticeable that many women on the
Hook wharf clung tenaciously to band boxes containing Parisian hats.”
Travelers from Cologne said that searchlights were operated from the
tops of the hotels all night searching for airplanes, and machine guns
were mounted on the famous Cologne Cathedral. They also reported that
tourists were refused hotel accommodations at Frankfort because they
were without cash.
Men, women and children sat in the streets all night. The trains were
stopped several miles from the German frontier and the passengers,
especially the women and children, suffered great hardships being
forced to continue their journey on foot.
Passengers arriving at London from Montreal on the Cunard Line steamer
Andania, bound for Southampton, reported the vessel was met at sea by
a British torpedo boat and ordered by wireless to stop. The liner then
was led into Plymouth as a matter of precaution against mines. Plymouth
was filled with soldiers, and searchlights were seen constantly
flashing about the harbor.
Otis B. Kent, an attorney for the Interstate Commerce Commission, of
Washington, arrived in London after an exciting journey from Petrograd.
Unable to find accommodations at a hotel he slept on the railway
station floor. He said:
“I had been on a trip to Sweden to see the midnight sun. I did not
realize the gravity of the situation until I saw the Russian fleet
cleared for action. This was only July 26th, at Kronstadt, where the
shipyards were working overtime.
“I arrived at the Russian capital on the following day. Enormous
demonstrations were taking place. I was warned to get out and left on
the night of the 28th for Berlin. I saw Russian soldiers drilling at
the stations and artillery constantly on the move.
“At Berlin I was warned to keep off the streets for fear of being
mistaken for an Englishman. At Hamburg the number of warnings was
increased. Two Russians who refused to rise in a café when the German
anthem was played were attacked and badly beaten. I also saw two
Englishmen attacked in the street, but they finally were rescued by the
police.
“There was a harrowing scene when the Hamburg-American Line steamer
Imperator canceled its sailing. She left stranded three thousand
passengers, most of them short of money, and the women wailing. About
one hundred and fifty of us were given passage in the second class of
the American Line steamship Philadelphia, for which I was offered $400
by a speculator.
“The journey to Flushing was made in a packed train, its occupants
lacking sleep and food. No trouble was encountered on the frontier.”
Theodore Hetzler, of the Fifth Avenue Bank, was appointed chairman
of the meeting for preliminary relief of the stranded tourists, and
committees were named to interview officials of the steamship companies
and of the hotels, to search for lost baggage, to make arrangements for
the honoring of all proper checks and notes, and to confer with the
members of the American embassy.
Oscar Straus, who arrived from Paris, said that the United States
embassy there was working hard to get Americans out of France. Great
enthusiasm prevailed at the French capital, he said, owing to the
announcement that the United States Government was considering a plan
to send transports to take Americans home.
The following committees were appointed at the meeting:
Finance--Theodore Hetzler, Fred I. Kent and James G. Cannon;
Transportation--Joseph F. Day, Francis M. Weld and George D. Smith, all
of New York; Diplomatic--Oscar S. Straus, Walter L. Fisher and James
Byrne; Hotels--L. H. Armour, of Chicago, and Thomas J. Shanley, New
York.
The committee established headquarters where Americans might register
and obtain assistance. Chandler Anderson, a member of the International
Claims Commission, arrived in London from Paris. He said he had been
engaged with the work of the commission at Versailles, when he was
warned by the American embassy that he had better leave France. He
acted promptly on this advice and the commission was adjourned until
after the war. Mr. Anderson had to leave his baggage behind him because
the railway company would not register it. He said the city of Paris
presented a strange contrast to the ordinary animation prevailing
there. Most of the shops were closed. There were no taxis in the
streets, and only a few vehicles drawn by horses.
The armored cruiser Tennessee, converted for the time being into a
treasure ship, left New York on the night of August 6th, 1914, to
carry $7,500,000 in gold to the many thousand Americans who were in
want in European countries. Included in the $7,500,000 was $2,500,000
appropriated by the government. Private consignments in gold in sums
from $1,000 to $5,000 were accepted by Colonel Smith, of the army
quartermaster’s department, who undertook their delivery to Americans
in Paris and other European ports.
The cruiser carried as passengers Ambassador Willard, who returned to
his post at Madrid, and army and naval officers assigned as military
observers in Europe. On the return trip accommodations for 200
Americans were available.
The dreadnaught Florida, after being hastily coaled and provisioned,
left the Brooklyn Navy Yard under sealed orders at 9.30 o’clock the
morning of August 6th and proceeded to Tompkinsville, where she dropped
anchor near the Tennessee.
The Florida was sent to protect the neutrality of American ports and
prohibit supplies to belligerent ships. Secretary Daniels ordered her
to watch the port of New York and sent the Mayflower to Hampton Roads.
Destroyers guarded ports along the New England coast and those at
Lewes, Del., to prevent violations of neutrality at Philadelphia and
in that territory. Any vessel that attempted to sail for a belligerent
port without clearance papers was boarded by American officials.
The Texas and Louisiana, at Vera Cruz, and the Minnesota, at Tampico,
were ordered to New York, and Secretary Daniels announced that other
American vessels would be ordered north as fast as room could be found
for them in navy yard docks.
At wireless stations, under the censorship ordered by the President, no
code messages were allowed in any circumstances. Messages which might
help any of the belligerents in any way were barred.
The torpedo-boat destroyer Warrington and the revenue cutter
Androscoggin arrived at Bar Harbor on August 6th, to enforce neutrality
regulations and allowed no foreign ships to leave Frenchman’s Bay
without clearance papers. The United States cruiser Milwaukee sailed
the same day from the Puget Sound Navy Yard to form part of the coast
patrol to enforce neutrality regulations.
Arrangements were made in Paris by Myron T. Herrick, the American
Ambassador, acting under instructions from Washington, to take over
the affairs of the German embassy, while Alexander H. Thackara, the
American Consul General, looked after the affairs of the German
consulate.
President Poincaré and the members of the French cabinet later issued
a joint proclamation to the French nation in which was the phrase
“mobilization is not war.”
[Illustration: THE RIGHT HONORABLE DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
British Premier, who headed the coalition cabinet which carried
England through the war to victory.]
The marching of the soldiers in the streets with the English,
Russian and French flags flying, the singing of patriotic songs and the
shouting of “On to Berlin!” were much less remarkable than the general
demeanor and cold resolution of most of the people.
The response to the order of mobilization was instant, and the stations
of all the railways, particularly those leading to the eastward,
were crowded with reservists. Many women accompanied the men until
close to the stations, where, softly crying, farewells were said. The
troop trains left at frequent intervals. All the automobile busses
disappeared, having been requisitioned by the army to carry meat, the
coachwork of the vehicles being removed and replaced with specially
designed bodies. A large number of taxicabs, private automobiles and
horses and carts also were taken over by the military for transport
purposes.
The wildest enthusiasm was manifested on the boulevards when the news
of the ordering of the mobilization became known. Bodies of men formed
into regular companies in ranks ten deep, paraded the streets waving
the tri-color and other national emblems and cheering and singing the
“Marseillaise” and the “Internationale,” at the same time throwing
their hats in the air. On the sidewalks were many weeping women and
children. All the stores and cafés were deserted.
All foreigners were compelled to leave Paris or France before the end
of the first day of mobilization by train but not by automobile. Time
tables were posted on the walls of Paris giving the times of certain
trains on which these people might leave the city.
American citizens or British subjects were allowed to remain in
France, except in the regions on the eastern frontier and near certain
fortresses, provided they made declaration to the police and obtained a
special permit.
As to Italy’s situation, Rome was quite calm and the normal aspect
made tourists decide that Italy was the safest place. Austria’s note
to Serbia was issued without consulting Italy. One point of the Triple
Alliance provided that no member should take action in the Balkans
before an agreement with the other allies. Such an agreement did not
take place. The alliance was of defensive, not aggressive, character
and could not force an ally to follow any enterprise taken on the sole
account and without a notice, as such action taken by Austria against
Serbia. It was felt even then that Italy would eventually cast its lot
with the Entente Allies.
Secretary of the Treasury William G. McAdoo; John Skelton Williams,
Comptroller of the Currency; Charles S. Hamblin and William P. G.
Harding, members of the Federal Reserve Board, went to New York early
in August, 1914, where they discussed relief measures with a group of
leading bankers at what was regarded as the most momentous conference
of the kind held in the country in recent years.
The New York Clearing House Committee, on August 2d, called a meeting
of the Clearing House Association, to arrange for the immediate
issuance of clearing house certificates. Among those at the conference
were J. P. Morgan and his partner, Henry P. Davison; Frank A.
Vanderlip, president of the National City Bank, and A. Barton Hepburn,
chairman of the Chase National Bank.