Today -100: February 24, 1916: Still less does it want Congress to announce to the world that we are a nation of cowards

First NYT coverage of Verdun.

Headline of the Day -100:

Congressional Democratic leaders threaten that if Pres. Wilson doesn’t warn American citizens not to travel on armed merchant ships, which Germany will start sinking without warning on March 1st, then a Congressional resolution will do so. They’re afraid that Wilson’s obstinate insistence on what he considers American rights will result in war when a German sub, inevitably, kills Americans. Worse, a war over an issue many in Congress don’t consider war-worthy. This revolt is entirely a Democratic thing, with Republicans much more willing to go to war over stupid shit (I KNOW!) and backing the position of their supposed presidential front-runner Elihu Root. And if they happen to pick up the German vote, so much the better. One unnamed Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says, “The country doesn’t want war, but still less does it want Congress to announce to the world that we are a nation of cowards.”

Headline of the Day -100:  

King Nicholas of Montenegro has not been responding to “inquiries” from Austria, and they’re threatening to start treating Montenegro as a conquered country rather than a surrendered one.

Portugal seizes 36 German and Austrian merchant ships lying in the Tagus River. It will say that this is not an act of war, just a measure in the public interest. Germany will not be impressed.

Headline of the Day -100:  

In Berlin, supposedly. Not much point in having ration tickets if you don’t ensure the availability of the goods being rationed.

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