M't QJorttell HniowBitg ICihrarg THE GIFT OF C o-r-w^dXto-n., Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027858079 WAR CYCLOPEDIA A HANDBOOK FOR READY REFERENCE ON THE GREAT WAR ISSUED BY The Committee on Pubuc Information THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF WAR THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY GEORGE CREEL Price I 25 Cents WASHINGTON IQOVERNMENT PRINTINQ OFFICE I I9II Your Government is Willing to Send You WITHOUT CHARGE Any Two of the Pamphlets Listed Here, With Exceptions Noted Committee on Public Information. (Established by Order of the President, Aprii 14, 1917, Washington, D. C.) SERIES No. 1. WAK INFORMATION. (Red, White, and Blue Covers.) 1. How the War Came to America. Contents: A brief introduction reviewing the policy of the United States vfith reference to the Monroe Doctrine, freedom of the seas, and international arbitration ; develop- ment of our policy reviewed and explained from August, 1914, to April, 1917 ; Appendix ; the President's address to the Senate, January 22, 1917, his war message to Congress, April 2, 1917, his Flag Day address at Washington, June 14, 1917. 32 pages. (Translations: German, Polish, Bohemian, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese. 48 pages.) Note.—For Numbers 2 and 3, described below, a contribution of 15 cents each, Is required. All other booklets are free. 2. National Service Handbook. (A reference work for libraries, schools, clubs, and other organizations.) (Price, 15 cents.) Contents: Description of all civic and military organiza- tions directly or indirectly connected with war work, point- ing out how and where every individual can help. Maps, Army and Navy insignia, diagrams. 246 pages. 3. The Battle line of Democracy. (Price, 15 cents.) Contents: The best collection of patriotic prose and poetry. Authors and statesmen of America and all the countries now associated with us in the war have expressed the highest aspirations of their people. 134 pages. 4. President's Flag Day Speech with Evidence of Germany's Flans. Contents: The President's speech with the facts to which he alludes explained by carefully selected notes, giving the proofs of German purposes and intrigues. These notes PBESENT AN OVERWHELMING AKSENAI, OF FACTS, all gathered from original sources. 32 pages. (Continued on page 3 of cover.) WAR CYCLOPEDIA A HANDBOOK FOR READY REFERENCE ON THE GREAT WAR Edited by^_/ FREDERIC L' PAXSON I University of Wisconsin EDWARD S. CORWIN SAMUEL B. HARDING Princeton University Indiana University "/ have found that the particular thing you have to surrender to is facts" —PRESIDENT WILSON WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1918 First Edition. Issued in January, 1918. FOREWORD. Throughout the United States to-day thousands of Americans in civil life are doing their part to win the war. They come from all professions and from every trade. From the office, from the school, from the editorial room, and from the platform they are sending out their message of truth and democracy. Their desire for service Is complete ; their chance to find easily the facts they need is limited. It is to provide them with a body of information, simply arranged and clearly stated, that this War Cyclopedia has been prepared. Other handbooks have been and will be made by other agen- cies ; all will serve their end, for this war is not to be won by an established doctrine nor by an official theory, but by an enlightened opinion based upon the truth. The facts of history and life are the only arsenal to which Americans need resort in order to defend their cause. The deeper their study, the firmer becomes their conviction. The War Cyclopedia repre- sents an effort to arrange in simple form the facts most needed. Persons have been left out except so far as biographical notes are absolutely Indispensable ; a knowledge of American public men in particular has been taken for granted. The map (at the end of the book) makes clear the German plans and con- quests. The Chronology (see p. 311) includes only outstanding events, but even a selected list of dates should prove helpful. The preparation of this handbook has been supervised by Guy Stanton Ford, director of the Division of Civic and Educa- tional Cooperation of the Committee on Public Information. The editing has been done by Frederic L. Paxson, Edward S. Corwin, and Samuel B. Harding, with the assistance of Katharine J. Gallagher, Ellis P. Oberholtzer, Bernadotte E. Schmitt, and Mason W. Tyler. The editors have drawn freely upon the time and the patriotic good will of a large number of special writers from all parts of the country. This book has been prepared under pressure and within a brief time, and if errors of detail appear notification of those to Mr. Ford, with a view to cor- rection in subsequent printings, will be appreciated. The declaration of war against Austria-Hungary fixes the limit of the Cyclopedia in its present form. Geoege Ceebl, Chairman. CONTRIBUTORS. The following persons have contributed to the making of the War Cyclopedia : Frank M. Anderson, James F. Baldwin, Charles A. Beard, Carl Becker, Beverley W. Bond, William K. Boyd, Philip M. Brown, Neil Carothers, William S. Carpen- ter, Edward S. Oorwin, Arthur Lyon Cross, W. F. Dodd, John A. Fairlie, Sidney B. Fay, Carl Russell Fish, Emerson D. Fite, F. Stuart Fitzpatriek, Howard Florance, Katharine J. Gal- lagher, Samuel B. Harding, Samuel N. Harper, Gerard C. Hen- derson, J. Franklin Jameson, Edward H. Krehbiel, August C. Krey, Laurence M. Larson, Waldo G. Leland, Samuel McCune Lindsay, William E. Lingelbach, Dana C. Munro, Wallace Note: stein, Ellis P. Oberholtzer, J. I. Osborne, Frederic L. Paxson, Bernadotte E. Schmitt, George C. Sellery, Charles Seymour, Augustus H. SheaTer, A. M. Simons, St. George L. Sioussat, J. Russell Smith, Elmer E. StoU, David F. Swenson, Mason W. Tyler, Robert M. Wenley, Francis G. Wickware, George Grafton Wilson, Arthur N. Young, Otto M. Young. 6 WAR CYCLOPEDIA. Acts of Congress. The authority for national -defense rests upon acts of Congress, and especially upon the national defense act of June 3, 1916, which provided for an increase in the Regu- lar Army and its reorganization on efficient lines as to General StafE and reserves, suggested by the experience of Europe. Fol- lowing the declaration of war on April 6, 1917, Congress passed and the President approved: (1) The deficiency appropriation bill, carrying an extraordinary item " for the national security and defense—to be expended at the discretion of the President." The sum was $100,000,000. (2) The bond act authorizing loans not to exceed $7,000,000,000 in bonds and certificates, under whose provisions the sale of the Liberty Loans was con- cluded. (3) Authority was given the President to take over enemy vessels found in the ports or waters of the United States. (4) The selective service act became a law on May 18. Under its provisions the Regular Army was expanded to its maximum strength, arrangements were made for bringing the National Guard Into Federal service, for registering all men be- tween the ages of 21 and 30 inclusive, and for training the first divisions of the National Army. (5) The war appropriation act of June 15 carried total credits of $3,281,094,541.60, and there had already been made on March 2, 1917, a special naval appro- priation of $535,000,000. (6) The espionage act conferred upon the President the power of placing an embargo on exports. (7) $640,000,000 were appropriated for the construction and estab- lishment of an aircraft arm of the military service. (8) The priority act, giving the President power to direct freight trans- portation to meet the necessities of national defense, was passed on August 6. (9) The food and fuel control bill for guarding the economic interests of Government and people under stress of war conditions was approved on August 10. (10) A second bond act authorizing $13,538,945,460 in bonds and certificates; (11) A great war revenue bill. (12) An act to regulate trading with the enemy. (13) A law for soldiers' and sailors' insurance. " To speak of it as an epoch-making session is a common- place," said the New York Nation (Sept. 20, 1917) ; its work forms " a mass of legislation which for bulk and comprehensive- ness, for the great issues involved and the enormous figures dealt with, for its drastic innovations and its effects on the mul- tifarious phases of national life stands without a rival." " I pre- sume to say that no other parliamentary body in so short a time 7 8 WAR CYCLOPEDIA. ever passed so great a volume of well-considered and prophetic legislation as has our present Congress in the past five months." (Secretary Laue, at Atlantic City, Sept. 18, 1917.) See the various acts by title. Consult No. 10 in War Information Series published by Committee on Public Information. Agadir Incident. See Morocco Question. Adjutant General. An officer who keeps the records, orders, and correspondence of the Army. He. serves under the direc- tion of the Secretary of War and of the Chief of Staff. Through him and over his name instructions and regulations of the War Department are sent forward to military officers and troops. He is at once a secretary and archivist to the Secretary of War! Agricultural Credit. Refers to loans made to farmers for use in the purchase of land and the cultivation of the soil. Con- ditions of isolation and economic disadvantage have forced the American farmer to pay exorbitant rates of interest or to go without credit.