In 1916, as World War I intensified overseas, the United States remained officially neutral under President Woodrow Wilson. Public debate was especially active in major cities such as New York, Chicago, and Boston, where newspapers regularly discussed whether the nation should stay out of the conflict. Within this atmosphere, a proposal began circulating that called for any decision to enter war to be decided by a nationwide public vote.
The idea gained momentum after events like the 1915 sinking of the Lusitania and rising tensions with Germany’s submarine campaign. Supporters argued that if Americans were expected to fight, they should also have the power to decide whether the country went to war. The proposal’s most striking feature required every citizen who voted in favor of war to automatically register as a volunteer for military service, linking political support directly to personal responsibility.
Although widely discussed, the proposal never advanced through Congress. Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., argued that war decisions required speed and confidentiality, conditions they believed a national referendum could not meet. By April 1917, the United States entered World War I without a public vote, influenced by Germany’s renewed submarine warfare and the revelation of the Zimmermann Telegram.
The concept resurfaced in the late 1930s during rising global tensions, most notably through the Ludlow Amendment, which again sought a national referendum on war. It came close to passing in 1938, showing how persistent the idea remained. While none of these proposals became law, they highlight a recurring concern in American history about ensuring that decisions involving war reflect both public will and public accountability.
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You can get them for Valentines Day if you order by Thursday morning.
Click the picture to see what she has available today.
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