ABSTRACT
President Woodrow Wilson's main interest was in domestic reforms, but he had to devote much of his presidency to foreign affairs. Elected in 1912, he had only two years of peace before the Central Powers of Europe started the First World War. He was reelected in 1916 in large part on the strength of the slogan "He kept us out of war." The conscience of a community, sometimes that of the whole civilized world, may feel itself under such circumstances involved in the fate of a person otherwise obscure; and partisanship may run so high that in the locality whose courts are under scrutiny the case at issue can hardly be discussed with reason. Excitement grew as the date for execution neared. The paraders before the State House became more numerous and many of them were arrested. The police of Boston took precautions as though against a riot or a siege.
