World War I 100 Years Ago This Week: Feb. 6-13

From The Indianapolis Times, Tuesday, February 9, 1915: Nearly 4,000 Indianapolis citizens gathered in a mass meeting last night at Tomlinson Hall to denounce the neutrality policy of the Wilson Administration. Held under the auspices of the American Neutrality League, speakers called upon the United States to observe “real neutrality” in the European war instead of the present neutrality policy of the American government which in reality aids England. “Without the help of the United States, this war could not go on for more than two or three months,” declared Indiana native Dr. George L. Scherger of Chicago’s Armour Institute. Irish-American lawyer and orator Patrick O’Donnell echoed this sentiment, “This war could not go on if we stopped the shipment of war munitions to Europe.” The audience was composed chiefly of citizens of German and Irish extraction.