With shocking fanfare, Eddie burst into the backyard to find his fiancée having an early dinner with her sisters and cousins.
"It's official!" he shouted excitedly, waving a newspaper over his head, "We're in!"
"Edward Ryland!" Samantha cried, coming out her chair, wide-eyed, "Have you lost your mind? How dare you barge out here unannounced and scare us all half to death!"
"But, Sam!" he protested strongly, "We're at war! Just think—"
Dropping back into her chair, Samantha smothered a gasp behind her hand and took a few deep breaths to collect her bearings.
Her companions reacted differently.
"I thought Wilson was reelected because he kept us out of the war!" Agatha cried angrily.
"Yes, but now he is going to do whatever he likes," Agnes sniped with equal disgust, "Senator Norris is the smartest man in Washington! Did you read his speech? Neutrality, my foot! I bet the president was planning this all along!"
"He couldn't have foreseen Zimmermann's telegram during the election, Agnes," Nellie gently reminded her, "or the fact that Germany would start shooting all the ships in their blockade zone without warning again. So many innocents have been killed; Wilson has to respond to that."
"Well, I'll give you the telegram thing," Agnes acquiesced, "but, really, Nellie, why wouldn't the Germans fire on all the ships within their blockade zone? It's a blockade, for heaven's sake! We keep out of the British zone well enough!"
"I have to admit," Jenny said, her voice nervously quiet, "I like the idea of America fighting to make the world safe for democracy. I can't help but think that there's hope for Ireland someday soon if America helps the Allies win. Do you think that President Wilson's ideas might gain clout with Parliament if we help them win?"
"Probably not; I mean, remember what happened last year!" Bridget retorted acidly, "And Pearse openly admitted to receiving funds from Irish immigrants over here. Why would the English give the American president the time of day after that, Jen?"
"Well, things are changing, Bridge," Nellie offered, delicately stepping into her younger siblings disagreement, "Although, I do worry because so many got hurt in those awful riots; what's next?" She wiped away a tear, and smiled hopefully, "Who knows, maybe America can follow less and lead more in this century."
Her statement produced a contemplative silence as the girls marveled at the possibility of this becoming true and Eddie took the opportunity to make his proud announcement.
"I'm going to sign up!"
Samantha flew out of her chair again, "Edward!"
"Sam," he was earnest, "Wilson has ordered the army and national guard be brought up to full strength. He wants two million men, Sam! And if he doesn't get it from volunteers, he'll open a draft."
"Don't you see, Sam? And those two million men are just a start; more will be added later as needed. If I go now, I might have a chance at a decent assignment, but if I wait for a draft, they'll assign me wherever there's an opening."
"All the guys are going to sign up," he implored her, becoming increasingly uncomfortable as she remained silent, "I don't want to be a labeled a coward! Why, when I was up in Toronto on business last year, I saw some Canadians shaming their countrymen by handing out white feathers in public! I can't bear the thought of being labeled a coward!"
"Edward—"
"Samantha," he cut her off impatiently, pointing at the newspaper in his hand, "The war is here, whether you like it or not. Why, this article says that we've already confiscated all the German ships in our ports!"
Bridget straightened in her seat, "I read that the Vaterland is in port at Hoboken."
"Then she is ours now," Eddie answered stiffly, briefly hanging his head as memories of sailing on the German luxury streamer flashed through his mind, "I wonder how we'll use her…"
"Excuse us," Samantha said tensely. Taking her fiancé's elbow, she steered him back into the house.
"Edward," she began again, drawing a shaky breath once they were safely inside the parlor, "We're supposed to get married this summer."
"Ah, about that," Eddie looked down at his feet, struggling to find the right words, "I-I was hoping that you'd be alright with moving the date up a-a little bit?"
She raised her eyebrows.
"To, ah, this weekend."
"You want to elope?" she gasped, her voice raising an octave, "Grandmary would have our heads!"
"Sam," he was patient, "your grandmother passed away over five years ago."
"She'd roll over in her grave!"
"Sam," he tried again, "I'm not asking you to elope." Swallowing hard, he continued, "When I found out, you were the first person I thought of. I-I put in a call to your Uncle Gardner and he and your aunt gave me their blessing to marry now-if you agreed."
"When I get over there, "he continued, "and if something happens to me, I want to know that you're protected, that you're taken care of." He squeezed her trembling hands, "If you're my wife then you'll be entitled to my pension, but if we're only engaged, they won't..."
"If you die," she said shakily, tears streaming down her face as reality began to sink in, "I-I-I"
"Shh, hush, love. Shh." he said, his voice cracking as he pulled her close and kissed her, "I'll do everything I can to stay alive." Holding her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he said, "That's why I want to volunteer now; I might even make officer. But, if I wait…"
"W-what kind of assignment would you like?" she asked, trying to sound brave even as she choked.
Eddie's face immediately dropped.
"Oh, uh, well, I-I was thinking that maybe I'd like to be a pilot in the new air service." Shrugging helplessly, he added, "I think they're going to play a big part in the future and I'd like to be a part of that." He shrugged again, "Submarines look interesting too…"
Samantha's jaw dropped in horror. How could he say that when he'd just finished telling her that he'd do everything he could to stay alive!
"Sam, you know that I've always wanted—"
"No!" she cried, "You just told me that you'd do everything you could to stay alive and now you want to join the newest most dangerous services that you could possibly pick!"
"Hey, It'll be alright, Sam," he hastened to say, eager to calm her fears, "It'll be alright. Why, if I know you, you'll soon be so busy organizing home front support here in New York that you won't even notice that I'm gone!"
Laughing tearfully at his absurd suggestion, she tried to be brave again, "What does that mean?"
"See there, I told you!"
"What do you mean, Eddie?"
"I-I, well, I don't know," he admitted, reddening, "We just declared war this morning. But, I'm sure that everyone will be called upon to do something for the war effort, even here at home."
"So, I'll just have to wait and see?" she asked, a note of deep pain registering in her voice.
He sighed, feeling her frustration, "I'm sure you won't have to wait long." Then, after a pause, his eyes gleamed with curiosity, "So, what about this weekend?"
Author's Note: I know that Agatha and Agnes are technically Samantha's aunts, but I think they function more like cousins, so that's what I called them. Don't let it ruin your day!
Don't forget to check out my new American Girl poll! I'm releasing it in conjunction with this story. Be the first to take it!
When you take said poll, please don't ask me why I didn't include the 1960's book/doll, Melody Ellison, who is set to be released this summer. When you read the question, you'll understand why.
A Look Back: On April 6th, 1917, the United States officially entered World War I after proclaiming neutrality from the onset. The Senate vote was 82-6.
President Wilson's stated reasons for going to war were, first, defending freedom of the seas. This in response to German U-boats sinking a number of US flagged (neutral) ships bound for Britain after they entered blockaded waters.
Secondly, in response to the Zimmerman Telegram. The German Foreign Secretary, Arthur Zimmermann, sent a telegram to the Mexican government stating that if Mexico would declare war on the United States (and thereby keep her focus on her southern border instead of on Europe), Germany would return all of the territory that Mexico lost to the US after the Mexican-American War when the Allies were defeated. Unfortunately for Germany, the British intercepted the telegram and made it public in America.
Thirdly, in Wilson's own words, he wanted to "make the world safe for democracy". To him, WWI was a struggle between democratic governments and autocratic ones. He even lauded the Russian Revolution, seeing it as a popular uprising against the autocratic czar.
Senator George Norris of Nebraska was one of the six "no" votes. He gave a speech decrying America's entry into the war as only an economic benefit for wealthy businessmen who manufactured weapons of war while the middle and lower classes were sent off to get killed.
The Easter Rising of 1916 started when a group of Irish Nationalists and their supporters proclaimed the establishment of the Irish Republic. They launched a rebellion against the British Government and seized prominent buildings in Dublin while clashing with British troops. Around two thousand people were dead or injured by the time the British regained control a week later. Patrick Pearse was a leader in the Rising; he was one of fifteen who was executed by firing squad.
White feathers are an emblem of cowardice.
The SS Vaterland was a German-owned cruise ship that was in port at Hoboken, New Jersey when the US declared war. As per the declaration, American authorities confiscated all German-flagged ships and held their crews and passengers in detention until the end of the war nineteen months later. After the confiscation, the ship was renamed SS Leviathan and became a troop transport ship. After the war, she resumed her old cruise ship duties as an American vessel under her new name.
Her 22,000 passengers and crew were sent off to the tiny town of Hot Springs, North Carolina and held in either the Mountain Park Hotel or barracks built on the grounds. Despite being officially labeled "enemy aliens" (since they were civilians and couldn't be called POWs), Hot Springs' residents treated them kindly and many immigrated to America with their families after the war to reside in the town.
Home front activities for women and families included taking jobs left vacant by men who'd gone overseas, planting victory gardens to enhance the food supply, and rationing food and other materials that were needed for the war effort. People also bought war bonds to support war funding.