It is contending for nothing less high and sacred than the rights of humanity." In the third note dated July 21, it is asserted that "the events of the past two months have clearly indicated that it is possible and practicable to conduct submarine operations within the so-called war zone in substantial accord with the accepted practices of regulated warfare." The temper of the American people and the president's notes had succeeded in securing a modification of the submarine campaign.
It required cool statesmanship to prevent a rushing into war over the Lusitania incident and events which had preceeded it.

There was a well developed movement in favor of it, but the people were not unanimous on the point.

It would have lacked that cooperation necessary for effectiveness; besides our country was but poorly prepared for engaging in hostilities.

It was our state of unpreparedness continuing for a long time afterwards, which contributed, no doubt, to German arrogance.

They thought we would not fight.
But the United States had become thoroughly awakened and the authorities must have felt that if the conflict was to be unduly prolonged, we must eventually be drawn into it.