One was that the enemies of Great Britain would assemble enough votes in Congress to place an embargo upon the shipment of munitions from this country.

Such an embargo might well be fatal to Great Britain, for at this time she was importing munitions, especially shells, in enormous quantities from the United States.

The other was that such pressure might force the Government to convoy American cargoes with American warships.

Great Britain then could stop the cargoes only by attacking our cruisers, and to attack a cruiser is an act of war.

Had Congress taken either one of these steps the Allies would have lost the war in the spring of 1915.