April 1914, President Wilson was awakened in the middle of the night and apprised that a German freighter was sighted unloading munitions in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which were possibly for anti U.S. use. The command from the president was “take Vera Cruz as soon as possible.”
The USS Chester, a scout cruiser named after the city of Chester, PA, commanded by William Adger Moffett, led the dangerous night time mission to enter Vera Cruz Harbor in order to land U.S. Marines. For this action he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
8 August 1914, Europe was now in a war and the Great War was in the future for others. On this day, Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton and his crew set sail on the ship Endeavor with the intention of being the first humans to cross the South Polar Continent. He was accused by many of fleeing from war. However, he had a pat answer—the voyage would be as difficult and maybe as tragic as war. The voyage would last 522 days, and indeed would have many tragic moments, which included the sinking of the Endeavor.
Edith Wharton, author, poet, interior designer and American, was as usual preparing to vacation for the summer when WWI broke out. Plans were changed, and she stayed in Paris. For four years, she was tireless in her support for the French war effort. When the Germans invaded Belgium in the fall of 1914, she helped set up American Hostels for refugees. The shelters provided, rooms, meals, clothes and eventually an employment agency to help them find work. Edith collected more than $100,000 on their behalf. Early in 1915, Edith organized Children of Flanders Rescue Committee which gave shelter to nearly 900 Belgian refugees.
Back in the United States, preparations were being made for a World’s Fair in San Francisco. It was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal and the rebuilding of San Francisco after the devastating earthquake. Even though a World War was brewing in Europe, Americans felt President Woodrow Wilson would keep his word and stay out of the war. Thus, the fabulous, ornate, Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 was on its way. It is noted that even though France and Germany were in the throes of war, they built their respective buildings and continued support of the fair, which indeed might have been under pressure from the fair committee.
At this time Lincoln Beachey, a 26-year-old San Franciscan, was the most famous aviator in the world. Aviator Beachey flew through the exposition Machinery Palace building before it was completed, the first ever indoor flight. The building was nearly 1,000 feet long, 367 feet wide and 136 feet high. Beachey helped build the dirigible California Arrow, soon after, he owned his own dirigible. As a publicity stunt he flew his dirigible around the Washington Monument, downtown mall, and landed on the lawn of the White House.
11 November 1915, the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia began its journey back home. It had been on display in the Pennsylvania Building at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. That was the last time the Liberty Bell left Pennsylvania. The Ohio Building contained busts of Presidents: McKinley, Grant, Harrison, Hayes, Garfield and Taft, all from Ohio. Thirty-one countries participated in the fair and 21 countries built pavilions. The Palace of Fine Arts, designed by Bernard Maybeck, still stands today.
Ocean liner, Oscar II, Peace Ship or Oscar could be known as the “Ship of Fools”. Henry Ford, peace activist, organized and launched his amateur peace mission on 4 December 1915. His folly was to prompt nations to gather at a conference to mediate and end WWI. Ford and many of his shipmates were taken with influenza while on the voyage. Four days after arriving in Norway, he abandoned his mission and returned home. Peace Mission failed. In 1916 Ford Motor Company produced over 500,000 model T’s and Henry made an estimated 20 million dollars, of which he spent ½ million on his peace initiative, which would be $9,550,000 in 2018 money.
We have come a long way— however? Facts to ponder:
Queen Alexandra of Great Britain, daughter-in-law of Queen Victoria, was all for the Endeavor quest. She visited the ship shortly before departure. She presented Shackleton with 2 Bibles, one for the ship and one for his own personal use.
Edith Wharton was claimed to be a “heroic worker on behalf of her adopted country”. On 18 April 1916, the president of France appointed her Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, the country’s highest award, in recognition of her dedication to the war effort.
On 14 March 1915, Lincoln Beachey, the stunt pilot regarded as “death proof” fell to his death from a monoplane during an air show. He was the first to fly upside down in a plane.
Sailing aboard the Oscar II, Peace Ship: were 54 newspaper and magazine correspondents, some 60 peace delegates, 3 men from newsreels, and Fords personal staff of 20.
Henry Ford Quote: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently”.