This is CBS Eye on the World. Here's John Batchler.

I'm visiting with Neil Langto. His new book is The Approaching Storm. This is progressive

ism at the beginning of the 20th century. Roosevelt, Wilson, Adams, and their clash over America's

future. America is hanging back from the Great War. The massacres in Europe, hanging

back. Wilson has said, in 1915, he's too proud to fight. He sends strong notes of protest

to Berlin. Each time there are Americans who die in attacks by submarines against passenger

liners. And those notes have been enough to satisfy America that he's standing up for

their rights at the same time they're remaining neutral back from the war. But in March

of 1916 comes the word of the sinking of the ship's Sussex. And with it, more American

deaths. Neil, again, we're dealing with Wilson trying to find a way to explain his position

to the American people. And at the same time, dealing with the tension he feels from

the peace movement, the neutral movement, represented by Jane Adams and her colleagues.

And Teddy Roosevelt, who is not only for preparedness, he's for going to war now as we will see

it. Roosevelt calls, Teddy Roosevelt calls the president Wilson a Byzantine logo feet,

meaning he comes up with language that is confounding to me. And I shove it aside. At this

point, Wilson's anxiety about the Sussex and the delay because there is some suggestion

that the Sussex sank from a mine and was not deliberately attacked, that will be eventually

shoved aside with evidence. Is Wilson weakening in his neutral position? Can you tell, Neil?

Good evening again. I think he was under enormous pressure with the sinking of the Sussex.

People around him felt that he had been extremely patient as far as Germans were concerned.

Even after all this back and forth and all this note writing, you're still seeing Americans

being caught in the crossfire. So I think he was saying that it's going to be really hard

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