Social Responsibility.

In 1913 Woodrow Wilson came to office in the midst of the Progressive Era, a time in which a general liberal spirit swept through the nation. Both parties felt a renewed sense of social responsibility and a need for the government to address the problems of industrialization and urban growth. The period facing Wilson was tumultuous, as he had to deal with the trusts, labor disturbances, and the arrival of more than twelve million immigrants since 1900. The election of 1912, furthermore, was a bitter contest pitting these forces against one another. Once elected, President Wilson initiated his "New Freedom" legislation and steered the country along with policies influenced by the reform movement. He exercised a charismatic and principled leadership, often guiding the nation down a middle path that carefully balanced government intervention with controlled reform.

Reform Crawls Forward.

Reform came...