A Century of "America First" from 1917 to 2017

           The first words of every new president are carefully parsed, but two words in particular stood out in President Trump's inaugural address on Friday. Partway through his speech, the president called for "a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power."

            "From this day forward, it’s going to be only 'America first, America first,'" he said, as the crowd on the National Mall broke out in applause.

            Despite Mr. Trump's assertion, "America First" is hardly a new decree at all. Some observers quickly pointed out that "America First" was a 1930s-era slogan of isolationists before World War II, which is true. But some additional historical context is helpful, because the phrase dates to many years earlier, to before World War I, when another awful conflagration consumed Europe and the Middle East.