What policies prevented the united states from entering world war i in the early years of the war?

When the World War 1 erupted across Europe on August 4, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the non-intervention policy. Wilson, despite the fact that some Americans disagree with this policy including the former president Theodore Roosevelt, proclaimed America's neutrality stating that the nation "must be neutral in fact as well as in name during these days that are to try men's souls". Moreover, Wilson wanted to avoid making the war a divisive issue because during that time, the US was home to many immigrants from countries at war with each other.