Final answer:
The United States was taking sides by providing more loans to the Allies, with William Jennings Bryan opposing this due to isolationist concerns and fear of potential military intervention. Strong ties with Britain and France influenced American trade and investments, despite official claims of neutrality.
Step-by-step explanation:
By giving a disproportionately greater amount of loans to the Allied Powers compared to the Central Powers, the United States was indeed taking sides, despite claims of neutrality. Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan was hesitant to support this approach because of the principle of isolationism and the fear that financial entanglements might draw America into the war.
This hesitation stemmed from Bryan's past experiences, witnessing how American loans and investments in Latin America had often resulted in military interventions. Hence, Bryan resigned in protest of the U.S.'s increasing alignment with the Allied Powers, which was contrary to his isolationist beliefs.
The American public and commercial entities, however, had strong historical, economic, and cultural ties with Britain and France, leading to a natural skew in support towards those nations, despite isolationist policies.
Furthermore, the British naval blockade made trading with Germany challenging, thus further amplifying the support for the Allies through economic means. This dynamic created a situation where the American assistance to the Allied Powers, primarily Britain and France, was significantly more substantial compared to that given to the Central Powers.