Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-09-09
ON THE EDGE
OF THE war
At the Rim of the Atlantic Ocean
the Efforts of the War are
Acute. -
THE RuINING or(soPE
BY THE WA sCUssED
United States Apparently FL q With
Reservists of the Europeans AZ
tions. Thousands of "a
Them Here.
A Foreisn-American Center.

A Foreign American Center.
There are six million people In
this gigantic city, and very great
portion of them came from Europe.
/ do not know how many are foreign
born. but on the streets they impress
YOU as being mostly of an alien sort.
The newspapers print so many war
extras that it makes one almost diZ-
zy; great crowds stand hungrily
awaiting the bulletins as they are
posted in front of. the newspaper Off
ces; there are knots. of people gath
cred everywhere-and but one sub
ject is discussed; there Is but one
thing of interest: the war that Is
running Europe and its people.
Last night in the subway sat be-
side a laboring man reading Ger
man newspaper, and as he read the
tears were 1reaming down his
cheeks. twas one of those packed
trains at the rush hour; and those
standing. as we'll as those sitting, had
their gaze glued upon the newspapers
before them. Many wore crepe up
on their hats or sleeves; and on ev-
cry face there was the look of unbe-
lief and horror. | have been here for
several days and l do not recall hav-
ing seen any one smile or look happy.
Gloom is everywhere, and that too
in a city famed because ii is second
only to Paris in gaiety and irreSpon-
sibility, and it don't give a darn"
atmosphere. But New York is at the
rim of the war; its foreign commerce
is suddenly stopped, and thousands
Of business institutions are suffering
in consequence. | talked to man
connected with the New York World,
and ventured the assertion that the
papers were doing well since they
were putting out so many n extras.
Circulation without advertising is
no good" he replied, and tire auy
vertising business has been cut to the
home It's true--and the agencies
and the magazines have been record
ing principally cancellations. And
that is only a straw that shows how
the WIND blows
New York HarbOr.
| took the boat at One Hundred
and Twenty-Ninth Street for Coney
Island, and that is trip of two
nburS JnTouSn the very HedIl VI the
warbor. First we came upon the
lattleship Minnesota, apparently
t'sticking round" like policeman at
I a summer garden, so as to be handy
in case any thing should turn up.
Next there was the Erin, gayly deck
ed in the colors of England and Ire
land, which had arrived as the es-
cort for Shamrock Third, to Lift the
American Cup if possible. But Sir
Thomas Upton and the New York
Yacht Club were not to test their
yachts this year. for there Is not go
ing to be any race. Down past the
piers we steamed, and oh, what a
sight, There was foreign commerce
tied tight. fastened to the docks. The
German boats were thickest, for some
of the British and French ships were
still attempting to carry on COM
merce The Vaterland greatest
ship in all the world. was hemned in
nv half dozen smaller ships at her
dock; and we are told that the Ham
burg American Line has $20,000,O0O
0 worth of ships on this side of the
Atlantic. The NOrth-German Lloyd
ships were crowded together in much
the same manner, and the great mon
sters tied to their docks reminded
one of the fate Of the Kaiser Will
helm der Crosse of this line, which
"a few weeks ago was one of the
proudest vessels afioat-but it has
gone to the bottom of the sea.
Farther down the harbor we came
upon the dreadnaught Florida and
it's gray coat and it's mighty guns re-
minded one that ii was in position 10
help keep things neutral about I'm
Gle Sans waterway. The great sta
tue of the Goddess of Liberty tower
ed close by, and farther along was
Sandy Hook. There we're no liners
to come or go, and beyond the flicker
ing lights at night off Sandy Hook
no ships were safe unless they float
ed the flag of the United States,
which in all this crazy world is
about the only genuine sane power
full nat on that is left.
Just beyond Sandy Hook the Brit
ish cruisers have been on guard,
carrying their war almost to our
front door. A few boats have put out
to sea, but they have been careful
to hug the coast line, and keep with
in the safety zone.
The Anxiety of The Foreigners.
The United States is apparently
filled with the reservists of the Eur
opean nations, and there are thous-
ands of them here in the hotels, in
to it" Mostly they are doggedly-de-
termined young men, swelling with
patriotic impulses, and so partisan
when come TO talk with them that
one wonders what there is to get
excited about if the victories are all
won by the Germans (when you talk
to one of the Kaiser's subiectsl, or
all the fortunes of war are with the
allies-if you are talking with q
Frenchman or with an Engiishman-
CONTINUED on last page.)