The sun., 1914-08-30
ON WAY HOME,
STRAUS SEES
A LONG WAR
Believes Americans Should
Expand Their Merchant
Marine.

LONDON, August 20.
The Cunard liner Mauretanla, the
American Line steamer Philadelphia
and the White Star steamship Lauren
tic sailed from Liverpool to-day with
all the passengers they could carry
except in the steerage, where there was
ample room.
The most prominent passenger on the
Matretania was Oscar S. Straus OF New
York, former American Ambassador to
Turkey. Mr.. Straus who had been do
ing yeoman work for stranded Ameri-
cans here, was so well satisfied with the
way the American committee had the
work in hand that he felt justified in
going home to look after his business
affairs, which have been neglected dur
ing the present crisis.
Mr.. Straus said that IL he thought
his presence was needed he certainly
would have remained here longer.
1t has raised he said.
Predicts n Long War.
of civilization. How long II will last is
problematical. but | am fearful that II
will not be of short duration. II has
plunged the entire world into a detri-
mental cataclysm from which it will
take a long time to emerge.
The attitude which the United States
should take ought to be one Of the
strictest neutrality. At the same time
it should bc n liberal neutrality--that
is. the rules Of neutrality should be
interpreted so literally that they will
favor no belligerent. We must preserve
that spirit Of fairness toward ALL so
that when the time comes for media
ton We will be in "A position to med-
ate with the confidence that our efforts
will meet with the trust OF all parties"
Mediation Is not for the present"
continued Mr.. Straus. at is a long way
on, but it Will come, and then the
United States will have to play most
memorable part.
"As to the financial conditions. they
are naturally upset. as all economic
conditions caused by this unprecedent-
edy abnormal situation, which was
thrust upon us. have been. but / look
TO see the United States suffer less
| than any other country"
In reply TO the question as to whether
or not the campaign which England
Is conducting to obtain the trade for
merry controlled by Germany should be
followed by the United States, Mr..
Straus said:
II think that now Is an opportune
moment for the United States to expand
its mercantile marine and intrench st.
| self in the markets Of the world with
It's own ships. l think that, given more
liberal shipping laws and encourage
ment to build and maintain fleets Of
merchantmen. we can do this. No, I
am not in favsr OF governmentally
owned merchantmen, as l still believe
that private enterprise is sufficient to
purchase all the ships we need, and.
besides, 1t would not endanger us with
many of the complications which gov
ernmentally owned ships plying to ports
of belligerents would create.
Nor am ! in favor OF the purchase
by private individuals OF interned Ger
man ships To my mind such a course
is apt to create for the United States
an awkward situations''
Among the other passengers on the
Mauretania are Norman f. Mack and
family of Buffalo. N. y: Mrs. Otto H..
Kahn, Mrs. BENJAMIN Guggenheim. Ira
Hamburger, John II. Barrett, A. S. Car
hart. head of the American transporta-
ton committee here; Mrs. Marshall
Field, Judge Leventritt. John II. Pack
ard, Col. William c. Sanger and Sher-
man l.. Whipple.