The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-21
SUDDENNESS OF THE WAR
 SHOCK TO PLAIN PEOPLE|
Erb Says Even the Capitalists of Europe Were Taken Unawares. Effect on Railroad Devel- Opment.
N4tzl
Fly HOLLAND

New York, August 20.-Newman Erb. who visited Europe late in the spring with some important business matters in mind relating to the great railway project which he Is develop ing in the west, practically parallel with the Mississippi river, was fortu- nate enough to sail from England for the United States a few days before the outbreak of war upon the conti- nent. Mir. Erb's visit to Europe caused him to suspect, even before the public had the slightest suspicion of the fact, that very serious condition existed. one which threatened, unless it were lremoved, to bring on war.
 How unsuspicious the common peo- pie of Europe were and. in fact, the men of finance to some extent, was evident from the manner in which the great national loan which France put out W so heavily oversub scribed. It would have been impracticable to put out loan, certainly impossible to float one, had the common people dreamed that they were in peril of great war.
 
 dences of apprehension among men of finance. Credits were beginning to be contracted, loans in large amounts were called. France was making inn perative demands for gold with which to increase her reserve, and yet to the superficial view there seemed to be nothing to justify the somewhat drastic curtailment of credits and call ing of loans. Furthermore, there France would be taking such urgent steps to enlarge her gold reserves. It Stops Railway Expansion
 Mir. Erb sailed a few days before Germany declared war against France and Russia. He had been upon the con tinent of Europe and in London and he saw noting excepting the reports l that pertained to credit which indI- cated that any apprehension prevailed He was persuaded, therefore that the
 outbreak of war came as suddenly to the knowledge of the people of Europe and of Great Britain as was the case
 with the people of the United States. MT. Erb was frank to say this morn- l ing that the outbreak of war in Flu rope, and the unparalleled banking and financial chaos which was thereby ere ated had put an instant embargo upon all attempts to provide American rail- | roads, for the present. at least. with
 much needed new capital. 1 MT Erb has been occupied for some
 years with very comprehensive plan | for the construction of a north and
 south railway system. The purpose was so to complete and unify American railways which run north and soutl and for considerable distance practi. cally parallel the Mississippi river. al though considerably inland. as to ere ate true north and south line. II | the past, much the greater work In lvolving large railway expansion has
 been along parallels of latitude. Bu with the certainty that the Panama canal would be completed by the veal 1915 and the further certainty tha' through it would flow a vast commerce much of which would represent Ameri.
 can trade. it seemed expedient to per i feet a north and south line. with tho northern terminal at the boundary oi Canada and the southern one at a con venient port upon the Gulf of Mexico | MT. Erb did not contemplate the con. was not necessary. His plan comprised the utilization of existing lines. There I was no danger of viola ton of the Sher- man law. for these various lines were In no sense parallel or competing.
 | Until the cyclonlc disturbance in Europe ] began. there were good reasons for eX- l peoting that this contemplated unlfication would be completed early. The railroad