New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-23
Ex-Attorney General AS
serts No Other Power
Would Aid America
NATION HAS LOST
RESPECT OF WORLD
Fifth Avenue Association
Hears Mayor Mitchell
on Congestion

II this country should 60 70 war with
any leading power that power would
not fight alone, while the United States
would have to fight its own battles as
best il could, James VI. Beck, ex-As-
sistant United States Attorney General
declared last night in a speech at the
dinner OF the Fifth Avenue Association.
mo one" said Mr.. Beck, who had
Just returned from abroad, "who has
travelled in Europe during this world
crisis can question the fact that the
United States no longer enjoys the
respect and goodwill Of the world IN
the same measure as heretofore.
at would serve no useful purpose at
this time to analyze the attitude Of the
different groups of nations toward TINS
country at the present hour. IL Is
enough TO say that one group Of nations
has for this country an intense feeling
Of resentment and hatred. Other groups
of nations feel that, with Humanity on
the cross, America cOntented itself, Ike
the Roman soldiers, with parting the
raiment Of the Crucifed.. The third
group of nations, the lesser neutral
powers. have a sense Of bitter disillu-
sion and disappointment
Mayor Mitchell, the first speaker, was
introduced by Patrick Francis Murphy
the POSTMASTER. He received rousing
welcome, and pleased his hearers BY
reminding them that the coming ordi-
nance and the heights of buildings law
were assurances Of Fifth Avenues fut-
ure.
Fifth Avenue to-day" said the
Mayor, "is congested almost to the
point of saturation. With everything
that the Police Department can do be-
ing done, that condition grows worse
from day TO day. This fearful conges-
ton will not be removed until trafhc on
Fifth Avenue can be relieved by divert
ing through traffic to other avenues.
Strikers Show RestIessnese
Frank A. Vanderlp, president of the
National City Bank, who followed the
Mayor, said that the constant strikes
seemed to him TO be a true index 20 a
condition Of dangerous restlessness IN
our modern industry. Outward retiec-
ton of lack of harmony within the
social body was his Characterization of
the labor disturbances.
If q broad view was taken Of the
trend of business during the last ten
or fifteen years, Mr.. Vanderlip said, II
would be recognized that competition
was passing from the plane of in
dividualism to that of collectivism.
IL hate" said the speaker, "to recur
to the present situation in Europe to
illustrate what ! mean. There seem
TO be two extreme views, the one pre-
dieting complete collapse and exhaus-
ton. the other foreseeing a Europe
which will emerge remoulded and re-
vitalized by war. II has been said
that in the last thirty months anti
quated ways and ideas have been dis
carded which thirty years of peace
could not have eliminated. Such ire
mendous strides in organization and in
cooperation have been made by all
the warning nations that | have heard
il predicted that after the war we will
speak of the old United States and
the New Europe"
Joseph ?. Day wound up the evenings
programme, which was begun by Clare
Briggs, who did some animated car
toons. interlarded with frantic appeals
for a drink of water. One cartoon
showed a page yelling Message for Mr..
Wilson" When the message was opened
il read. "Woodrow: know it. Charlie"
Mr. Day said he had been asked 10
make up a deficit for the dinner com
mittee He proceeded to auction off
miniature lampposts placed on the sew
eral tables and denoting Fifth Avenue
corners.
Michael Friedsam, Of B. Altman e.
Co., bought the Thirty-fourth Street
post for 5000, after outbidding George
c. Boldt. The Thirty-eighth Street lamp
post went to J.. Howes Burton, chair
man of the Save New York Committee,
for $500. The Astor Trust Company
got the Forty Street lamppost
for $500. The Forty-sixth Street post
went TO Michael Dreicer for $3.50.