The Washington herald., 1917-02-05
Nation Never Better
Equipped for Warfare,
Say Gotham's Big Men
(F'rom Staff Correspondent of The
Washington Herald.)

(From a Staff Correspondent of The
Washington Herald)
New York, Feb. 4.-Pledges of support
for President Wilson to the last ditch
in the present German crisis together
with assurances that the United States
was never in a better position to defend
its interests, were voiced here today by
the leading politicians, philanthropists,
law makers, law givers and bankers of
the city.
Financially the nation was declared to
be fitted to go through a war with
scarcely ripple on the economic surface
OF the country. None of those interview
ed expressed any great surprise over the
break with Germany. Instead several of
them admitted they had been expecting
1t, and making preparations accordingly.
for months
Expressions Of opinion follow:
Joseph Fl. Choater
Il am very glad of II. It ought to have
been done a long time ago.
Il think that the United States has
been in a false position in the matter Of
the war for n long time. The American
people know perfectly well that the
entente allies have been fighting our
cause as we'll as their own. 1t is high
time that our government took a posi-
tion which declared that in substance to
all the world. 1 am glad that the break
has come"
Andrew CarnegieI
Andrew Carnegie appeared to be very
much interested in the news, but said
that grave as 1t was, he would not
break his rule not to discuss the war for
publication.
John Hays Hammond
fs'Tha
the circumstances but to sever relations
with Germany. What other course could
he follow?'
Oscar s. straus:
THE world and history will recognize
that the President, with a calm patience
and desire to serve the cause of peace
and humanity, has done everything in
his power since the outbreak of the
European war to conserve the neutrality
OF this country and to be a medium in
bringing about a just peace His last
act was to invoke the belligerent ma
tions to state their terms. whereby diplo-
matte negotiations to bring about peace
might be started. The allied powers, ap-
preciating the high motives of the Presi-
dent, stated their terms. Germany, on
the other hand, instead of stating her
terms, has replied with a declaration of
Incident in all history where the high
purposes of a neutral power have met
with such a response. The issue is plain
ly whether We shall be a vassal of Ger
man or free nation standing for our
rights"
Marcus NJ. Marks,
Marcus NJ Marks, president OF the Bor-
ough Of Manhattan, who has been closely
associated with Mr.. Carnegie in the work
for universal peace, expressed complete
confidence in the President and declared
that this is time for a unity among
Americans.
Frederick n. Coudert,
Frederic r. Coudert, international law
yer, referred to the break with Germany
| as the inevitable that has occurred"
TT Is a break between two irrecon-
cilable systems-American democracy and
Prussian autocracy," he said. "It was
bound to come. The German government
has become formally outlaw and America
has registered its taboo. Some persons
have thought that the United States has
too long stayed its hand, but the unanim-
! tty with which the present astian has