erica's neutrality from which they drew so much profit
during the two and a half years before April, 1917. Every
consideration of personal advantage commanded men of affairs to stand
with and support the agitation of the "peace-at-any-price" party. They
spurned such ignoble reasoning; they rejected that affiliation; they
stood for war when it was no longer possible, with safety and honour,
to maintain peace, because they are patriotic citizens first and
business men afterwards.

The insinuation that "big business" had any share in influencing our
Government's decision to enter the war is an insult to the President
and Congress, a libel on American citizenship, and a malicious
perversion or ignorant misconception of the facts. Those who continue
to circulate that insinuation lay themselves open to just suspicion of
their motives and should receive neither credence nor tolerance.

LETTER TO A GERMAN

_PUBLISHERS' EXPLANATORY NOTE_

Some months ago a leading American lawyer, while visiting Paris, was
discussing with a group of prominent Frenchmen the attitude and
sympathies of various Americans towards the nations engaged in the
European War.

The discussion turned toward the disposition of Mr. Y. of New York.
Some one said that he assumed that his sympathies and views were
pro-German, because of his German ancestry and his business
connections in Germany.

"Oh, no," spoke up one of the distinguished Frenchmen present. "I
happen to know the contrary to be the fact, because some time ago I
saw a long and comprehensive letter from Mr. Y. to a relative in
Germany, in which he showed not only pronounced sympathy for the
Allies, but a thorough understanding of their cause, and scathingly
arraigned the German Government and policy."

It appears that this letter had been singled out in the operation of
the censorship of letters between the United States and Germany and
had been brought to the attention of official representatives of the
Allied Governments. It should be noted that at the time the letter was
written, namely in the early part of 1915, the censorship of letters
between the United States and Germany had not yet been officially
established, and it was believed that only correspondence from and to
suspected persons and firms was being opened, and the writer had no
reason to expect that this particular letter would come under the
scrutiny of the censor.

The American lawyer, upon returning to New York,