Isidor Straus Points Out Their Commercial Advantage to New York
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Isidor Straus, in an interview yesterday, urged that the Government permit the lengthening of the existing piers of the Port of New York, in order to accommodate the new ships that are now being built abroad. He said that our diplomats and Consular representatives are endeavoring to cultivate trade, and efforts should be made here to facilitate the commerce when it reaches our shores. Not only would the commerce of this port suffer seriously, he said, but it would affect that of the whole country.

"I am informed," said Mr. Straus, "that we have not dock facilities in New York City which will enable such new leviathans of the deep as the Olympic and Titanic to find a home for their loading and discharge. I cannot for a moment believe that when this fact is brought home to those who have at heart the expansion of the commerce of the United States, and New York City's share of it, it can fail to arouse them to make every effort to supply the necessary accommodations so that these great vessels can discharge their freight and passengers at our door.

"One of the most energetic fights that is at present engaging the attention of our commercial bodies is to have removed the railway discriminations against the Port of New York which are diverting transatlantic freights from this to other ports, and here we have one of the most potent factors to counteract such discriminations by providing facilities for these tremendous ships, which, under present conditions, would be compelled to find other shores than those of Manhattan.

"When these facts are brought home to the citizens of New York, I cannot help but think that will leave no stone unturned to convince the Government of the necessity immediately to permit such improvements as will enable the Port of New York to provide a home for these ships."