The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-07-19
FORGET PROFITS;
WIN THE WAR
President Wilson Appeals to Bus
mess interests of Country.
JUST PRICES is HIS DEMAND
Business Should Not Take Toll on
Men in Trenches, Says the Chief
EKeeutlve-ship owners
Are Condemned.

E1eeutiVe-ship owners
Are Condemned.
Washington President Wilson ap-
pealed to the country's business in
terests Wednesday to put aside every
selfish consideration and to give their
aid to the nation as freely as those
who go to offer their lives on the bat
tlefield.
In a statement addressed to the coal
operators and manufacturers he gave
assurance that just prices will be paid
by the government and the public dur
ing the war, but warned that no at
tempt to extort unusual profits will be
tolerated.
"Your patriotism" said the presi-
dents appeal, "is Of the same self
denying stuff as the patriotism OF the
men dead and manned on the fields Of
France, or it is no patriotism at all.
Let us never speak, then, of profits
and patriotism in the same sentence.
81 shall expect every man who Is not
a Stacker to be at my side throughout
this great enterprise. In 1t no man
can win honor who thinks of himself" ."
Condemns ship owners.
The president declared there must
be but one price for the government
and for the public. He expressed con-
fidence that business generally would
be found loyal to the last degree, and
that the problem Of wartime prices
which he declared will "mean victory
or defeat" will be solved rightly
through patriotic cooperation.
In unmeasured terms, however, Mr.
Wilson condemned the ship owners OF
the country for maintaining schedule
of ocean freight rates which has
placed almost insuperable obstacles
In the path Of the government.
Presidents Call.
The presidents statement follows
1.-THE government is about to attempt
to determine the prices at which II
will ask you hencefOrth to furnish VA
rious supplies which are necessary fol
the prosecution of the war, and vari
Gus materials which will be needed il
the Industries by which the war mus
be sustained. We shall. Of course, tr!
to determine them justly and to thu
best advantage Of the nation as ,
whole: but Justice is easier to speal
of than to arrive at, and there arr
some considerations which hope W,
shall keep steadily in mind while thi
particular problem Of justice is beini
worked out.
Promises Just Price.
"TherefOre take the liberty o
stating very candidIy my own view o
the situation and of the principle
which should guide both the govern
ment and the mine owners and man
ufacturers of the country in this dif
ficult matter.
"a just price must, of course, b
paid for everything the government
buys. BY just price mean pric
which will sustain the industries con
cerned in a high state Of efficiency
provide a living for those who con
duct them. enable them to pay goo
wages, and make possible the eN
| pansIOns of their enterprises whic
will from time TO time become neceS
sary as the StupendOuS undertaking
of this great war develop.
Must Face the Facts.
eve could not wisely or reaSOnabl
do less than pay such prices. The
are necessary for the maintenance
and development of industry, and tn
maintenance and development of il
dustry are necessary for the great tas
we have in hand.
"But | trust that we shall not Sul
round the matter with mist of ser
timent. Facts are our masters nov
We ought not to put the acceptanC
of such prices on the ground of patr
otism."
"Patriotism has nothing to do wit
profits in a case like this. PatriOtiSl
and profits ought never in the preseI
circumstances be mentioned togethe
ut is perfectly proper to discu!
profits as matter Of business, with
view to maintaining the integrity I
capital and the efficiency of labor
these tragical months, when the Ii
erty of free men everywhere and
industry itself trembleS in the bg
ance; but it would be absurd to di
cuss them as motive for helping
serve and save our country.
patriotism leaves profits out of Il
question. In these days of our S
preme trial, when we are sending hu
dreds of thousands of our young mt
across the seas to serve a great caus
no true man who stays behind
work for them and sustain them
his labor will ask himself what he
personally going to make out of tn
labor.
mo true patriot will permit himse
to take toll of their heroism in mon
or seek to grow rich by the sheddil
of their blood. He will give as free
and with as unstinted self-Sacrifi
as they. When they are giving the
lives, will he not at least give /
money?
Assails bribery"
'I hear it insisted that more TIL
a just price. more than a price tn
will sustain our industries, must
paid; that it is necessary to pay We
liberal and unusual profits in order
stimulate production; that nothi
but pecuniary rewards will do
Unnecessary Caution.
Mrs. Yearwedd-JOhn, when
were first married you used always
saw grace before heals: You never