Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1917-07-18
PRESIDENT ASKS MANUFAc-
TURERS AND MINE OWNERS
TO BACK U. S. IN WAR.
TOLD TO FORGET PRICES
President Declares Victory or Defeat
Depends on Prices-Denounces
Dollar Patriots-EVeryone
Must Make Sacrifices.


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.
The presidents statement follows:
'The government is about to attempt
TO determine the prices at which it
will ask you hencefOrth to furnish va
Tious supplies which are necessary for
the prosecution of the war, and vari-
Gus materials which will be needed in
the industries by which the war must
be sustained. We shall, of course, try
10 determine them justly and to the
best advantage of the nation as a
whole; but justice is easier to speak
of than to arrive at, and there are
some considerations which l hope we
shall keep steadily in mind while this
particular problem of justice is being
worked out.
Promises Just Price.
Therefore l take the liberty of
stating very candidly my own view of
the situation and of the principles
which should guide both the govern
ment and the mine owners and man
"a of hn in
ficult matter.
"A just price must, OF course, be
paid for everything the government
buys. By just price mean price
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 good
wages, and make possible the ex-
pansiOnS of their enterprises which
will from time to time become neces-
sary as the stupendous undertakings
of this great war develop.
Must Face the Facts.
1--WE could not wisely or reasonably
do less than pay such prices. They
are necessary for the maintenance
and development of industry and the
maintenance and development of in
dustry are necessary forethe great task
we have in hand.
But l trust that we shall not sur
round the matter with mist of SEN
timent Facts are our masters now.
We ought not to put the acceptance
of such prices on the ground of patri-
otism."
Patriotism has nothing to do with
profits in a case like this. Patriotism
and profits ought never in the present
circumstances be mentioned together.
at is perfectly proper to discuss
profits as a matter of business, with a
view TO maintaining the integrity of
capital and the efficiency of labor in
these tragical months, when the lib
erty of free men everywhere and of
industry itself trembles in the bal
ance; but it would be absurd to dis
cuss them as a motive for helping to
serve and save our country.
Patriotism leaves profits out of the
question. In these days of our SUI
preme trial, when we are sending hun
dreds of thousands of our young men
across the seas to serve a great cause,
no true man who stays behind to
work for them and sustain them by
his labor will ask himself what he is
personally going to make out of that
labor
mo true patriot will permit himself
10 take toll of their heroism in money
or seek to grow rich by the shedding
of their blood. He will give as freely
and with as unstinted self-sacriice
as they. When they are giving their
lives, will he not at least give his
money?
AssaiIs Bribery"
81 hear ii insisted that more than
a just price, more than a price that
will sustain our industries, must be
paid; that it is necessary to pay very
liberal and unusual profits in order to
stimulate production that nothing
but pecuniary rewards will do-re-
wards paid in money, not in the mere
liberation of the world.
'T take 1t for granted that those
who argue thus do not stop to think
what that means.
DO they mean that you must be
paid. must be bribed, TO make your
contribution, a contribution that costs
YOU neither a drop of blood nor a tear,
when the whole world is in travail and
men everywhere depend upon and call
70 you to bring them out of bondage
and make the world fit place to live
in again. amidst peace and justice?
do they mean that you viii exact