The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-13
THE PRESIDENT ADVISES AND
WARNS.

We hope that all of The Missoulian's
family gave careful, thoughtful and
earnest attention to the presidents APP
peal to the business interests of the
country. To make quite certain, we
hope that they will read it again. 1t is
the most significant as well as the
most necessary appeal for support that
has come from the White House. It
carries weight and warning and con-
Germs a condition Of affairs that
reaches to every fireside in the land
We ask particular attention to this
paragraph;
THE PUBLIC Is AS MUCH A
PART OF THE GOVERNMENT
AS THE ARMY AND NAVY. WE
MUST MAKE PRICES TO THE
PUBLIC THE SAME AS THE
PRICES TO THE GOVERN
MENT."
There we see the strong arm of au-
thority raised for the people. From
the very seat of the government comes
voice of protest against further ex-
tortion from the greed of traffickers
in blood and flesh.
The high cost Of living must come
down. The strangle hold of gamblers
in food and coal and all other COM
modities must be broken. 1t will be
broken or our government will cease to
exist.
Human greed never reached a more
dangerous phase than is to be seen in
the United States senate at this day
in the wrangling over the food control
bill. 1t seems as though every selfish
interest in the country had forgotten
that loyalty should be the watchword
and that with it should go sacrifice
and service.
The president very properly bases
his appeal first for the safety Of the
nations life. He says: Il shall eX-
pect every man who is not a Stacker
to be at my side throughout this great
enterprise. In it no man can win
honor who thinks of himself Patri.
otism has nothing to do with profits
in a case like this"
That is addressed primarily to those
who control the supplies of commodi'
ties which they would sell to the gov
eminent in war time at eXtortionate
prices.
But the president is concerned with
the daily life of the people as well
He tells business that it must make
prices to the public the same as prices
to the government. As the government
will not permit the manuta cturers and
coal operators and others to profit en-
brilliantly from the necessities of wal
so it will not permit the public to be
robbed.
We Missoulans have recently had .
striking illustration of the utter dis,
tween opposing interests. The telc,
phone company and the operators
would have kept the city tied and help
less all summer so far as their intercs
in service to the public was concerned
AS the servant of the people th'
president says that they must M
longer be exploited by the sharks 0
crooked business.
The warning which we hope will no
be lost is carried in these words:
THOSE Or YOU WHO DO
NOT RESPOND MAY SAFELY
BE LEFT TO BE DEALT WITH
BY OPINION AND THE Law
FOR THE LAW. or COURSE,
MUST COMMAND THOSE
THINGS"
Are the people and the honest patri
otto business interests of the countr
with the president in this issue? Al
prise of war for the safety of our live
and our liberties and to presery
democracy to the world? We have Il
doubt Of it and since it is a matter
which personal or party politics is
no way concerned we may Well ca
UPON the people of Montana to giN
their last ounce of support TO a cau
in which everything that Is sacred ar
dearest to them is related.