The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1917-07-19
FORGET PROFITS;
WIN THE WAR
President Wilson Appeals to Bus
mess Interests of Country.
lust PRICES is HIS DEMAND
Business Should Not Take Toll OFF
Men in Trenches, Says the Chief
ExeeutiVe-Ship Owners
Are Condemned.


hington.-President Wilson APP
pealed 10 the country's business i'm
tereSts Wednesday To put aside every
selfish consideration and TO give their
aid TO the nation as freely as those
who 60 To offer their lives on the bat
tlefeld.
In statement addressed 10 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 70 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 IL 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
Stacker to be at my side throughout
this great enterprise. In it 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
fdence that business generally would
he 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 n schedule
OF ocean freight rates which has
placed almost insuperable obstacles
I'm the path Of the government.
Presidents Call.
The presidents statement follows
"The government is about 10 attempt
to determine the prices AT which 1t
will ask you henceforth 10 furnish va
rious supplies which are necessary for
the prosecution Of the war. and vari-
Gus materials which will he needed I'm
the industries ny which the war must
be sustained. We shall. Of course try
TO determine them Justly and to the
best advantage Of the nation as a
whole but justice is easier to speak
or than 10 arrive at, and there are
some considerations which 7 hone we
shall keep steadily in mind while this
particular problem of justice is being
worked out
Promises Just Price
Therefore 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
ufacturers of the country I'm this diff
( icult matter.
"A just price must, of course, be
paid for everything the government
/ buys BY a just price I mean n price
which will sustain the industries CON
cerned in a high state of efficiency.
provide n 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 for the great task
we have i'm hand.
"But l trust that we shall not sur
round the matter with a mist OF sen
timent. Facts are our masters now.
We ought not to put the acceptance
Of such prices on the ground of patri-
Otlsm."
Patriotism has nothing 10 do with
profits in IA case like this. Patriotism
and profits ought never I'm the present
circumstances be mentioned together.
ut Is perfectly proper to discuss
profits as matter Of business with a
View 10 maintaining the integrity of
capital and the efficiency Of labor I'm
these tragical months. when the lib
erty Of free men everywhere and of
industry itself trembles i'm the bal
ance; but 10 would be- absurd to dis
cuss them as a motive for helping 10
serve and save our country
Patriotism leaves profits out Of the
question. In these days of our su.
prene trial when we are sending hun
dreds Of thousands Of our young men
across the seas 90 serve great cause
no true man who stays behind TO
work for them and sustain them by
his labor viii ask himself what he As
personally going 10 make out OF that
labor
no true patriot viii permit himself
90 take toll Of their hcroism Bro money
or seek to grow rich by the shedding
OF their blood. lie will give as freely
and with as unsuntcd clf4acrihco
as they When they are giving their
lives. VIII bee not at least give his
money?
Assaiis Bribery"
'T hear ~ insisted that more than
p Just price. more than "a price that
viii sustain our Industries. must be
paid that 10 IS necessary to pay very
liberal and unusual profits Bon order to
stimulate production that NOTHING