The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-12
Presidents Appeal to u
Business Interests

nying stuff as the patriotism OF
the men dead or MANNED on the
fields of France, or else 1t 10 no
patriotism at all.
Let us never speak. then, OF
profits and OF patriotism in the
same sentence, but face facts and
meet them.
Let US DO sound business, but
not In the midst OF a mist. Many
a grievous burden OF taxation will
be laid on this nation, in this gen
Grafton and In the next, to pay for
this war Let us see to II that
for every dollar that Is taken from
the peoples pockets IL shall be pos
sible to obtain a dollars worth OF
the sound stuffs they need.
Let me turn for a moment to
the shipowners Of the United
States and the other ocean car
riers, whose example they have
followed, and ask them II they
realize what Obstacles, what al
most insuperable obstacles, they
have been putting in the way OF
the successful prosecution OF this
war by the ocean freight rates
they have been exacting.
They are doing everything that
high freight charges can do to
make the war a failure. to make
It impossible. do not say that
they realize this or intend IT.
The thing has happened natu-
rally enough, because the COM
mercial processes which We are
content to see operate in ordinary
times have without sufficient
thought been continued into q pc
Rod where they have no proper
place.
Not Questioning Motives
am not questioning motives. I
am merely stating q fact and
stating II In order that attention
may be fixed upon It The fact is
that those who have fixed war
freight rates have taken the most
effective means in their power to
defeat the armies engaged against
Germany.
When they realize this we may.
1 take 1t for granted, count upon
them to reconsider the whole
matter. It 10 high time. Their
extra hazards are covered by
war risk insurance.
know, and you know, what re-
Spouse to this great challenge Of
duty and of opportunity the ma
ton will expect OF you; and l
know what response you Will
make.
Those who do not respond, who
do not respond in the spirit Of
those who have gone TO give
their lives for US on bloody fields
far away, may safely be left to
be dealt with by opinion and the
law-for the law must. Of course
command these things.
Publicly and Frankly.
I am dealing with the matter
thus publicly and frankly, not be-
cause l have any doubt or fear as
TO the result, but only In order
that in all our thinking and In all
our dealings with one another we
may move In q perfectly clear air
of mutual understanding.
And there is something more
that we must add to our think
ing. The public IL now as much
part Of the Government as are
the army and navy themselves;
the whole people In all their ac-
tivities are now mooilized and IN
service for the accomplishment
of the nations task in this war;
II is in such circumstances i'm
possible Justly to distinguish be-
tween Industrial purchases made
by the Government and indus
trial purchases made by the man.
ayers of individual Industries;
and II is just as much our duty
TO sustain the Industries OF the
country, all the industries that
contribute to its life, as IL IL to
sustain our forces in the field
and on sea-
Mean Victory or Defeat.
We must make the prices to
the public the same as the prices
TO the Government. Prices mean
the same thing everywhere now;
they mean the efficiency or the
inefficIency of the nation, wheth-
err It is the Government that pays
them or not. They mean vic
tory or defeat.
They mean that America will
win her place once for all among
the foremost free nations of the
world, or that she will sink to
defeat and become a second rate
power alike in thought and in
action. This is a day of her reck-
oning and every man amongst US
must personally face that reck-
oning along with her.
The case needs no arguing. 1
assume that am only expressing
your own thoughts-what must
be in the mind OF every true man
when he faces the tragedy and
the solemn glory of the present
war, for the emancipation of
mankind.
! summon you to q great duty.
q great privilege, a shining dig
nifty and distinction.
I shall expect every man who
is not a Stacker to be at my side