The Pulaskian., 1917-07-20
FORGET PROFITS;
 MN TIE WAR
President Wilson Appeals to Bus mess Interests of Country.
JUST PRICES IS HIS DEMAND
Business Should Not Take Toll Off Men in Trenches, Says the Chief Exeeutive-Ship Owners
 Are Condemned.

Washington-Pre Wilson ap- oealed 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 tlefeld.
 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.
 'sYour patriotism said the presi- dents appeal, "is of the same self denying stuff as the patriotism of the men dead and maimed 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. q 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 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.
 Tn unmeasured terms. however, MT. Wilson condemned the ship owners of the country for maintaining a schedule of ocean freight rates which has placed "almost insuperable obstacles in the path of the government.
 Presidents Call.
 The presidents statement follows 'The government is about to attempt to determine the prices at which it will ask you henceforth to furnish va rious supplies which are necessary for the prosecution of the war, and vari ous materials which will he needed in the industries by which the war must be sustained. We shall, of course, try to determine them justly and to the best advantage of the nation as q whole; but justice is easier to speak of than to arrive at and there are some considerations which I hope we shall keep steadily in mind while this particular problem of justice Is being worked out
 Promises Just Price.
 "Therefore I 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. dfacturers of the country in this diff Acult matter.
 "A just price must, of course, be paid for everything the government buys. By just price mean a 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.
 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 in 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- otism."
 Patriotism has nothing to do with profits in q case like this. Patriotism and profits ought never in the present circumstances be mentioned together Tt Is perfectly proper to discuss profits as a matter of business, with 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 motive for helping to serve and save our country.
 Patriotism leaves profits out of the question. In these days, of our su- preme trial, when we are sending hun dreds of thousands of our young men across the seas to serve 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.
 No true patriot will permit himself to take toll of their heroism in money or seek to grow rich by the shedding or their blood. He will give as freely and with as unstinted self-sacrifice as they. When they are giving their lives, will he not at least give his money?
 Assails Bribery"
 hear 1t insisted that more than