The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-14
PATRIOTISM OR PROFIT.
PRESIDENT WILSON ISSUES AID.
DRESS TO BUSINESS MEN.
Men Of Affairs Urged to Place 10y.
atty to Needs of the Nation Above
Personal PrOfit-SOmc Business In.
forests Sharply Criticised.

Wilson appealed to the country's bus
mess interests tonight to put aside ev.
cry selfish consideration and to give
their aid to the nation as freely as
those who go out to offer their lives on
the battlefield.
In a statement addressed to the coal
operators and manufacturers he gave
assurances that just prices will be
paid by the government and the public
during the war. but warned that no
attempt to 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 it is no patriotism at
all. Let us never speak. then, Of
profits and patriotism in the same
sentence.
II shall expect 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"
The president declared there must
be but one price for the government
and for the public. He expressed con-
fidence that business generally will be
found loyal to the last degree. and
that the problem Of war time 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 a sched-
ule of ocean freight rates which has
placed almost insuperable obstacles"
In the path of the government.
"The fact is." he asserted, "thut
those who have fixed war freight rates
have taken the most effective means
In their power to defeat the armies
engaged against Germany"
Coal production and other indus
tries for whose products the govern.
ment has negotiated price agreements
are not taken up in detail by the pres
tdent. his apeal dealing only with the
general principles involved in the Dc.
termination Of war prices.
1t follows in part:
MY Fellow Countrymen:
'"The government is about to at
tempt to determine the prices at which
1t will ask you henceforth to furnish
various supplies which are necessary
for the prosecution of the war and
various materials which will be needed
In the industries by which the wa,
must be sustained. We shall of course
try to determine justly and to the
best advantage Of the nation as q
whole; but justice Is easier to speak
Of than to arrive at I take the
liberty Of stating very candidly my
own view of the situation and of tn
principles which should guide both the
government and the mine owners an ]
manufacturers of the country in this
difficult matter.
"A just price must of course, be
paid for everything the government
buys. BY just price / mean q price
which will sustain the industries con
cerned in a high state of efficiency,
provide living for those who con-
duct them. enable them to pay good
wages. and make possible the expan
sions of their enterprises which will
from time to time become necessary
as the stupendous undertakings of this
great war develop. They are neces.
sary for the maintenance and devel-
Opment Of industry and the mainte
nance and development Of industry ar,
necessary for the great task We have
in hand.
But l trust we shall not surrOun,'
the matter with mist Of sentiment.
Facts are our masters now. We ought
not to put the acceptance Of such
prices on the ground of patriotism.
Patriotism has nothing to do with
profits in a case like this. Patriotism
and profits ought never in the present
circumstances to be mentioned togeth-
|er.
Patriotism leaves profits out Of the
question. In these days OF our su-
preme trial. when we are sending
hundreds of thousands Of our youns
men across the seas to serve a grea,
cause. no true man who stays behind
to work for them and sustain them by
his labor will ask himself what ha ;s