Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-07-24
FORGET PROFITS;
WIN THE WAR
President Wilson Appeals to Bus
mess interests of Country.
JUST PRICES is HIS DEMAND
business Should Not Take Toll on
Men in Trenches, Says the Chief
Exeeutive-Ship Owners
Are Condemned.


Are Condemned.
hington.-President Wilson ap
Ipealed to the country's business In
4terests Wednesday to put aside every
selfish consideration and to give theli
aid to he nation as freely IS those
who 20 to offer their lives on the BAL
Itlefeld.
In a statement addressed to the coal
operators and manufacturers ne gaze
assurance that just prices VIII De PAID
by the government and the public DUR
ling the war, but warned that no at
tempt to extort Unusual profits Will be
tolerated.
Your patriotism" said the presi-
dents appeal, rs Of the same self
ldenying 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
land patriotism In the same sentence.
II shall expect every man who Is not
Ia Stacker to be at my side throughout
this great enterprise. In 1t no man
iean win honor who thinks of himself.
Condemns Ship Owners.
The president declared there must
ibe but one price for the government
land for the public. He expressed con-
ifidence that business generally would
be found loyal to the last degree, and
that the problem of wartime prices,
which he declared will mean victory
ior defeat" will be solved rightly
Through patriotic cooperation.
In unmeasured terms, however, Mr..
Wilson condemned the ship owners of
the country for maintaining schedule
lOf ocean freight rates which has
lplaced almost insuperable obstacles
in the path of the government.
Presidents Call.
The presidents statement follows :
"The government Is about to attempt
ito determine the prices at which 1t
will ask you henceforth to furnish va
lrious supplies which are necessary for
THE prosecution of the war, and vari-
Gus materials which will be needed In
the industries by which the war must
lbe 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
iof than to arrive at, and there are
shall keep steadily in mind while this
particular problem 0e Justice is being
worked out.
Promises Just Price.
/ Therefore / take the liberty of
istating 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.
iufacturers of the country in this diff
tf1cult 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-
lcerned in a high state of efficiency,
Nrovide living for those who con-
lduct them, enable them to pay good
wages, and make possible the ex-
,pansiOns of their enterprises which
will from time to time become neces-
lsary as the stupendous undertakings
iof this great war develop.
Must Face the Facts.
ave could not wisely or reasonably
Jdo less than pay such prices. They
tare necessary for the maintenance
and development Of industry, and the
maintenance and development of in
ldustry are necessary for the great task
rye have in hand.
But L trust that we shall not sur
round the matter with 81 mist of SEN
ltiment. Facts are our masters now.
We ought not to put the acceptance
Sof such prices on the ground of patri-
Iotism."
Patriotism has nothing to do with
profits in case like this. Patriotism
and profits ought never In the present
circumstances be mentioned together.
ut is perfectly proper to discuss
profits as a matter of business, with a
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
Aance; but 1t would be absurd TO dis
rcuSs them as motive for helping to
serve and save our country.
Patriotism leaves profits out of the
question. In these days Of our SUI
preme trial, when we are sending hun
dreds Of thousands of our young men
across the seas to serve a 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.
mo true patriot will permit himself
20 take toll of their heroiSm In money
or seek to grow rich by the shedding
'of 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!
Assalls Bribery"
Il hear it insisted that more than
II just price, more than a price that
will sustain our industries, must be
paid; that it Is necessary to pay very
liberal and unusual profits In order to
stimulate production; that nothing
but pecuniary rewards will do-re-
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