River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-07-19
FORGET PROFITS;
WIN The War
President Wilson Appeals to Bus
mess Interests of Country.
JUST PRICES IS HIS DEMAND
Business Should Not Take Toll Of
Men in Trenches, Says the Chief
Executive-Ship Owners
Are Condemned.


peaIed 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.
"Your patriotism" said the presi-
dents appeal, lis 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.
81 shall expect every man who is not
q 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
and for the public. He expressed con-
fidence 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.
In unmeaSured terms, however, Mr.
6n oh nY@c, nf
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:
1.-THE government is about to attempt
to determine the prices at which it
will ask you hencefOTth to furnish va
rious 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
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
of than to arrive at, and there are
some considerations which 1 hope 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
ment and the mine owners and man
ufacturers of the country in this diff
ficult matter.
"a just price must, Of course, be
paid for everything the government
buys. By just price / mean 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.
eve 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 case like this. Patriotism
and profits ought never in the present
circumstances be mentioned together
1T is perfectly proper to discuss
profits as 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 a 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 q 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
of their blood. He will give as freely
and with as unstinted self-sacrif1ce
as they. When they are giving their
lives, will he not at least give his
money?
Assails BRIBERY"
II hear it Insisted that more than
a just price, more than a price that
will sustain our Industries, must be
paid; that it is necessary to pay very