The Washington herald., 1917-07-12
The President and the Piee-Fixing
Program.

It requires no subtle mind to, per-
ceive a pointed rebuke and q warn
ing to the business interests OF the
nation In the ex cathedra address
which President Wilson made public
last night. Whether II is deserved
or not we do not know, and he who
would attempt to pass snap judg-
ment on the subject is assuredly one
who would rush in where most angels
fear to tread. The public is con-
fused by a multiplicity Of counsel,
and there are no fixed stars by which
II may guide its course; the only
compass, the only star we have In
this bewildering war complex today
is the word Of the President himself.
1t is a high ideal indeed that the
President fixes for business men. He
implies that they have not risen to
1t. Doubtless they have not, being
mere prosaic business men; driven.
perhaps, by the relentless code OF
|COAllpCNAAlOAs Dg AAAc- pACSo VI oNOSh-
holders and bondholders, to do things
they would not do II they were free
agents, susceptible to ethical impulses
in the same open way as are men, for
instance, who have the backing OF a
mighty government behind them. A
business executive Is never free to
sacrifice the interests OF his company
unless he Is also free to sacrifice
his head. There is no CLOSED sea-
SON. for pressure on him to squeeze
out bigger profits. not even war times.
The Presidents address bristles
with sensational things. He says
those who do not respond" to his
call will be dealt with by opinion
and the law-for the law must of
course, command these things" This
suggests Communicating. It is the
Inevitable recourse in case the pres
ent series Of conferences with busi-
ness men ends in failure. AS for
the ship-owners, whom the President
singles out for rebuke-he declares
they are doing everything that high
freight charges can do to make the
war a failure'-it is already clearly
indicated that the commandeerng of
vessels has been determined upon by
the government, and may come at
any moment. There will be little pro-
test OF this policy. The shipping men
are merely the victims of conditions.
Ocean rates are high, and it would
be abnormal and unnatural il they
were not. considering the mathemati-
cal precision with which the law OF
supply and demand works. Only gov
ernment fat can keep them down.
But the biggest single sensation in
the address is this: We must make
the prices to the public the same as
the prices to the government" There
is the epitome of a great economic
problem, and the President has writ
ten it in letters Of flame for the nation
to read. 1t is a paper promise which
the President declares he will trans
late into a living fact; and there is
no question that he means his words.
II Is the Wilsonian habit to deliver
in a matter like this. He has under
taken a mighty task. the magnitude
Of which few in the nation realize; it
means the first faint beginnings of a
national price-fxing era, an end to
gouging, mulcting, speculation, extor-
ton. Price-hxing by the government
was regarded, only few months ago,
as wildly radical, socialistic, and vis-
ionary. Today in war times 1t is COM
ing TO US in the natural course Of
events. When We have gotten 1t, We
will keep IL; for the American people
are not undergoing this period of
price imitation. perceiving their help
lessness against a concerted drive on
their pocketbooks, in vain. They are
learning their lesson.
Some Of the biggest business men
in the land have long foreseen govern
ment regulation as their only saliva
ton. They should be frank enough
to admit their satisfaction. now that
it is upon them.