The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-07-20
PRESIBEifH|FS.
DOlLAiR ri
Asks Business Interests to Put
Aside SeIfishness and Give
Aid to Nation.
sHIpOWNERS ARE CONDEMNED
There Must Be but One Price for Gov
eminent and for Public, Says
Wilson-Justice Is Keynote
of Appeal.

of Appeal.
shington.-President Wilson APP
pealed to the countrys 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
| tlefield.
| 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-
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 / hope we
shall keep steadily in mind while this
particular problem Of justice is being
worked out.
PROMISES JuSt FflCe.
Therefore l take the liberty of
stating very candidly my own view of
the situation and of the principles
which should guide both the govern
lnent and the mine owners and man
ufacturers of the country in this diff
ficult matter.
ga just price must, of course, be
paid for everything the government
buys. By just price 1 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 I trust that we shall not sur
round the matter with q 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 a case like this. Patriotism
and profits ought never in the present
circumstances be mentioned together.
at is perfectly proper to discuss
profits as q 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 |
ance; but 1t 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
1reds 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
abor.
mo true patriot will permit himself
o take toll of their heroism in money
,r seek to grow rich by the shedding
If their blood. He will give as freely
and with as unstinted self-sacrifice
is they. When they are giving their
ives, will he not at least give his
money?
Assails "Bribery"
ST hear it insisted that more than
just price, more than price that
will sustain our industries, must be
aid; that it is necessary to pay very
LIBERAL and unusual profits in order to
stimulate production; that nothing
ut pecuniary rewards will do-re-
rards paid in money, not in the mere
beration of the world.
81 take 1T for granted that those ;
no argue thus do not stop to think
hat that means.
"Do they mean that you must be {
aid, must be bribed. to make your
contribution that costs
on neither drop of blood nor tear, I
hen the whole world is in travail and {
len everywhere depend upon and call
you to bring them out of bondage {
nd make the world a fit place to live {
again, amidst peace and justice? '
Appeals to Honor.
do they mean that you will exact i
price, drive a bargain, with the men b