The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-08-07
HE ADVERTISERS SEMI-WEEKLY
Patriotism and Prices
(THE OUTLOOK

IN July II lIeslueflt wilson ISSUED an appca
~ to the business men Of the country, in which
he discussed the prices whichf government must
pay for the great bulk of commodities that it is
destined to buy during theB succeeding months
and the relation between theseiprces and the pa
triotism OF the business men of the country The
President said: .s''s &. -#f a''
A just price must Of course, be paid for every.
thing the Government buys BY just price mean a
in high of efficiency, provide living for those
who conduct them, enable them to pay good wages
aud make possible the Of their enterprises
which will from time TO time become necessary
the stupcndous Undertakings of this great
develop. We could not wisely or reasonably do less
than pay such prices They necessary for the
maintenance and Development Of industry and the
maintenance and deyelopment Of industry
sary for the great task we have in hand
The President urged, however, that the discus
sion OF prices should not be surrounded with the
mist of sentiment" He declared that "facts are
cur masters now and then continued
Patriotism has nothing to do with profits in a
like this. Patriotism aud profits ought in the
present circumstances be mentioned together 1t is
perfectly proper to discuss profits matter of bust
ness with view to maintaining the integrity of cap
tai and the efficiency of labor in these tragical months
when the liberty of free everywhere and OF in.
dustry itself rembles the balance but IL would be
absurd TO discuss them as a motive for helping o
serve and save our country. .s -.
The President pointed out that ship-owners and
ocean carriers had already placed almost insu-
perable Obstacles in the way of successful prose-
cuton Of the war by the ocean freight rates which
they had exacted, and then appealed to the bust
reesS men of America not to follow this example
He concluded: T.
summon YOU to a great duty, great privilege a
shining dignity and distinction, shall expect every
who is not Stacker to be at my side throughout
this great enterprise. In it no win honor
who thinks of himself sE&sk %ft i4sa'N.
Perhaps to greater degree than the President
recognizes there is patriotism in the restraint ex-
ercised by men who, being in position to secure
abnormally high profits, voluntarily cooperate with
The government in producing supplies at or below
normal profits. Certainly the business men of the
country, whole, are manifesting today a very
different spirit from the prohteers who sold shoddy
cloth to the government in the Civil War and de-
cayed beef to the government at the time of our
war with Spain. The tendency to minimize the
patriotism of those men who are helping the gov
eminent secure its supplies at a reasonable price
has become an obsession in the minds of some
congressman who are engaged in attacking the dis
OF. the men upon the council of ma
tional defense and its advisory commission.
Certainly every citizen desires to see the gov
ernment in position to secure honest goods at
honest prices 1t is equally certain that the efforts
IF business in connection with the council of
rational defense have brought this desire nearer
10 realization during the present war than at any
lime in our history.
Even So many OF the little men who have been
ngaged in slandering the motives of others with
larger vision than they themselves possess have
missed their chief opportunity to hit at war
)rohteets.
The main object of the government is to wage
he war successfully Every day saved in the |
of the means the saving of mill
ons of dollars and perhaps thousands of lives Yet
ven if the main object of the government were not
he prosecution OF the war, but the pairing down
II contracts the critics of the council of national
License would be on the wrong trail They can
ave the government more money by placing tax
IN excess profits than they can by advocating the
plitting up Of government contracts among men |
Who have limited facilities to carry them out but |
Who willing to gamble receiving a profit
rom lower price for their goods
The field of taxation has during the past few
ears been greatly widened. Within the field of |
axaton are to be found many of the safeguards |
eeded to protect the government against extor-
ion and overcharge. We are not arguing for pro-
ection of profteers; we arguing for the prose-
ution of the war and the protection of the good
anne Of honest business men