Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-07-12

Washington. July 11.-President Wilson
appealed to the country's business inter-
tsts tonight to put aside every selfish
consideration and to give their aid to the
nation as freely as those who go out to
offer their lives on the battlefield.
In a statement addressed to the coal
operators and manufacturers he gave as
surances that just prices will be paid by
the government and the public during the
war, but warned that no attempt to extort
unusual profits will be tolerated.
"Your patriotism" said the Presidents
appeal, "is Of the same self-denying stuff
as the patriotism of the men dead and
manned on the fields of France, or 1t is
no patriotism at all. Let us never speak.
then, of profits and patriotism in the same
sentence.
II 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
The President declared there must be
but one price for the government and
for the public. He expressed confidence
that business generally will be found
loyal to the last degree and that the prob
lem of war time prices which he declared
will ''mean victory or defeat" will be
solved rightly through patriotic co-opera-
tion.
In unmeasured terms. however. Mr..
Wilson condemned the ship owners Of the
country for maintaining schedule of
ocean freight rates which has placed
"almost insuperahle obstacles in the path
of the government.
1.-THE fact is," he asserted that those
who have fixed war freight rates have
taken the most effective means in their
power to defeat the armies engaged
against Germany"
THE PRESIDENTS APPEAL.
The Presidents appeal follows in full:
"My fellow countrymen:
1.-THE government is about to attempt
to determine the prices at which it will
ask you henceforth to furnish various
supplies which are necessary for the
prosecution Of the war and various ma
terials which will be needed In the in
dustries by which the war must be sus-
tanned. We shall, Of course. try to deter
mine them justly and to the best advan-
tage of the nation as 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 l. therefore. take
the liberty Of stating very candidly my
own view of the situation and of the
principles which should guide both the
government and the mine owners and
manufacturers of the country in this diff.
cult matter.
A JUST PRICE DEFINED.
"A just price must. of course be paid
for everything the government buys. BY
a Just price / mean a price which will
sustain the industries concerned in a high
state Of efficiency provide a living for
those who conduct them, enable them to
I.
expansions of their enterprises which will
from time to time become necessary as
the stupendous undertakings Of this great
war develop. We could not wisely OF
reasonably do less than pay such prices
They are necessary for the maintenance
and development of industry and the
maintenance and development of indus
try are necessary for the great task We
have In hand.
But trust that we shall not surround
the matter with a mist Of sentiment
Facts are our masters now. We ough
not to put the acceptance of such price'
on the ground of patriotism. Patriotism
has nothing to do with profits In a cas-
like this. Patriotism and profits ough
never in the present circumstances b.
mentioned together. 1t is perfectly prope
to discuss profits as a matter of business
with a view to maintaining the integrit.
VI Cdpithl anu tH0 oLuClcuCy Oh ldUOT II
these tragical months when the libert,
of free men everywhere and Of industr.
itself trembles in the balance. but
would be absurd to discuss them as
motive for helping to serve and save oli
country.
PATRIOTISM. NOT PROFITS.
''Patriotism leaves profits out of tn
question. In these days of our su
preme trial. when we are sending hun
. dreds OF thousands of our young me
across the seas to serve a great caus
no true man who stays behind to wor
, for them and sustain them by his labo
\ will ask himself what he is PERSONAL
going to make out of that labor N
true patriot will permit himself I
take toll of their heroism in money q
seek to grow rich by the shedding {
their blood. He will give as freel
and with as unstinted self-sacrihce 9
they. When they are giving the
lives will he not give at least h
money? / hear 1t insisted that MOI
than a just price. more than pri'
that will sustain our industries inu
be paid; that 1t Is necessary to pc
very liberal and unusual profits In o
der to stimulate production; tn,
nothing but pecuniary rewards will I
/. rewards paid In money. not In Il
mere liberation of the world. ! tai
1t for granted that those who arg'
thus do not stop to think what tn
means. Do they mean that you mu
be paid, must be bribed, to make yo
contributions contribution that cos
you neither a drop of blood nor tea
when the whole world Ia in travail al
men everywhere depend upon and ca
to you to bring them out Of bondaI
and make the world a fit place to Ii
= In again amidst peace and justice?