The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-23
President Wilson'S Appeal.

President Wilson's address to business
men, given out yesterday from the White
House, is written in strain of patriotic
exaltation which will inspire the people
at large TO new effort and sacrifice to.
ward winning the war. He expects, he
says, every man who is not a Stacker to
be at his side. His expectation will not
be disappointed. Indeed. the attitude of
big business, all business, with respect
to the government since the declaration
of war has been made up of loyalty and
devotion. There is no reason to fear
any change.
The president takes ground strong in
| logic as well as sentiment when he ar.
CUES that those who cannot have the
| privilege of serving on the fighting line
must give equivalent service either by
personal effort or abnegation of gain.
We imagine there is hardly citizen to-
day, outside of pro.German circles, who
would hesitate to perform any duty
within his physical ability to which he
might be called. All are ready.
When we come to the matter of mon
ey making, the business community is
equally ready for all necessary sacrifices.
But here the practical application of the
principle is more complicated. The peo-
pie must live even during war, and to
live they must make money. Still more,
they must make money enough to carry
on the war Still more, they must make
enough to develop and progress or the
war will be more disastrous to the Unit
ed States than to its enemy. To succeed
in the war we must keep business, big |
and little, from the Standard Oil enter |
prises or the United States Steel cor
poration down to the village grocery or
the First avenue tape and ribbon shop,
going on profitable scale of prices.
There is no other hope or prospect for
the country.
President Wilson says: Patriotism
leaves profits out of the question" Thist
is high sentiment, but we fear that
as an economic proposition it would be
sadly short-sighted. Indeed, the presi-
dent himself plainly recognizes the fal.
lacy since he clearly declares that "a
just price must be paid for everything
the government buys" He might have
said: "For everything that everybody
pays" just prices must be paid by all
and for everything if civilized life is to
go on. The only disputable question is
as to the nature of a just price in any
particular transaction or for any psrticu-
ar commodity or service. Here is the
,riticsl factor in the whole situation, and
he whole issue between those who are
debating the price topic to-day is simply
rs to how and by whom the just price
hall be determined, whether by the op-
ration Of natural law as old as human
ty itself, or by the innovation of srbi-
Tary governmental uksse To the solu-
ion Of this problem, We say with all due
aspect, the president makes no contribu-
ion at this time.
Business men are eheerfully accepting
heir share Of the burdens. More than
dubbed income taxes, excess profit tax
Ip 10 80 per cent; license fees, stamp
uties. imports on all the agencies Of
usiness and means Of enioyment-their
sne is lerion-sre faced with smiling
esignstion. IL j. for the country. Ii is
, a sense the ransom Of blood But in
rider to make these huge contributions
{ patriotic duty the business men must
ave the means. And the only means
re pTofts.-New York Evening Sun. :