New-York tribune., 1918-12-11
Predicts Orgy of Graft

There will be IN the United States
and the expense of the United States
one of that orgy OF graft and murder
profit that has gone on thus far in
the war"
"The company which proudly tells
its stockholders that it is producing
copper for six cents a pound and
sells it for thirty-six cents a pound
will not sell it to the United States
government for thirty-six cents
pound-but for six cents pound plus
a fair profit. The steel company that
tells its stockholders how it has
earned dividends of hundred per
cent on a thousand millions of
watered stock will not get hundred
per cent profit from the government
of the United States-but will get
what the products costs, plus the
average, reasonable per cent of profit
"And what is more, the government
prosecuting the war in the interest of
the people and not of private indi
viduals, will act toward inanimate
1T acts toward the living citizen.
II VIII Take Your Son
"The Government that says on the
one hand to the mother, will take
your son and send him to be killed,
will hesitate to say to the maker of
steel ammunition or copper, will take
your property, and use it as / see
fit, and pay you as / think wise and
just-and not as you decide.
The United States has the right
to regulate prices. Don't forget that
within a few days, to the writer
of this editorial, three members of
the United States cabinet, the three
most influential, those that would
nave most to say, under the Presi-
dent, if war should come have said
the same thing, and here is the sub
stance of it:
"'Tne United States will not pay
cxtravagant prices for war supplies.
We have been making up tables of
figures based on years past, we have
mad statements prepared as to the
average prices during past years of
steel, oil, copper, powder, etc, and
II we get into this war and begin
buying with American money well
pay the average price for years past
not the eXtortionate war prices that
unfortunate Europe has had to nav.
We have not been studying Eu-
rope and its methods in vain. We
observe that England has comman-
what those raw materials cost plus
small reasonable profit
I'VE shall not pay for raw prod
ucts like steel, copper coal and oil,
TWO, three, seven, hundred and thou
sand per cent profit.
we shall pay fair profit, no
more. The Government will not ask
what will you charge? The Govern
ment Will say you have SO and so and
we know It. We want it and this is
what we will pay you for it,
Warns of General UpheavaI
If these interested doubt that this
quotation is given accurately, if they
question that the three most impor-
tant members of the cabinet speaking
under the president who of course
cannot be quoted, said exactly what
Is printed here, let them go to Wash
ington and inform themselves.
"They will find in the President q
careworn, over-burdencd but deter
mined man. He does not intend to
have the cabling hopes of any in
dustrial king force upon this nation,
of which he is the head. The in
dustrial Patriot" who through news
papers control or ownership of CON
gessmen seeks to foce the Presidents
hand. will find that hand heavy and
tight hand when it comes to paying
out the money of the people.
IF war comes, almost everything
Will be uncertain. the tactal cost to
the government the number of lives
lost. the effect on shipping, the reg
ulation of food prices as in Europe,
the extension to this country OF the