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Show T 0 j -Appeals to the Coun-try's Coun-try's Business Interests to Put Aside Every Selfish Consideration and Emulate Example of Those Who Go Forth to Die in Battle. EXPECTS AID OF TRUE PATRIOTS Denounces Shipowners in Unmeasured Terms for Maintaining Schedule Sched-ule of Ocean Freight Rates Which Endanger Success of Army in the Field. WASHINGTON', July 11. President Wilson appealed to the country's business interests tonight to put aside every selfish sel-fish consideration and to give their aid to the nation as freely as those who o out to offer their Hes on the battle- ield. r' in a statement addressed to the coal operators and manufacturers he gave assurance as-surance 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 bo tolerated. "Your patriotism." said the president's appeal, "Is of the same self-denying stuff as the patriotism of the men dead and maimed on the fields of France, or it Is io patriotism at all. Let us never speak, then, of profits and patriotism In the same sentence. "I shall expect every man who is not a slacker 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 would be found loyal to the last degree and that the problem of war time- prices, which ho declared will "mean victory or defeat," will be solved rightly through patriotic co-operation. Condemns Shipowners. In unmeasured terms, however, Mr. Wilson condemns the shipowners of the country for maintaining a schedule of ocean freight rates which has placed "almost Insuperable obstacles" in the pa tli of tho government. ' "The fact is," he asserted, "that those who have fixed war freight rates have taken tho most effective means in their power to defeat the armies engaged j against Germany." Conl production and other Industries ' for whose products the government has 1 negotiated price-agreements are not taken up In detail by the president, his appeal den ling only with the general principles involved in the determination of war prices. It follows in full: Text of Statement. My Fellow-Countrymen : The government is about to attempt to determine tho prices at which It will ask you henceforth to furnish various supplies which are necessary for the prosecution of the war. anil various materials which will be needed need-ed in tho industries by which the war must be sustained. " YVe shall of murse try to determine them justly and to t he 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 1 hope we shall keep stead 11 v in mind while tins particular problem of justice Is being worked out. Therefore T take the liberty of stating stat-ing very candidly my own view of the situation and of the principles which should guide both the government an I t he mine owners and ma nut'ac-turers nut'ac-turers of the country In this difficult , matter. Defines Just Price. A Just price must, of course be paid for every t hint; the government buys. By a just price, I mean a price which will sustain the industries indus-tries concerned in a high state of et lleteney. provide a living for t hose who conduct them, enicie them to pay good wanes, and make ossihle the expansions of their enterprises which wlil from time to time become necessary as the stupendous undertakings under-takings of this great war develop. We could not wisely or reasonably do less than pav such prices. They are necessary for the maintenance" and development of industry, are necessary neces-sary for the great task we have in hand. Facts Are Masters. i Hut T trust that we shall not sur-round sur-round the matter with a mist of sen-. sen-. s timent. Facts are bur masters now. ' We ought not to pat the acceptance of such prices on the ground of pa- (Coitnued on -pao Two.). " PRESIDENT WILL KOT TOLERATE EXTORTiGN (Continued from Page One.) t riot ism. 1 'at riot ism has nothing to do with profits in a case like this. Patriotism and profits ought never in the present circumstances be mentioned men-tioned together. It is perfectly proper prop-er to discuss profits as a matter of business, with a view to maintaining the Integrity of capital and the efficiency ef-ficiency of labor in these tragical months, when the liberty of free men everywhere and of Industry itself trembles in the balance; but it would he absurd to discuss them as a motive mo-tive for helping to serve and save" our country. Patriotism vs. Profits. Patriotism leaves profits out of tlie question. In these days of our supreme su-preme trial, when we are sending hundreds of thousands of our young men across the seas to serve a. great cause, yo 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 labor. No true patriot wmI permit himself to take toll of their heroism in money or seek to grow rich by the shedding of their blood. Pie will give as freely and with as unstinted se.If-sacrif ide as they. When they are giving their lives, will he . not at least give his money? I hear it insisted that more than a just price, more than a price that will sustain our industries, must be paid; that it Is necessary to pay very liberal and unusual profits in order to 'stimulate" production; that nothing but pecuniary rewards will do it rewards re-wards paid in money, not in tlie mere liberation of the world. I take it for granted thn t those who argue thus do not stop .to til Ink what that means. Asks Explanation. , po they mean that you must be paid, must be bribed, to make your contribution, a contribution that costs neither a drop of blood nor a tear, when the whole world is in travail and men everywhere depend upon and call to you to bring them out of bondu'p and make the world a fit plaiv to live in again, amidst peace ana igustice? Do you mean that you will exact a price. drive a bargain with the men who are enduring the agony of this war on the battlefield, in the trench c.?, amidst the lurking dangers ot the sea, or with the bereaved women and the pitiful children, be-foi be-foi e you will come forward to do yczr duty and give some part of your life, in easy, peaceful fashion, for the tilings we are fighting for. the tilings that we have pledged our fortunes, our lives, our sacred honor to vindicate vindi-cate an! defend liberty and justice and fair dealing and the peace of nations? na-tions? Of course, you will not. It is inconceivable, your patriotism is of the same self-denying etufr ub the patriotism of the men dead or maimed on the fields of Prance, or else it is not patriotism at all. Let us never speak then of profits and patriotism in the same sentence, but face facts and meet them. Let us do so under business, but not in the midst of a mist. Burdens to Be Expected. Many a grievous burden of taxation taxa-tion will be laid on this nation in this generation and the next to pay for this war. Let us see to it that for every dollar that is taken from the people's pockets Jt shall be possible pos-sible to obtain a dollar's worth of the sound stuffs they need. Let me lurn for a moment to the shipowners of the T'nited States and tlie other ocean carriers whose example ex-ample they have followed, and asK them if they realize what obstacles, what almost insuperable obstacles, they have been putting in the way of the successful prosecution of this war by the ocean freight rates they have been exacting. They can do everything every-thing that high freight charges can do to make the war a failure, to moke it impossible. I do not say that they realize this or intend it. The thing has happened naturally enough, because the commercial processes which we are content to see operate in ordinary times have, without sufficient suf-ficient thought, been continued into a period where they have no proper place. I am not questioning motives. I am merely stating a fact, and stating stat-ing It in order that attention may be fixed upon It. Speaks Frankly, The fact is that those who have fixed war freight rates have taken the most effective means in their power to defeat tlie armies engaged against Germany. When . they realize real-ize this, we may, I take it for granted, grant-ed, count upon them to reconsider the whole matter. It is high time. Their extra hazards are covered by war risk insurance. I know and you know what response re-sponse to this great challenge of duty and of opportunity the nation wlh expect of you. and I know what response re-sponse you will make. Those who do not respond, who do not respond in the spirit of those who have gone to give their lives for us on bloody fields far away, may safely be left to be dealt with by opinion and the law, for tlie law must of course command com-mand these things. I am dealing with the matter thus publicly and frankly, not because I have any doubt or fear as to the result, but only in order that in all our thinking and in all our dealings with one another we may move in a perfectly clear air of mutual understand ing. Whole People Mobilized. And there is something more that we must add to our thinking. The public is now as much a part of the government as are the army and navy themselves : the whole people in ail their activities are now mobilized and in service for the accomplishment of the nation's task In this war. It is in such circumstances impossible justly to distinguish between Industrial Indus-trial purchases made by the government govern-ment and industrial purchases made by the managers of individual industries: indus-tries: and it is just as much our duty to susta in the industries of the country, all the industries that con- i tribute to its life, as it is to sustain I our forces in the field and on tlie sea. "We must make the rncos to the pub- I lie the same as the prices to t lie snv- , erument. Prices mean the same thing everywhere now; they mean the efficien'-v or the inefficiency of , the nation, whether it is the .government .govern-ment that nays thfm or not. They ! mean victory or defeat. : They mean that America will win her place once for all among the fore- i most tree nations of the world, or ! thai she will sink to defeat and be- i come a second rate power alike in ! thought and action. This is a day of ; reckoning and every man amongst us must personally face that reckon- inc along with her. j The case need s no n rgui nc. T n s-fiinie s-fiinie :hat 1 am only expressing your I own thoughts what must be in the mind of every true man when he faces the tragedy and the solemn glory of the present war for the emancipation of mankind. I summmi you to a great dutv, a. great privilege, a shining dignity dig-nity and distinction. I shall expect every man who is not a slacker to be at my side throughout this great enterprise. en-terprise. In i' no man can win honor ' a h'j thinks of himself. |