Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-01
WARNED AGAINST STRIKES.
Encyclical on Labor to He Issued by
the Pope.

Encyclical on Labor to He Issued BY
the Pope.
The Rome correspondent Of the New
York World has cabled translation Of an
encyclical on the labor question which the
pope will shortly issue. 1t is said that this
encycEcai will be sent to each of the various
Christian powers in the language Of that
power. and not to all in Latin. AS the en-
cyclical has not yet been formally uttered
1t may be subjected to some slight modih-
cations. but il Is practically complete. Its
strong and even startling statements. so I'M
pressive when coming from the head Of the
Roman Catholic Church, will not be changed,
as they are the deliberate results OF the
most patient and earnest study on the part
of his holiness.
stitutions and laws have their founoatlon
In the character and traditions OF nations
and peoples and they are the work OF God
every country shows. But no law which
wanders from religion or tends to subvert
II can be otherwise than detseuv Se a n IN IN
a human invention, but divine tnspira-
ton. for the real social contract Is not
between man and God. Where the indi-
vidual fulflls his duty to God. he cannot
fail in performing his duty to society.
order for the preservation and development
Of human life. and the divine law has de-
clared property sacred and inviolable-
cursed be he who removeth his neighbor' 3
landmark but the poor have. neverthe-
less, right to be assisted by the rich; not
by indiscriminate almsgiving. but by pre-;
be useful. If a man will not work neither
shall he eat But if he have no work it
to provide 1t for him. This legitimizes
property. No so-called right has any sane
ton IL not sanctioned by God and no usurp-
alton Of others rights can expect the bless
THE social question should be placed on
religious basis If We would obtain at
ton of the. difficulty. The divine decree
Is that man shall eat bread by the sweat
OF OF MS PROV. and Apostolic Injunction de-
shall he eat Having then established
these premises 1t becomes an absolute ne
cessity in human society that legislation in
religion should follow and keep pace with
the times for the protection Of those who
obey the universal order of the Creator and
Preserver of all things.
Atheism and departure from the
Christian faith are the great aids and slim
1lants Of anarchy and socialism. The
Christian faith alone is the bulwark Of So
ctal order. Where Christian institutions
and customs are not maintained in a state
decay. At this moment Europe is in the
throes of an immense upheaval Of society,
in which one violent struggle succeeds an
is o be- In sss ths
ton has not been duly enacted, for every
person should have his legitimate part in
the benefits of society, according to the or
This state of unrest Is not confined to
the working classes. properly, so called.
1t has taken root and is bearing nefarious
fruit in the more cultivated part of society.
The masses who do not perceive the nice
ties of light and shade. seeing those moving
the principles of socialism, allow them
selves to be blindly led by agitators who
have no real interest in the cause they 50
loudly uphold beyond sordid or selfish
one. And this Is why strikes are so un-
productive of beneficial results. Placed on
basis more social than economic, being
more of a struggle than a pacihcation.
more of aggression than defense, the strike
loses it's natural aspect and hides its es-
sence.
"a strike can be justified only as a
means Of defense when an individuals in
terest is attacked Never can 1t be justified
as a collective arm of aggression Man has
a natural right to live and to work. AS q
means of procuring living he has a right
to remove every obstacle to his work and
to get the value of his labor. And, there
fore, when his labor IL neither productive
nor remunerative he has right to refuse
to continue IL.
formed into collective right. nor can an
arm of defense be changed into an arm OF
aggression, to cause a means of good to
aggressive strike is not reciprocal between
operative and operative. but an instrument
of attack upon the proprietor and property:
The operative on strike Is a passive and
dominated instrument, not an intelligent
and free being. While his action lessons
the capital @, Of the employer. it puts no
THE struggle against illegal coercion
is one of the glories of the Catholic Church.
pie. should always be uppermost in the
minds of every government. If the dis
contented operative Is to be detached from
anarchic socialism, his wants must be un-
dprlrnD6 rrIlarl
to INSCRIPTIONS agitators the monopoly OF
social reform. Nor should II be forgotten
the banner of socialism repudiate every
thing Illegal in the program of anarchy.
accepting only those things which regard
the resolving of the urgent difficulties OF
by the exigencies of society.
THE chaff must be separated from the
if still more terrible upheaval is to be
averted. Nor should this danger be con-
sidered improbable when We see the rapid
strides anarchic socialism Is making. The
demonstrations which have taken place and
the tumults and riots which have followed
are most grave symptoms of the situation
astute economists and law makers, who
must acknowledge democratic socialism tc
have ripened into a power.
Nor can any one fail to recognize what
grave errors have been committed by those
governments which are hostile to ths
Church and which could deprive her Of heI
powerful preSIlSe-lne great DuckIcF ant
shield Of ruler and people The right Of
protecting the operative, whether in tn,
factory or in the field. should be admitted
And for this purpose the maximum of labol
should be fixed as well as the minimum o
salary. The hours OF labor should be ar
ranged, giving due attention to days o.
rest and abstention from labor. Institu
lions should be founded and maintained
| for the sick, the old, the feeble and for thos'
who are unayoidably unemployed, whil'
| punishment should be melted out to tn,
| drones of society. Laws have been mad
| almost universally for the protection o
women and children laboring in factories
| and elsewhere. but in how many case
| have those laws been enforced. Inspector
/ of work should be appointed everywhere
whose duties should be to see that thes
| laws are not infringed. Thus the blessin.
| of heaven would rest upon nations, and
more calm and equitable state of thing
might be expected"