Waterbury Democrat., 1901-11-18
PROF DEvINEs ADDRESS.
Spoke Before Large Audience at St
 Patrick's Parish Hall.

dress of Prof Thomas F. Devine, prin- cipal of the Bank street school, delfr- cred last evening before a crowded house at St-Patrlck's parish hall, will be read with interest:
 '"rhree months ago there was a crisis in industrial activities. To-day there is calm following the shock of national bereavement. sBut q fern alt is at work in the mass of the toilers and the curse of discontent is not a1- layed.
 .'The question of labor came up for settlement forty centuries ago, when myriads of toilers were forced to build a mountain of stone in the desert of fool The great pyramid of Gizeh was the first monument to unrequited labor but not the last
 Tt is not surprising to find the con- dition of labor problem ever present during Egyptian dynasty, Roman rule, feudal bondage, slavery and modern revolution, but passing strange it is to find the question existing here i'll land that promised to be the Eden of labor. The fact is that even ill this country and in the morn of the tWen- tieth century the question in q most aggravated form is confronting us.
 '.In the encyclicaI-comparat re- cent-of the Holy Father. we find this summary Of causes: The growth of industry, the discovery of science, the changed relations of master and work man, enormous fortunes of individuals, the poverty of the masses and general moral deterioration.'
 These causes have brought about among us. as among others, q condl- tion of labor that calls for grave con- sideration. The year now passing has seen q strike of two hundred thousand men. MomentouS constitutional amend ments on labor are being urged in our state legislatures From north and west come news of riot and bloodshed. The labor Of child and mother is com peting with that of the father in that modern torture of progress. the fac tory. Young lives are enfeeblad, dwarfed and worn out that the Moloch of traffic may have victims, nor is the sacrifice delayed while bread is dear and flesh and blood is cheap
 Then. too, our workingmen are to q great extent ill-organized. uninfuenced by religion. and led by false teachers. They are the victims of competition. of trusts. of monopolies. Labor is organ izing to secure more l0ayes and fishes and it is met by combined capital. which has q keen sense of self-presar- yatiOn and refuses to recognize. if not the existence. at least the justice of the workingman's demands. Society pre- sents the anomaly of two hostile armies that have pitched their tents and are sleeping on their arms. From time to time scattered skirmish shows the bitterness of feeling.
 T have spoken of the causes of dis content. Our danger lies most in the remedies prescribed, and l fear that patriotism has had no part in suggest ing them, for they are by nature ,fe- structiye of our nations life and they would bring about q chaotic upheavai of society. We cannot put to the na- tIon's lips the drastic dose of the social- ist. who insists that the possessions of inc individual must be transferred 10 the community, that what the individ- ual owns must become common prop erty. administered by states or munich palities.
 Hence We cannot adopt the panacna Of Tolstoi. that everyone should return to the first law of nature. toll with his own hands and live by the sweat of his brow. Neither can we apply inc salve of the unearned increment to the bleeding wounds caused by ol,r progress and poverty. Nor can we counsel remedy that consists in Bellamy's Beautiful but illusive CO., operative system.
 socialism in any form IS not a heal ing remedy. but noxious poison. Since it forbids the wage earner to dis pose of the fruits of his labor. which Is his only wealth, since it condemns the investment of the same in land. and thunders against all ownersl;D. now can the warkingman view social Ism otherwise than q grave injury?
 On the other hand. we may find if We seek it. a simple remedy to ameljor- ate the condition of the workingmon Christianity. as we are well reminded by Leo NII1, gave modern society ifs constitution. If that constitution has become distempered. Christianity alone can restore it to primal health an,I soundness- We must seek in the pre- cents of the Great Teacher. In these presents is the remedy.
 Jusvce must be our keynote. Tts full octave is sounded in the Golden Rnle. As you would men should do unto you. do you also to them in liI5a manner If We give this heayen-sent principle of action our hearty accant- ance. all our relations with our fellow men will be established on true and solid basis and we shall have no need of the remedy suggested by the social ists
 This principle will teach the em- ployer not to look upon wage earners as mere chattnls. but in the light of men and Christians. He will not grind the face of the poor. He will admit that the laborer is worthy of his hire. He will not take advantage of tho needy to cut down their earnings by force or frand T,-t will be nromnted to listen 10 fair arbitration, and clIeerfnlly grant to labor the remuneration that decent frugality and reasonable com- fort demand.
 "A@ain this principle will be a lamn for the feet of tho workinoman. It will teach him to stand cnnscientiausIv l:y his coItracts: if will stay his hand from doing violence to tho person of his emnlover or fellow workman. Ii will make capital sacred in his eyes: will teach him to champion his cause firmly. but without threat or violence. It will teach him to sbun strike and riot and hloodsbed because it is not dong to others as he would be done | by.''