The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-20
A MORAL QUESTION
Is the Way Strikes Are Regarded by
Potter Committee.

Boston, Oct. 20.-Both houses of the
Episcopal general convention which
was opened on October 5. have voted
in favor of final adjournment Tues
day next. + 7s. 80
| In the house of bishops, the stand.
ing committee on the relations OF cap
| ital and labor of which Bishop Henry
ore P9tte5 sf f me% T6 oommisaion
was appointed by the general con-
vention of 1901 to study the purposes
| of labor organizations, to investigate.
the causes of industrial disturbances
| and to hold themselves in readiness
| to act arbitratorS should their SER
vices be desired The report says that
no request for action as arb1trators
has been received and that the COM
mittee has not as yet succeeded in
studying in common the occasion or
current disturbances. we are agreed,
however" the report says.-"in the con-
viction that the causes of the violence
of the past three years, in Pennsyl-
vania, in Colorado and in Illinois, are
not so much economical as moral. The
reason at the heart of it is that the
master has little confidence in the
good will of the men as the men have
in the good faith of the master. Where
distrust and antagonisn are we'll
founded. there is nothing for it, so
far as the church is concerned, OK
cept conversion.
I'VE perceive among our clergy and
laity alike, much ignorance Cranky
confessed and deplored) as to the
principles which are involved in the
conflicts of the industrial world. Ev-
cry industrial dispute involves three
parties-the employer, the employed
and the public; and the public even
tually casts the deciding vote. Thus
serious social responsibility rests
upon every Christian citizen and more
especially upon the Christian minister.
I'VE call attention to the analogy
between certain offenses of the union
both the capitalist and the churchman.
Thus the employers black list CORES
ponds to the unions boycott. The lock-
out and the strike are of the same ma
ture. The question of the closed shop
is like the question of the closed state.
Men whose Puritan ancestors strive to
maintain state whose privileges
should belong only to members of lhe
church, ought to be able to understand
the struggle of their brethren and to
maintain shop in which no man shall
serve except a member of the union.
They may not agree with these
brethren, but they ought to appreciate
their self sacrifice. The laborer has
learned from the capitalist to deSpise
order and break law. He has learned
from the churchman to pursue the dis
Senter with menace and violence. The
recent tragelies in Colorado do not
follow at a fair distance the massacres
which in the sixteenth century ensued
upon the withdrawal of Holland from
the ecclesiastical union.
While, then, we condemn the tyran-
ny and turbulence of the labor union
and call upon the law to preserve the
liberty of every citizen to employ
whom he will and to work for whom
he will, we deprecate the hasty tenn
per, which in condemning the errors of
the unions, condemns at the same time
the whole movement with which they
are connected. The offenses of the
union are as distinct from the cause
for which the organization of labor
stands as the inquisition is distinct
from the gospel. In the face of pre-
judice and an hostility for Which there
are serious reasons we are convinced
that the organization of labor is es-
sential to the we'll being of the work
ing people. Its purpose is to maintain
such a standard of wages, hours and
conditions as shall afford every man
an opportunity to grow in mind and
heart. Without organization the stand
ard can not be maintained in the
midst of our present commercial con-
ditions''
The report in conclusion condemns
the employment of children in factories
and mills.
The report is signed by Henry c. !
Potter, William Lawrence. Charles P. |
Anderson, r. H. McKim.- George NJ. |
Hodges, c. d. Williams, Samuel |
Mather and Jacob Riis.
The report was accepted and a res
olution that the commission be con- |
tinued was adopted by the house Of
bishons-