The Washington times., 1906-02-04
PASTOR PRAISES
LABOR'S GROWTH
Rev. Dr. Kent Addresses the
Striking Printers.
THE IDEALS DISCUSSED
Several Object Lessons Analysed by
the Speaker Before an In
tereSted Audience.

At the printers headquarters. Ninth
and streets northwest, yesterday ar
ternoon, DR.. Alex Kent. pastor of the
Peoples Church. delivered an interest
ing address on the work OF labor organ
izations. There was an unusually large
humber of printers present due to the
fact that on Saturday afternoons the
ghost walks" and this Is always a
most attractive feature of the strike
program.
As Chairman Parsons was much press
ed in the preparation of the pay ron,
Secretary Kidd introduced DR.. Kent TO
the printers. The doctor was no
stranger. for his advocacy of the labor
cause is Wen known TO the working peo-
pie and when he rose 10 speak he was
greeted with applause.
DIT. Kent said he felt honored in be
ing invited TO address the printers, and
as he had been left free TO choose his
subject he would speak TO rnem on the
great work that had been done by the
labor organizations.
zone of the dangers ia all great move
ments. said DR.. Kent. rs JnaJ we per
nit the pressing demands of the pres
ent TO engroSs too much of our atten-
tiou. and so lose sight OF the larger
and remoter objects that are The prin-
cipal Justification of organized effort.
The demands OF the present are. in
deed first in order. but We should al
ways seek TO meet them in the manner
best htted 10 guard and conserve the
interests OF the future" He briefly told
how the Constitution OF the United States
was framed. and pointed out that the
trainers of that instrument concerned
themselves chiefly with the problems
then existing.
Has a Great Purpose.
Continuing he said: "The labor move
ment is movement with as good q
purpose as the American Revolution. and
with much better reason for being The
average maH-eyeu the average work
nlan-seems unaware Of this fact. To
him IT is too often simply q fight for a
larger wage OF shorter day, or more
sanitary conditions for him and his
class. But in the larger and truer view
il is one. OF the great social forces that
is carrying our whole humanity forward
and thar is destined 10 lift il 10 higher
and even higher levels il is all right
40 press for the higher wage, the short
G. day and the safer and better condi-
ton. But 70 is a great source Of
strength and Inspiration to those MAX
ing the fight 10 realize that they are
not making il for themselves or their
class alone, but for humanity at large. d"
Tie labor movement, Or. Kent said
continues to raise the standard Of living
for-the masses and in SO CONG carries
the whole body of society forward and
upward TO higher levels For YOU
Fa.sr r
of living Tor the toiIing masses without
quickening the sense of justice and de-
Vel0ping ia some degree the spirit of
brotherhood IN The whole.
When the WageWorkers of a country
are so poorly paid that they cannot af-
ford any dress but their working garb.
they are separated from those above
them by an almost impossible gulf.
They are looked upon as inferior beings.
But as woTkmen are better paid so that
there is no marked distinction between
Them and other citizens in matter of
dress, ana as leisure brings them more
Of culture and social polish. the class
feeling dies out and more and more of
fraternity takes its place.
Labor organizations then, are not
waging "A merely class fight. on the
financial plane, indeed, it is COMPARE
lively thar, bur on the humane plane It
IS a ight in the common interest. and
this fact should never be lost sight of
The men who are fighting 10 raise the
standard Of living for the masses have
This great advantage over their oppo-
nents. Their fight is for self and 9TH
ers for their class and for society as
"a Notwithstanding even the richest.
But the fight of those who would
lower the standard of living and re-
duce the wage worker OF the country
10 the cab horse standard are their own
enemies as well as the enemies Of 9TH
frs -