The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-01-19
CLERGYMAN ASKS FOR
JUSTICE TO WORKERS
An Able Address Delivered
Before the Boston Central
Labor Union Recently.
The Paramount Question of
the Hour is That Between
Capital and Labor.

Rev. Thomas J. Gasson. S. J., of
Boston College, in a recent address be-
fore the Boston Central Labor Union
said in part:
mo rejecting man can contemplate
the present conditions Of life without
being deeply impressed by the fact
that the paramount questions of the
hour are those which deal with the
relations between capital and labor,
between the employer and employe.
In fact, the labor question, as it Is
called, seems to have been overshad-,
owed nearly every other question, and
men are evidently more desirious Of
having this problem solved than they
are Of deciding the form and functions
Of the government under which they
live. 1nseparably connected with the
subject Is the question Of wages or the
fair remuneration Of labor.
1T is absurd to say that the econ
omic life of the nation may be viewed
as something independent Of the code
Of morals. Justice, then, must reign
in the economic sphere unless we are
prepared to admit an overwhelmingly
tyranny Of force and the supremacy
of matter. We may safely say, then,
that where the compensation is In
proportion to the work performed the
contract between master and workman
is fair and the claims Of equity have
been recognized.
But how are we to determine this
proposition? How shall we decide the
proper amount Of wages to be paid :?
Ia
difficulties. To simplify matters let us
take, first of all, the case Of ordinary
service, Of unskilled labor. What shall
We consider as proper return?
"Shan we say, as many do, that la
Dor Is common merchandise, q COM
modify which the employer may pur-
chase in the cheapest market, 1rres-
pective of all considerations of Justice
or humanity? May labor be consider
ed In the nature Of bale of goods put
up for sale for which the buyer will
offer the lowest imaginable price? To
assert this Is to close ones eyes to a.
| truth patent to all-the living man
cannot be reduced to bale Of mer-
chand1se. Labor is not mere alb
straction; 1t Is a concrete reality. It
is not something devoid of life, it is
| not something separable from the liv-
ing agent; it is a part Of the man, it
Is the outflow Of his energy, the crys-
talization Of his vital force; it is the
| wear and tear Of his life. and no svs-
| tenn Of wages preserves the laws of
justice unless these facts are taken
! into consideration.
| THE laborer consequently in his toll
| gives part of his life, and justice de-
| mands that in return he receives what
Is necessary to maintain life not only
in himself, but in his wife and chill
dren; hence the workingman has the
right to demand for his compensation
all that is needed to support himself
| and those naturally dependent upon
him in a condition Of moderate COM
fort. I say In condition of moderate
comfort, for just as the breadwinner is
not a piece Of merchandise, so neither
is he a beast of burden, and the re-
turn he receives must be sufficient to
enable him to pass his days in respect
able Surroundings, to live upon whole
some food to wear decent clothing and
to educate his children in a fitting
manner for the stern tragedy of life.
| AS AoAS DIS eHnpoyeTS AOlQ 10 the
principle that labor may be regarded
as any other marketable commodity.
so long will they fling to the winds
the pressing claims OF justice and hu-
manity. But If a healthy theory of
economics fourishes among us, If men
are brought to see that in the pursuit
Of wealth due regard must be had to
the fundamental moral code, II en-
ployers learn. as learn they should,
that the bond between them and their
toilers Is moral bond entailing on
both sides the most sacred obligations
Of conscience, binding them in such
wise that fraud. deceit and dishonesty
therein are crimes nnenacang the very