The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-07-18
SOCIAL TRUTH FROM
. MANY VIEW POINTS
Account Of Sociological Confer
ence Held at Sycamore Beach,
Cape God Bay.
BY Rev. Charles Sickle.

It would be difficult to think of A
shade Of religious or economic belief
which was not represented in the soci-
illogical conference which it was my
privilege to attend during the first
week in July, at Sycamore Beach, on
Cape Cod bay About 100, men and
women Of prominence in the sociolog-
ical world discussed for three days the
questions of trades unionism and
socialism, and the relation Of the
church to these problems Everyone
who spoke, from John Spargo, the So
cialist, to Mrs. Edwin D. Mead, the
exponent of universal peace, was an
acknowledged expert on the subject
which he discussed.
The conference was opened with
paper written by John Mitchell, on
1.-THE Philosophy Of Trades Unionism."
John F. Tobin Of Boston led the dis
cussion. Dean Hodges of the Protes-
tant Episcopal Theological seminary
of Cambridge, Mass, prepared a paper
On 1.-THE trades union from the point
of view of the church" 1.-The spirit
ual Significance Of socialism and
"The socialized church." were dis
cussed on the succeeding days.
Editors, college presidents, social
settlement workers, authors and writ
ers, trades union officials, ministers,
business men, professors, and workers
In many phases Of social life, freely
| presented their views. There wasn't
a dull moment. Everybody was on
| the job every minute of the time.
| while the meetings were In progress.
The speakers had come from every
walk of life. There were some who
had come up from the Stun and the
tenement. Ot1ers had always lived in
homes Of luxury and refinement. Most
Of the members of the Of the confer
ence had come direct from, the firing
line and they were there for business
There was no time for platitudes and
common places. There was no eva
sion. The talks were true expressions
Of very real experiences, or of genuine
desire to get at the truth. There
wasn't a fool speech made. There was
no trace Of bitterness. Whatever feel
ing Of bitterness there may have been
In the hearts Of some, was hidden,
although sometimes it would have
been an easy matter to have caused
an explosion, had not everyone re-
spected the others opinion. 49,.
At times the audience was deeply
moved as the injustices Of the toilers
were presented. Going back to their
respective vocations, the men and wo-
men who listened to the talks will be-
come more aggressive in their efforts
to alleviate and finally wipe out these
| wrongs. =
| It was surprising to note how many
things were he1d In common by these
workers who came from so many and
such varied experiences. They were
all seeking, in the way that seemed
best, the uplifting of the human race
They discovered that to quarrel
among themselves was fatal. There
were enough things upon which all
could unite to keep everybody busy.
It is interesting that this remark
able difference was calloed together
and entertained under Christian aus
pices. The host was Mr.. George w.
Coleman, a churchman of prominence
in Boston. There probably has never
been another conference just like it.
| The men who believe that he alone
possesses the truth is a back number.
There is no truer indication of it than
this belief. The day is rapidly ap-
preaching, and this conference helped
its coming, when men shall learn that
! they cannot afford to speak i'll of their
brothers, who are just as honest and
sincere and f-sacri1cing as they are,
even though they may not be able to
| accept their pet program.
u