The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-09
UNIONS Commended.
Attitude Of Methodist Church
Toward Labor.
GREAT BENEFIT TO SOCIETY.

General Conference Approves the Ef.
forts Of Workinsmen 10 improve
Their Condition by Organization.
Pledges Support to the Movement.
At the recent general conference OF
the Methodist Episcopal church held
at Baltimore a memorial setting forth
the attitude OF the church toward la
Dor, capital aud the sanitary condi'
tions surrounding working people was
adopted. The memorial was formulat-
ed by the Madison Ayenus fNew York;
Methodist church's committee on the
state of the church aud sAAds In part
as follows:
1--WE hold Il an imperative obligation
that the church interest itself In such
questions ms those OF the Ubiquitous
exploitation Of child labor; the care
lessness MS 10 life aud limb too often
shown In factory, IN mlre and on rall'
roads; the downward pressure some
times brought upon wages by the com,
petitiye system: the chronic phase Of
misunderstanding and Industrial war
fare between employers aud employed;
the regrettabe breach. caused by mis-
conception on both sides OF the spirit
and purposes OF each, which exists be.
tween large numbers OF artisans and
the church
1--WE welcome every Indication OF a
desire 10 end disputes and hostllities
and to find a basis OF reconciliation,
fraternity and permanent cooperation.
We especially commend all those EN-.
ployers, whether individuals or cor
poratlons, who in the conduct OF their
business have exhibited a fraternal
spirit and disposition 10 deal justly
and humanely with their employees,
particularly as 10 wages, profit sharing
and welfare work, hours of labor. by
gienic conditions of toll, protection
against accidents and willingness to
submit differences 10 arbitration.
1--WE cordially declare our fraternal
interest in the aspirations OF the labor
ing classes and our desire 10 assist
them in the righting Of every wrong
and the attainment OF their highest
well being
1--WE recognize that the fundamental
purposes Of the labor movement are
essentially ethical aud therefore should
command the support Of all. We recos'
nlze further that the organization Of
labor Is not only the right Of the labor
ers and conducive TO their welfare. but
is incidentally OF great benefit TO socie-
ty at large in the securing OF better
conditions Of work and life in it's edn-
cational influence upon the great multi
tudes concerned and particularly In
the Americanization of our immigrant
population. While we cordially appre-
ciate the social service rendered the
community by captains OF industry in
maintaining large businesses, afford
Ing employment TO hundreds and by
their products serving the needs OF
their fellow men, yet ous primary In
terest in the industrial problem Is with
that great number who by their condl'
lions Of toll cannot share adequately
in the highest benefits of our ciyiliza-
ton. Their efforts to improve condi'
tons should receive our heartiest CO
operation, as must all similar effort on
the part of employers or disinterested
organizations.
1--WE are gratlfed by the growth Of
the spirit Of cancellation and the prac
tice Of conference and arbitration in
adjusting trade disputes. and we trust
that these methods may increasingly
suppant those Of strikes and loekouts,
with attendant boycotts and blacklist
ings. We urge all our members, both
employers and employed, to the fullest
possible promotion of the principles Of
industrial peace and human brother
hood. We record our firm conviction
that the church, In so far as it is an
employer Of labor, either locally or
through It's general organizations,
ought to exempllfy In practice the prin-
ciples herein set forth"