Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-06
CLAIMS OF WEALTH AND LABOR
SUBJECT OF ADDRESS BY REV.
TIMOTHY BRoSNAHAN.
Rights of the Producer and the
Views of the Early Socialists
Discussed.

The Production of Wealth and the
Claims of Labor was the subject of a
lecture last night by Rev. Timothy Bros
nahan of the Jesuit Theoosate at Wood
stock, Nd before the Aloysius Club in
Gonzaga Hall
Father Brosnahan said in part: Any
question regarding the Worhlnsmah
claims to a share of the output OF pro-
duction is not only an economic quest1oA'
It is pre-eminently a moral question. ne
workingman is not only producer, Out
he must be maintained for the sake of
further production.
That the laborer is worth his hire IS
an elementary truth of economic justice.
admitted by the capi, alist as we'll as py
the Workingman The disagreement arises
when they attempt to determine what is
the laborerS hire.
Both admit that the wealth of the un-
try belongs to tina producer. one MAIN
talnS that brains are the main agent IN
production, the other that labor produces
ali wealth.
What are the factors in the produc-
ton of wealth? Three answers nave o. en-
given to this question
'F'irst-Labor is the sole factor in pro-
duction.
tors
''Third-Nature labor and capital are
the factors.
The first answer is that given by So
cialism.
Carl Marx. pathfinder of socialism.
taught that the value of commercial goods
does not depend on their utility. but is
measured wholly by the amount of iaoor
embodied in them, and that labor is meas
ured by the time required to produce an
article under normal conditions of "roduc-
ton and with average degree of skill and
intensity prevalent at that time.
MARKS error is twofold. First. h
-ninmizes the rights of labor. The other
error of Marx lies in this-that ne ignores
nature as factor in the production of
wealth. Labor alone does not make coal
more valuable than shale.
Mans efficiency as producer is limit
ed by the inherent qualities of matter.
He cannot add a particle of the total of
existing matter. He can only combine
materials and adjust forces.
This fact reveals two truths. First
the Creator. in preparing the earth for
mans habitatiOn, has furnished it lavishly
with potentialities of wealth. The second
truth is that 1t is brains rather than mus
Gle that transforms an subjects the ener-
sies of nature to mans and service
EARLY socialists maintained that the
labor which produces wealth is manual
labor. On the other hand. the extreme
defenders of capitalism hold that the
enormous increase of wealth which is
characteristic of modern times is due to
the intellect. knowledge and the other
rare mental qualities of mankind.
IdDOT. OF Whatever klIU. now
ever unskilled. is always informed by in
telligence. Even a charwoman requires
intelligence in the performance of her
humble duty. If she did not, she would
be replaced by machine. The most per-
fected machine will never dispense with
directing intelligence.
Apply this obvious truth to two of the
vexed questions of labor-first, it cannot
be denied that in every department of
production. machinery has become an as
founding factor in the augmentation of
wealth: second, it is evident that under
capitalism production has enormously in
creased. But capital, in so far as it is
productive and not predatory or drop
steal, is accumulated wealth directed by
intelligence to the production of further
wealth.
1t may be said. then. that the wealth
of nations is produced by no other agents
than the. brains and hands of the man
who works, definition that covers labor
of whatsoever kind done by man.
Bishop Hendrick Of Cebu Philippine Is
lands, told of the quality of the clergy
in the insular possessions. and the per-
picking and far-reaching question-labor.
He praised the Aloysius Club for its
successful course of lectures, of which
last nights was the last for this season.
Bishop Hendrick leaves Washington Tues
day.