New-York tribune., 1909-01-28
1--WE NEEDED THE CLUB
Charles Sprague Smith Tells Minis-
ters of Moral AzgakemHg

Professor Charles Sprague Smith. managing H.
rector Of the Peoples Jnsttute. speaking ysster-
day on the subject OF socialism before the mem
bers Of the Manhattan Congregational Ministers
Association said that the present social system
"unintsIgent. unecOn9mtc and unnurnan,
and prophesied early evolutionary Developments
along the lines OF a modified socialism Hs spoks
OF his studies Of language and litsrstuFs among
the peoples Of Europe. and said that hs had
learned to look the literature Of nation a. ths
product of the people rather than of individuals.
and upon literature OF all nations as a closeiy
related whole. In the same way he had learne"
to believe the unity Of all things and In ths
brotherhood Of Continuing. he said;
The old order condemns itself. and Il must pass.
When individual interest and communal lntsrsS1
conflict the communal must prevail -5 [llL.S -,
have passed the acute danger stage Inere "a
iievs that indebted 70 one man more than
dore DC any Roosevelt SSsSt We needed the club
Professor John Bates Clark Of Columbia UnI-i
versity characterized the argument on tina msrits
Of socialism as contest OF guesses. and ex-
pressed the opinion that far more inspiration could
he drawn from brotherhood Of men existing under
conditions Of inequality ahan from orotherhooal
existing under conditions Of compulsory equality.
He said:
socialism most resembles primitive Christianity. hs
world The poor have The Gospei pFssGoed 20
The poor have the Gospel offered to them. but :
4 few yeers the argument against SOCIALISM,
WAS that no body OF men, In the Sulss OK
government, would be competent TO take possession
OF and manage all industry. That, as you know, -
the end of socialism, but within twenty-five years
Conditions have arisen which have proved. through
the trusts how competent man Is 10 EnanaSs Vssr |
We are face TO face to-day with the necessity OF
evils of consolidation In the (
building tp OF great monopOlies that do not act for
the benefit Of the public II labor is inexoranty !,
robbed BY the present system then socialism ougns
Professor Clark expressed TIE fear that the mas !
scramble for Office under a sOcialist1c res1rns ;
would result in hatred. malice and all un- :
cFarita beness than is produced under the present
system He said that the average workers income
would not sufficiently increased under SOCIAL
istic system to place him in different class, Wnls
there would certainly be a falling on in the aTnoune
of production and in general efficiency OF labor
The Rev Dr. Washington GLADDEN. said that ~
he did not believe that cO-OneratiOn rather tna2
connection was destined 10 be Of the greatest ser
vice 10 humanity he would. quit preaching tas
Gospel once and added
believe that there are great possibilities undsr
ar,y- svstenl that can get better motive down into
the hearts Of men Whether the present system =
working toward better conditions Is mater oA
very grave doubt believe that sucI o1SSl-
nos , IS q natural monopoly should De IN ths
hands OF the government and that the problem OF
for long time 10 come VIII De tnaA
of deciding where the dividing une peCV cen COZ
Iectiyisn1 and private ownership shall be placed