The wageworker., 1910-01-29

friends and sympathizers. But every |
now and then the list is extended. |!
This was the case last Sunday, when
Rev. A. J. Northrup, pastor of Trinity |
NJ E. church, took up the cudgels in
defense of the wage earners and de-
manded of his hearers that they do
their Christian duty and help the
street railway employees secure just
treatment and living wages
Rev. Mr.. Northrup did not mince
his words at all when he spoke on this
human topic. He struck straight from
the shoulder, and that his words are
having their effect is already apparent.
Taking for his text Revelations 3:12,
Him that overcometh will I make a
pillar in the sanctuary of my God,''
Rev. Mr.. Northrup speedily brought
his application home to local condi-
tions. Speaking for the motormen and
conductors he said:
I'VE as church ought to demand
for these men a living wage, based not
on seven days a week and twelve
hours in the day, but six days week
and ten hours a day. Continuing he
said:
! Coming home to Lincoln, / wonder
how many of you have asked the street
railway men-motormen and conduc-
tors-to attend church. I am sure that
many of you have. If so, you will re-
member the cynical smile as the man
replies, I have no Sundays But
say, surely you have other days off
in the month We have no days off
unless we take them off, he answers,
and we cannot afford to do that and
support the family decently on wage
running from 1S to "a cents an hour"
"One of them said to me, I tell you
that life hasn't much in it for a man
who works every day in the week and
twelve hours day. The workman
emphasized this fact: We do not
want our time of labor cut down to
ten hours day and six days in the
week: for you understand that we can
not live and live decently, on that
basis
7 "Now my insistence is this: We as
a church ought to demand for these
men living wage based not on seven
days in the week and twelve hours in
the day, but on six days in the week
and a ten-hour day. l am not a pes
; simist, but If we do not take this
stand, in a few years as Lincoln grows
| the street car men and their families
!. are going to be alienated from the
churches of this city.
81 am not saying that the condi
: tions in Lincoln are SO much worse
. than in some of the other cities. / an
insisting that with the favorable con
ditions here they ought to be great
, deal better. We ought, as Christian
citizens, to protest against the manip
ulations by which there is an unrea
| sonable fictitious increase of stocks
/ and we ought to have manhood enough
to demand that if it is necessary that
the cost of the fare be increased te
the point where these men may have
; living wage based on six days in the
week and a ten-hour day, rather thar
/ seven days in the week and twelve
| hour day.
Rev. Mr. Northrup is not, however
the only minister who has espouset
the cause of the street car men, nor is
he alone in his advocacy of shorter
day, increased wage and six days {
week. So far as known, however, he
l is the first minister in the city to dea
: directly with the question from the
, pulpit.
"There are great many men in the
congregations of the various churches
of the city who own stock in the Trac
tion company" he said in discussing
the matter Monday, land 1 suppose
that this is the reason why the minis
ters have had so little to say in re
gard to the injustice that is being
done the street car employees"
This is rather plain talk, but as il
comes from ministerial lips it must be
accepted as true, although it is rather
a severe arraignment of the clergy o.
the city. Rev. Mr.. Northrup declare:
that his sentiments are echoed by {
$ large majority of the membership O
! his congregation The Church Broth
erhood of Trinity congregation will
l have the matter up for full discussion
: next Monday evening, and it is likel!
l that several union men will be present
t among them few motormen and con
Y ductors.
e The Star of Monday evening pub
lished synopsis of Rev. Mr.. North