The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-11-25
The Lecture Written Here.

Concerning the lecture of George l..
McNutt, the dinner pail man." who
worked as a day laborer in the streets
of Norfolk up until last week, on the
paving job, an Omaha paper says:
The invitation extended to members
of the Central Labor union to attend
the lecture on THE Average Man
by George L. McNutt, the dinner pail
man." resulted in an unusually large
attendance at the First Congregations
al church, Nineteenth and Davenport
streets, Sunday evening.
The speaker touched upon some of
the issues involved in the late cam
paign during his address, and strenu-
Gus opposition to ordinary church
methods of dealing with certain
phases of conditions of today was re-
vealed by his statements in this con-
nection. He said in part:
The campaign just closed offers a
rich field for sociological investigation
and reflection. The thing called Dahl
manism so strenuously opposed by the
prayers and the sermons of Protest
ant preachers, was Endorsed by two
thirds of the voters Of Omaha and
Douglas county.
"Waiying all questions of who is
right the gap between preacher and
people in purposes and in principles
is significant and SOLDERING. Analysis
would show that the heavy vote
against the preachers was made up
of the average man. the man of MAN.
races, who digs the sewers, hauls the
coal, cuts the ice, mixes the mortar
and repairs the streets.
This man today in Omaha and
most cities is a stranger to the preach
er's voice in the pulpit and slow to
heed his voice in a campaign. This
! is not strange to one who would seek
the jobs of the average man.
"The saloons of Nebraska are the
labor employment bureaus. When 1
| bunch of us received our checks after
banking hours up in Madison county
we were told we could get them cash
ed in any saloon. We could and did.
81 stood in line with crow of ltal
ians while the saloOnkeeper, whose
voice would make these men of Italy
hearken to an issue involving the sa
loon, played banker. When one will
them, these average men speak to IN,
bitterly of wine cellar prohibitionists,
and right guys who would take away
the saloon and perpetuate the we
goods club.
These average men may be al
wrong, but it is not very strange, afte
ten hours a day at meaningless labo
and nights in a rank smelling bunk
house, that these men, whose ideals
are ready to perish. beat it to thu
nearest place to drink and forget thei
poverty and remember their miser
no more as the mother of King Lem
uel suggested.
1--WE have offered this man richie
untold in the new Jerusalem. He |
inclined to discount our promises an,
go in for a time here. 1t is a matte
of very recent history that we hav
opposed Sunday newspapers, the aver
age mans circulating library, Sunda,
street care, the average mans auto
mobile, and Sunday baseball, the pic
ture shows, the dance, the cheap the
alter.
I'VE have been long on 'don'ts' an
very short on vigorous social pre-
gram. Until the saloon substitute
found the saloon will remain socia
factor, almost a physical necessity t
the average man and a power in pol
tics,
MANY who rejoice IN the defeat O
Dahlmanism' are bitter against tn
leveling influences OF labor unions, bu
: we to whom is committed the oracle
of God might well Dause with reyaI