The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-11-21
ORGANIZED LABOR
Real Contribution to the Work
of Civilization.
A CATHOLIC CHURCH VIEW.

Warranted In Principle and Justified
In Achievement-To Suppress Trade
unionism Would Rob Progress of a
Main Support.
Those who find it difficult to be pa
tient With organized labor and who
honestly believe that it menaces highly
priced liberties will sometimes find
their views widened, their spirit Of
liberation broadened and their under
standing sharpened when they en-
deavor to catch wider truths Of whose
existence the labor unions give strik>
ing proof.
4 Given ideals of American life as
they have been handed down and Civ
en- the industrial conditions which con
fronted the American laborer, organi-
cation of labor became inevitable. 1t
was the necessary protest against un-
bearable conditions and the necessary
aspiration toward those ideals which
millions saw too dimly to be satisfied.
but loved too dearly to lose without a
struggle. Had American laboring men
not created their unions they would
have shown the spirit of slaves and
they would have merited the fate Of
| the slave.
| Organized labor stands for definite
| ethical Judgment Of human life, Of the
family and Of society. This judgment
of life is wider and deeper and much
nearer the whole truth of existence
than the mere political or economic
estimate Of life. This latter is in
! trenched in our institutions, and 1t con-
dennis severely the principles and
methods by which laboring men aim
painfully to work their judgment of
life into our civilization.
Organized labor Is the ally Of all
employers who hold to the ethical
Judgment of life rather than to the
economic. One win scarcely pretend
that competition is an ethical inven-
! ton; one will scarcely claim that the
competitive struggle calls into play
the nobler and higher faculties of
those who compete. Now, the employ
err who has high moral principIes-and
there are many who haye-who is CON-
PEELED to compete with the employer
who has low moral principles is at
the mercy of the latter unless he re-
ceives assistance from those in the
ranks Of labor who cherish ideals and
are willing to struggle for them.
Again. the laboring class has ideals,
and it does not find those ideals es-
manner to satisfy its aspirations.
These ideals have come to strongest
expression in the labor movement, and
in so far as the labor movement has
affected the lawmaking. public opin-
ion and social standards to that ex-
tent our institutions and our tradi-
tions commence to incorporate the
spirit of labor's idealism. To suppress
organized labor, to hinder it from
working day and night, to apply its
principles and its views in our social
life. would be to rob the progress of
one OF It's main supports.
Organized labor is part Of a world
movement that Will in modified form
control the future. 1t is warranted in
principle, it is justified in achievement,
hopeful In outlook and Is a real contri-
button to the institutional work OF
civilization. 1t is all this and more
than this in spite of its mistakes, In
spite Of Its mistaken policies, In spite |
of demagogues who have misled it. in |
spite of its impotence, In spite Of its |
lack of historical sense. The histori. |
cal antecedents of those who oppose |
organized labor are none too honorable. |
lt would be well for the sincere mind |
ed man who fights the labor union to |
look around II widely and In spirit |
of fair mindedness before sitting down |
to advocate its determination. If 1t |
were trusted more by the powers that |
be 1t would make fewer mistakes and |
would have less excuse for them. On |
the whole, it would seem wisest to /
welcome 1t In our modern civilization |
and to cooperate with 1t in bringing |
out what Is best and noblest in the
workingmen and In lifting them into |
wider participation in the prizes of |
life.-Rey. DR.. William J. Kerby, Cath. |
Ollie University, Washington.
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