The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-03-25

INtNs JVStDH lytullluB Ol llle 81.
.Mary's Catholic church gave the in
itlal sermon, yesterday, of series
which he has arranged on Socialism.
There is perhaps no man better able
to discuss this question than Rev.
Denning, who is not only a brilliant
and forceful orator but profound
thinker and scholar. The sermons
come as the result of thorough in
vestlgation. study and Thought, and
the series promises to attract great
interest
Yesterday Rev. Denning handled his
subject from the Labor Point OF
View" The second Sunday in April
he will give THE Capitalists Point of
View" Yesterday he said:
Disorder amongst laborers and
conflicts with their employers have
become so frequent that no one who
Is interested In the public welfare can
remain Indifferent. Some Of us read
the newspapers and form our opin-
ions very freely--at times too freely
ami without rehection--and thus lead
others 20 accept our views or obscure
the real labor problem. Others will
carefully study the situation recOg-
nizlng both the reign Of law and the
Industrial situation, and will force the
question to the front for consideration.
The labor union in particular deserves
much credit for forcing the world to
study ita condition.
"The situation today is really apall-
ing and all ought to study it. Millions
of our people are being slowly sep
arated and distinct laborng class as
distinguished from the wealthy class
Is coming inlo existence. Laborers
today constitute a distinct individual
class which is assuming the character
lstlcs OF political body. They have
peculiar vlcws about our Institutions
governments and its possibilities. and
these views they reduce TO platform
tonstructing thereon labor party
This separation OF the lahorlne
class is vital one. 1t is contradic-
tlon OF all our accepted democratic So
cial t'cas. 1t Is the result of the way
! we arc living and cannot be Tolerated
Ia the Industrial world. If we can
meet this difficulty and solve IL, our
triumph will DE glorious. II we fail
the Socialist will be true prophet
with greaE m. ssiOn Contests con-
cernng property rights. jurisdiction Of
tho courts. strikes. low wages, long
hours. uncertainty of employment and
the absolute dependence Of the work
man on the employer. Wives, moth
ers and children working in factories
and fathers and brothers are today
attended with bitterness and sur
pressed hatred.
'"rhe employer looks on the situa-
ton and sees no difficulty. The pub
lie in general is not Interested but the
workman Is thrilled and aroused and
It does seem worth while to look at
the situation from the laborer's point
of view. 10 see with his eyes, 20 hear
with his ears. and to judge with his
mind. This will help us to understand
him anli assist us in finding out what
are his ideals. views and desires.
The Laborcr's View.
'iyor generations the laborer has
been taught that the government eX-
lists for che people and that all men
are equal. Gifted only with natural
logic he Is inclined to take the words
nfe liberty and equality I'm a liberal
sense, one not Intended by nature or
the declaration OF independence He
compares what the government prom
Uses to do for him and whal, 1t has
tone and concludes that 1t is a fall
ure He secs the laws of the country
protecting the citizen from assault and
murder. but he sees no law protecting
him when the capitalist forces him ~
starve Nowhere does he read that
the laws Of the land guarantee to the
laborer right to earn a digniiled liv-
ing. At times ne must accept any
kind of work, any kind of conditions
or wages. He must work in filthy
unsanitary sweat shops which under
mine his health. He sees his little
children unprotected from foul disease
in wretched factories. He knows that
they are doomed to despair before
they know any hope. And when Inc
realizes all this; when he searches
day by day for a job; when his bed
Is often times a newspaper in an old
depot, he feels khere is a nasty note
in the protection that the government
gives him. often he Will commit
some crime to be sent to prison that
he may get food and warmth.
"The laborer believes thai. he Is a
slave. He has no part in the wage
contract, the fixing of wages and the
conditions of work are not fixed by
law, He sees the law guaranteeing
him the secrecy OF the ballot, and yet
his employer tells him that he has JUS
placed an order for 5000 cars on con-
dition that a certain candidate is elect
ed. This may have been meant wei,
but he feels that he has been coerced
The law recognizes his right to join
the labor union, hut there is no law
preventing the employer dischargng
him or refuse to give him work II he
belongs to union and his discomfort
is intensified
'Trhe equality promised by our gov
ernment he finds vain promise lie
does not believe that he is socially or
politically equal to other men. Social
prominence he sees resting only on
wealth and they who have no prop
erty are not the equals OF those VINO
have. He looks TO no law for assist
ance, as he has no money to go TO
, law, and naturally he looks upon the
pursuit of happiness as held out 10 nun