The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-12-20
Hail Spirit of Christmas: Labor ....
Brings Its Message of Good Will

e Z NdnSshs1f xith grexasr elissf t6s GO ne ths
Christmas season. with it's messages OF peace and
good will and it's awakening or the brother spirit
in the hearts Of humanity, than he who is active
in the stern struggle of the workers to maintain
some degree Of dignity and independence against
the inyasions and expressions Of inhuman in
dustry.
If Christmas would only hold out throushout
the year, what blessing it would be! -.
The purpose Of the labor movement is to
spread the Christmas spirit all over the sheets of
the calendar.
It is not as appearances would indicate, q
movement founded upon selfish desire and i'm
PEELED by class hatred.
True it is militant, intensely militant, but not
with the spirit of the God of War, heartless and
conscienceless, and actuated by avarice revenge
1t is militant with the spirit of Righteousness,
of progress, Of aspiring indomitable humanity.
The word people expresses more than is usu
ally ascribed to it. 1t expresses above all things
the wonderful similarity and solidarity of the
members of the human race.
LIE Conte says: "The earliest known man, the
river-drtft man, though in low state of ctytliza
tion, was as thoroughly human any of u.s."
Whether we agree with his hint to the
higher origin of man we do agree that men are
much the same wherever we find them.''
There is marked equality of humanness in
mankind. And herein lies the basis Of the deep
tragedy of life as written by the cold hand of
modern industry.
Weighed in the scales of. humanity and
stripped of the clothes and conditions of social
differences, the mucker and the millionaire are
remarkably alike. They have the same appetites,
the same passions, the same sensibilities. It is
because of his equality in these that the muckers
life becomes such terrible tragedy.
Up the river last summer the writer, noticing
the child of wealthy merchant playing in the
sand with the child Of a poor workngman both the
youngsters In bathing suits and mutually chum-
mS, and dirty, remarked Isn't there heap of
democracy In a bathing suit?"
There Is a familiar story of the painters
model An Italian artist met one day a child of
remarkable beauty. He took 1t to his studio and
painted the sweet countenance: Hanging the
portrait the wall, he said: 1T ever / fluid a
perfect contrast to this beautiful face will paint
that also, and hang them side by side as ideals
of heaven and HE'LL ~
Years later, visiting in foreign country he
saw the most hideous object he ever gazed upon
"a fierce, haggard fiend, with garing eyes and
cheeks deeply furrowed with lust and crime
remembering his vow, the man of the brush
Immediately painted picture of the loathsome
character, to hang beside that of the lovely boy.
The contrast was perfect. The artists dream was
realized. Imagine, then his amazement when on
1nqu1rng into the history of this repusive wretch
he found that he was once the lovely &oy! S
1t is against the cruel hand of Industry that
writes In actual human life such trasedies tha
labor movement is militantly arrayed. It aims to
preserve the democracy OF youth between the chill
dren OF society throughout the span OF life f
would preserve the beauty OF youth blend = Il
the mature features of manhood and perfect it il
the rtpeness of old age. -. -. ! -@#.7 #"-I>
The Bishop OF London once said III i lived
IN the sums ! should be drunkard too!' #ss3
T. The labor movement says: .Remove the
slums by removing the things that make them
and preserve to society the purity and beauty and
richness OF humanity. lE - NJ. -
:: There Is the soundest social philosonhv AZ t,as
SAYING of Carlyle: Many man thinks tint IL ri