The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-08-16

the appearance of another powerful
factor, namely, the economic aspect
which the problem assumes. In deal
ing with what are called moral prob
lens, we are only beginning to take
into consideration the influence OF
economic conditions in determining
human conduct.
The mode of observing the Sab
bath, and the statutes enacted to en-
force it, found their rise in purely
agricultural communities. Men, ac-
customed to work out of doors all the
week, coming at last YEARLY to day
OF rest, were quite ready and willing
to spend that day In doors. For rest,
primarily, is change, and men who
have been out of doors all week find
a change within doors Consequently
the statutes relating to Sabbath OBJ
servance were the more easily and
readily accepted by the people, be-
cause, aside from any considerations
Of religion or piety, they were in con-
formity with their impulses, their de-
sires, and their necessities. In the
city, however, a different state exists.
Here, the conditions OF employment
are such that men, for the most part,
are in doors all the week, and when
the day of rest comes, they, or at least
those to whom it does come, naturally
as their country cousins. went in
doors, seek recreation in the open air.
Again, when we reflect upon the
intensity OF the modern struggle for
- ~ h
upon the vital forces Of men In the
economic conflict, the long hours Of
toll In close and often i'll ventilated
shops, stores and factories, the nerv-
GUS strain. the risk and danger in
operating machines it will be seen
that some relaxation is necessary.
and this fact, more than any other,
explains the search for amusement,
the theatre, the ball game and all
that. These things become neces-
sity under the economic conditions
of today. The saloon, it is true,
stands upon somewhat different
grounds, yet, where the resort to 1t
can not be explained on the ground
of real or fancied social necessity, it
being the only public place where
many men may meet freely as equals
and enjoy each others society, it is
found to be due to the necessity for
stimulation decreed by the same In
satiable machine, which, by exhaust
ing mems bodies in the mad greed
for profits, drives them to stimulants
in an impulsive effort to restore their
wasted forces and exhausted bodies.
And beyond all this, deeper, sadder,
more pathetic far than all this, is
the fact that thousands by society's
grim machine are driven to drink by
poverty, quite as often as they are
driven to poverty by drink. Indeed,
I think that Mr. Tom L. Johnson
spoke the truth when he said that
there are more people who drink be-
cause they are miserable, than there
are people who are miserable because
they drink =. -,..->@ Z. y =
The Sabbath realized by our Puri-
tan ancestors has been altered by the
conditions Of our economic system.
And, If as, is often said and the fact
dep1ored, the Sabbath has been de-
stroyed 1T has been commercialism
that. has DESTROYED it. I have already
tried broadly to indicate how tha
necessities Of making living under
our present conditions have affected.
the customs and habits Of men.
Specific instances might. be given
which show how directly and posi-
lively the Sabbath has been wrested
away from the people. :@..=.
It is a common thing in our. cities
to see large stores closed on Sunday.
the curtains duly drawn. and the
employees. some Of them at least. thus
granted day Of rest and recreation.
But meanwhile all over the land
there are freight train running, and
engineers, dremens. conductors. brake
men, switchmen, hagmen, despatch-
ers, truckers, and numerous other
employees. telling long hours, at hard
and dangerous labor, to rush goods
to those emporiums by Monday morn
ing. Now, 1t is not. fair to lay the
blame Of this ondition on the pro-
prietors for they can not help It.
They, like the men and women work
ing for them, are in the grip Of the
commercial machine, and can no..
escape. All they can do, is to use
their undoubted influence to bring
about conditions OF toll less onerous
to- the masses, and, abandoning the
efforts to have statutes passed and
enforced to make men good by COM.
polling them To observe the Sabbath.
see to It that more fundamental
statutes are 80 altered and amended
that every man will have the same
chance. the same opportunity, to be
coed chat they have.
I1s M ten cannot Ne Tor et to- be Eoos,
but sthey II ~ IOos1 4 1ifsen the
Eoppor tanit nm sics