Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-01-04
Portends and FOreshadOws Peril
to Product of Christian
Civilization.
Bourke Cochran Gives Defini-
ton With Which But Few
Differ.
Says Its Growth Is Due to
Ignorance of Its
Aims.
WHAT THE CHURCH STRIVES FOR

In a lecture on Socialism" under
the auspices of the Brooklyn Knights
of Columbus, delivered by Hon.
Bourke Cochran just before his de-
parture for Europe. the noted Irish
American orator said:
"The question of Socialism is little
understood by many people. The
tendency is to criticize every doc
trine one dislikes as being of a So
cialistic nature. In Congress, If
member dislikes bill, he declares it
unconstitutional, and as such regis
ters his vote against it. That we
understand what Socialism really is,
permit me to give a definition with
which few Socialists differ. Social
ism is a social democracy in which
all agencies of production and dis
tribution are controlled by the State.
This teaching portends and fore
shadows peril to the institutions
which are the product of Christian
civilization. There is vast differ
ence between the powers belonging
to the State and to those belonging
to the individual. There are certain
facilities which private concerns
undertake, such as lighting and
means Of travel, which the State
would necessarily have to provide
for in the event that these private
concerns were notpermitted to do so.
Operation of railways, water systems
and telephones are essentially public
functions, and if private agencies
lare unwilling to construct or admin
lister these enterprises, the State ie
Nlnd to do so.
&hen the State undertakes to as
sun control of private individual
pur she is exercising a power
that agonistic to the conditions
of civ on under which we live
What izatiop? CiyliAet,on is
that forh exia.Mpp,Qa Id =.
and women cooperate for their
mutual benefit. There are two
kinds of co-operation-tha which is
voluntary and that which Is enforced.
There must be cooperation in every
civilization, because IL people did
not work together we should he
unable to support our present large
population. Civilization is Industrial
cooperation, in which all men con-
tribute to the common welfare Of
all. Voluntary cooperation is the
direct result of Christian training.
Socialism proposes to restore serv-
itude and labor despotism in govern
ment. which the church has been for
hundreds of years striving to over
throw.
Let us examine the socialistic
claim that wages should be increased
by the practices of their doctrines.
Wages is that part of the reward the
laborer receives in compensation
for his toll. The Socialists assert
that the employer receives a greater
snare OF the production Of the la
Dorer than he is entitled to. Take
this chair as an example. A man
receives IS day for his work. and
In that time he makes a chair that is
worth $25. He is getting one-fifth
OF the value of the chair. The So
cialists maintain that the boss re-
ceiyes the remaining four-fifths for
his profit In reality he does not.
Tor he necessarily has to pay for his
tools, lumber and other. materials
which go toward making up the
chair. If the working man increases
his output per day he thereby in
ereases the prosperity Of his en-
ployer and the direct result Is an
increase OF wages to him. Now let us
take the Socialist plan of substituting
the State for the private agency.
Jobs would be given to politicians,
and these office-holders, who would
have very little knowledge OF their
work, would deprive skilled laborers
OF their positions. As result the
output of the commodity would be
materially diminished and the wages
OF the laborer would be necessarily
decreased.
"The Socialists claim that their
plan of government would eliminate
Industrial quarrels. OF course there
would be no strikes. The state can
not negotiate with its subjects, II
must command them. This means
enforced labor or cooperation, which
is a synonym for servitude which
Christianity has overthrown. Social.
ism once entrenched In power would
secure a powerful control over the
government and II would be hard TO
overthrow H. Why the growth OF
Socialism. II It is but restoration Of
hateful conditions? Il Is largely due
TO extraordinary misconception OF
Socialistic teachings. Socialists COM
plaiu Of certain conditions which we
deplore. Many abuses have grown
up in our Government which must
and will be corrected without the -.
aid Of the Socialists. Your very
Ill. l.. N. a.
proof that you are engaged in a
work OF purifying the evils of ciyiIi-
zation."