The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-11-28


for justice, it is petty annoyance and
spiteful vexation. A sense of proper
ton will prevent the friction which an
enforcement of rules pro-
duces. Sweet reasonableness and
willingness to oblige should govern
the relations between wage Garner
and employers; what savors of extor.
tiOn and resentment should be avoid
ed. Let us not forget that the en-
ployer does not stand outside of the
pale of charity.
The public also is deserving of some
consideration. It is the innocent
third party that in many cases has to
shoulder the cost of labor troubles. In
its quality as consumer it is also af
fected by an increase in wages, since
generally the manufacturer is able to
pass on the additional costs of pro.
duction. The public accordingly suf
fers unjustly if wages are unreason-
ably high and working hours unduly
short, or if the supply of skilled work
men is kept insufficient by artificial
and arbitrary limitations of the num-
ber of apprentices admitted to learn
the trade. No doubt such practices
will ALLEVIATE the sympathies of the
public and weaken the cause of the
unions.
But the Church requires justice of
all. She has reminded kings of their
duties; she is not backward in telling
the modern king, the great majorities,
that they also are subject to law and
order. If the unions resort to injus-
tice, the Church can have nothing to
do with them and must leave them
to their fate. But it is a great law
of the moral world that all injustice
comes to grief. Justice exalteth a
nation, but sin maketh nations miser-
able" prov. xiv, 34.) This applies
with equal force to individuals and
societies. Injustice is suicidal. 1t re-
coils with redoubled weight upon the
transgressor. God blesses and speeds
that cause only which is just all
around. It is disastrous policy
which will remedy past injustice by
perpetrating new injustice; it is thus
that the bulk of injustice and wrong
grows in the world and goes on breed
ing new monstrosities.
The Church denounces all attempts
to make the unions instruments and
vehicles of irreligious propaganda. If
the unions allow anti-Christian ten
denotes to be smuggled into the move
ment under false colors, the Church
must warn her children against them,
for much better than the gaining of
any economic advantage is the pre-.
servation of faith. Unions can only
expect Catholics to be active and loyal
members if they respect their most
sacred convictions, and exclude wan
ton attacks on their religious institu.
tions.
A religious leaven, a Christian tone
is indispensable to the unions if they
are not degenerate. Religion inspires
self-restraint, moderation and tolera.
tion, virtues without which no organi
zation can exist. The living faith Of
the Catholic, his highly developed
sense of duty, his keen appreciation
of matters pertaining to justice, his
rich fund of brotherly feeling, his
srrong consciousness of social respon
sibility, are SO many valuable assets
to the union. They increase it's moral
capital. They act as useful check on
the more immoderate demands of the
worldly inspired. Without the Cathc
lie element the trade unions cannot
overcome the contagion of Socialism;
it acts like the salt which preserves
from disintegration. Socialism is the
enemy of unionism. The leaven of
Socialism injects disturbing and dis.
solvent ingredient into the union; it
does not make for peace and modera-
ton, but leads to unjust and excessive
uSAuduuS, Iud5 pASClpiLoLAA6 CAdoA
of the classes. 1t makes a peaceful
settlement and harmonious adjustment
of mutual claims utterly impossible
BY allowing the irreligious spirit to
spread within its ranks the unions
undermine their own foundations, for
religion is the best safeguard against
excesses.
Collective Egotism.
3. "Jt is the spirit that quickeneth."
John vi, 64.) The policies of an or
ganization are ultimately determined
by the ideals from which it derives
it's inspiration. The fuller sanction of
the Church can only be given to a
movement which is neither anti-social
nor violent in it's deeper inspirations
and its hidden undercurrents.
The Christian law rejects egotism
which seeks self-realization and SELF
assertion at the expense of others and
the community. 1t demands subordi-
nation of the individual interests to
those of the large society. We are
all enough Christian to despise any
form of undiapujaod unva rnfahed nor.