The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-07-03
ABSTRACT OF AN ADDRESS DE.
LlVERED BY REV. {. v. o'HARA,
OF PORTLAND, ORE, AT THE
CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL CON.
VENTION.

Inc pIOUlGIuS WHICH COI-
temporary society, in so far as they
are peculiar to our age, have their
chief source in the industrial changes
and readiustments of the recent past.
They are largely concerned with the
well-being of the wage-earner and his
family,-by far the most important
element in our population.
In combating social ills we must
always have recourse in the first
place to the social principles of the
Gospel of Christ. Religion must be
our guide in every program of human
amelioration. The two great agencies
for calculating social principles in our
age are legislation and education.
The most remarkable transforma-
ton in industry and consequently in
modern life has come from the prac-
tical applications of science. The
science of chemistry is finding in
dustrial application with the most far
reaching consequences. An illustra-
ton is furnished by the recent dis
coyery by an American chemist OF
process which promises to double our
supply of gasolene. But what is OF
special concern is the fact that we in
America are entirely outclassed in
this field by Europe and in particular
by Germany. One of the first con-
sequences in this country of the
blockade of German commerce was
the realization that thousands of men
might be thrown out of work in our
factories because of our inability to
import German dyes.
This application of science to in
dustry is extended to every trade.
The significance of this development
is too obvious to require extended
comment. AS a nation we shall be
left far behind in the Industrial race
unless we provide a scheme of prac-
tical education for the masses which
will furnish an army of well trained
workers who will bring intelligence as
we'll as strength to their chosen trade.
The development of our own coun-
try has arrived at stage which rem
ders imperative such an organization
of industrial training. When this
government was established there
were a few millions of people inhabit'
ing the Atlantic sea-board. The sub
DUNG and the exploiting of the west
seemed as a vision and dream AS
the 18th century advanced the from
tiers receded before the western
migration until great American cities
looked out on the Pacific Ocean. The
steamploW and the self-binder are
symbols of the exploiting genius Of
18th century America. With an army
of unskilled labor We robbed the sol
and depleted the forests. We exported
our raw materials to Europe by the
ship load and bought back the finished
material with the added cost of skilled
foreign labor. Raw cotton which Eng
land bought from us at lac pound
she spun and Wove into cloth anC
sold back to us at dollar a pound
Germany bought our steel at 1c {
pound and copper at twelve cents {
pound and after giving employment tt
her highly skilled laborers sold oul
steel and copper back to us in scien
tifc instruments worth SO a pound.
Our forefathers with virgin con
tinent to exploit enjoyed a period o
prosperity Notwithstanding this thrift
less and eXtravagant housekeeping
But the days of exploitation are past
hundred million people now occup.
the land and the number will rapid.
increase by native birth and immigra
ton. The time was when every in
dustrious citizen could make LIVING
in this land of opportunity. And Their
are people so unacquainted with thu
actual conditions of today as to be
lieve that every honest and industriou
man can still make a decent living il
this country. But that time has gone
The army of unemployed is abroad il
the land. The roar of it's march il
heard from Boston Commons to TIN
Golden Gate. Reflect for moment
several hundred thousand able bodie'
American citizens are begging TO
work to ward off hunger and no worl
can be found for them. We have beer
bartering our natural resources an
have to rely on foreign skilled labo
for the finished products while on
own workmen to the number of nearl
million are begging for bread
What an indictment of our socia
economy!
Our economic policy must hence
forth aim to employ our own work
men in Transforming our raw ma
terials into highly finished products
For this we must provide skille,
workers and that means vocationa
training for the multitude.
Let us now consider our educationa
situation in so far as it bears upol
the social industrial problem. TIL
City Club of Chicago made thorough
going inquiry into the reasons why s
many children leave school befor
completing the elementary course an
into the Industrial life of these chi
dren. The committee reported tina
one-half of the school population
never finishes the eighth grade. An
what is more important that thos
pupils who leave school between tn
ages of IA and 16 and nominally "g
10 work" are idle half the time, an
earn during those two years not NOR
than an average of two dollars
week. Their idleness during a
least half the time, their frequen
passing from one job to another, thei
lack of any responsibility. necessaril