Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-05
Tho Exercises

no Exercises
Tho Ivy day exercises Of the class Of
1916, the serious part Of Ivy day. open
ed shortly after 2.30 o'clock Friday
afternoon when the members of the
Junior class, clad in cap and gown,
and led by Class Marshal William D.
Ireland of Stetson, filed slowly down
the aisle Of Memorial hall and took
their places on the platform Class
Chaplain Robert Campbell. Jr., of Ev-
erett, Mass, then opened the program
with a short prayer. Following music
by Lovelrs Orchestra, Guy w. Lead
better, Junior class president, deliver
ed a brief welcoming address on behalf
of the class.
Augusta Boy Orator
Music again followed, after which
Hayward T. Parsons of Augusta. class
orator. delivered an excellent grafton
on Modern Industrial Justice" Mr.
Parsons said in part:
Modern Industrial Justice"
Hayward T. Parsons Of Augusta.
In the first half of the 18th century
we find England undergoing a series
Of industrial revolts, we find labor
revolving against capital and de-
manding a readjustment of industrial
conditions, readjustment by which
justice and not greed should deter
mine the standard treatment of the
employee by the employer. AS re-
suit Of this industrial strife we find a
man coming forward and evolving a
doctrine of justice which is working
itself out today in our own industrial
life a doctrine which, by this fulfill
ment in the present, gives evidence
that this man-Thomas Carlyle-had
established his theory on the funda-
mental basis Of truth.
For the cynic, for him who. with
narrow-visioned eye, looks in on hu-
man society. and viewing only the
avarice existent between man and
man, declares that true and complete
Justice is an impossible thing-for
this depressing individual Carlyle
manifested little patience. Today
such a person will tell you that the
square deal of the employer is I'M
known by the average employee,
such a person Will tell you that N
many instances the justice of the
employer has been returned by the
Injustice of the employee. But lei
US place this individual, as did Car
Iyie. among those who do not know
true justice from momentary ex-
pediency, do not see how justice
melts all manner of vested interests
and who do not realize that in the
re
and allows nothing else to rule and
reign" From people Of this class,
who 90 not recognize these funda-
mentals we receive in the present
and can expect in the future only !
cynical and pessimistic view of life.
But from those of US. whom our
friend the cynic will call rank ideal
lists, from those OF Us who believe as
cid Carlyle that justice although t
may be many times delayed some day
or two. some century or two yet IN
the last analysis is sure as life, Is
sure as death''--from such of us may
be expected an optimistic view of
the progress which justice is now
making in our own industrial life.
We in America have also had our
industrial troubles, revolutions OF
labor against the tyranny of capital
against the length of the working
oav. against the conditions under
which labor must pass that day and
finally against that most fundamental
of all labor comprehensive wage re-
ceived at the end of that day. Ana
in this last we have the basis OF the
whole disease a disease which eX-
perience has proved incurable by an;
one single remedy, disease Of busl-
ness in which the tissues must be cut
away before the heart of industrlailsm
is clearly exposed. And yet we have
constantly been progressing. we have
been cutting away the tissues. ana
gradually there has been evolving IN
the minds of the governing class
conception of justice which Is ever
seeking to free labor from the CHAINS
of serfdom under which it has SUI
fered and has ever been furtherlng
our attainment Of the ideal. In the
course of this progress labor has been
given a clean workshop and salts
factory working day and with the re-
moyal of these tissues we have been
nearing the heart of the whole mat
fer. for after all the demand OF all
labor in all time, as Carlyle says, is
a fair days wage for fair days
work"
And we in the present are remark
ABLY fortunate to be living In an age
when the foundation rather than the
outlying structure of the fortress IS
being assailed, when this diseased
heart of business is being treated
We should be proud of an age In
which this final justice is being COM
pretended, a justice which is awak-
ening a new responsibility in the en-
ployer. a Justice which is making
labor the partner rather than the
slave Of capital.
Today we can point not only to our
splendid governmental machinery,
which is ever seeking to better busi-
ness conditions. but also to oennite
examples of this development OF JUS
tice in the capitalistic body itesif. we
can point to men, heroes OF big busi-
ness. in whose hearts true justice mas
asserted itself, men who because OF
this Justice have won the directions
Of their employees. men like N. o:
Nelson. whose employees by virtue OF
bts cooperation own one-fourth OF
the Nelson Manufacturing Company,