The Washington herald., 1915-05-11

Indeed capital may be said to be human nature
For the property that identity with capital is
merely the external expression OF human needs
and human achievements.
From our habits OF regarding capital nhu-
man we have naturally fallen into the way OF for
getting ignoring its essential humanity.
Capital has some beautiful qualities. 1t is often
exceedingly generous Without it We should be
fearfuy crippled. We should have to begin all
over again and accumulate capital. Think
what a task that would mean. what labor For,
OF course capital is labor, beautifully dressed,
so comfortably and richly housed. that have
stopped calling it labor 1t has gone SO far
as to change its and to deny that it is
labor. to refuse TO acknowledge rcla-
tonship with labor For this denial ought not
to capital. 1t merely displays very
mon human weakness. We all know how
comfortable rich people be made by their
poor relatives, how they be put to shame.
And in defense OF capital, it should be borne in
mind that labor has been aprreciatve OF the
relation either. Often II acts as 1t It did not
realize that it was the very life OF capital.
The truth is that the difference between capi-
tai and labor is only difference in manners.
Some people think that, the whole. the man
spite OF outbreaks OF extreme rudencss the
ners of labor better They say that capital,
instead of being openly rude. can be naughty and
covcrtly malicious and cruel, even murderouS.
But there is ono great virtue in capital that
ought to be appreciated and held up before labor
as example and an inspiration. Capital stands
by its own. 1t has wonderful solidarity. All
over the world the friends OF labor clamoring
for the rights OF labor. They giving express
sion to profound human sympathy And yet Of
solidarity they know nothing. Many don't
to value it or even to think OF it. In spite of
their devotion to what they believe to be the
cause OF justice they find plenty OF time to quar-
rel among themselves. Sometimes the causes are
absurd appear almost unreal They
like those fanatic disputes Of the medieval phil
osophcrs about matters that have existence only
in the imagination. To hear Some OF the friends
OF labor talk about one another is OF the most
diSheartcning experiences in the world. 1t shows
how much people will sacrifice, even people with
generous aspirations. for the sake of their
opinions.
Do we ever hear capitalists fighting one
other ior the sake OF opinions2 Never They
know better They know that there is some
thing vastly more important to them than their
opinons-ther power. and all that their power
brings them in the way of advantage over their
poor blood relative, labor.
And yet. between capital and labor there is
no comparison in natural advantage 1t is all on
the side OF labor. Its friends have everything.
The world is theirs They need only reach out
their hands. But when they do reach out their
hands it is to grapple with another. TO
wrestle to create strife OF the most dist acting
kind.
When will the leaders of labor see the folly
OF this proceeding' Many OF them. it is true.
claim that they see already But they profess
10 be helpless. Even ii they were TO give up their
theories, they say that the others will not.
Perhaps the only way is to call together
great convention OF the sympathizers with labor
all over the world for the purpose OF finding
way out of this mass of opinion to common
ground OF sympathy. Once arrived there. labor
may have chance to work toward the solidarity
that lie in the very nature OF capital that
has given capital its overwhelming authority and
power.
Already there are certain fundamental princi-
pies that the friends Of labor agree on. These
should be emphasized The differences. should be
forgotten. For what is important among men lies
not in their differences 1t lies in those universal
principles that the foundation of justice
and humanity that establish the dependence OF all
men another.
Questisa for Mr.. Cardner
Congressman Gardner NAV easily prove that