El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-06
SOCIALISM IS
AGAINST UNIONS
Peter Collins Declares So
cialists Speak Two Ian
guages; K. G. Lecture.

Socialism. while appealing to the /
1aborine man for its following, is OPP
nosed to labor unions declared Peter !
w. Collins former international sec
retarv of the International Electrical ,
rnion and now of the lecture bureau !
of the knights of Columbus, 10 an
audience that filled the IeXas Grahd |
theater Sunday night o..
Ana why is socialism opposed 10 /
1abor Tnions2" he continued. Because
unionism stands for peace and mar
r1onv while socialism is against those /
things. Union labor is Wiling 10 sil
down with capital and work out agree
ment regarding working conditions,
md stands on the ground that labor
and capital are ESSENTIAL to each other
while socialism condemns In plter
terms the capitalistic class. Union Ia
Dor recognizes evils and seeks 70 cor
rect them by remedies; socialism wants
Won TO tear down the building because
there is a leak in a pipe
SDeaks Two Languages.
The speaker declared that socialism
has two languages; the acauellIC, olle
main doctrine of which IS the mater
iaIistfc conception of history, and the
other that comes from the soap box
orator. The language Of the one is not
understandable to the other, he de-
cIared. He showed that none OF the
great leaders OF the socialisuc propa.
labor and that none of them were IN
sympathy with labor's hopes and aspir-
..'The theory of socialism denies the
existence of God" he declared while
the workman as a class is deeply spirit
nal" He showed that Christ and his
apostles were working men and dignl-
fled labor Socialism, he said, says that
religion has been abolished by science:
yet all great scientists were men OF
fnff ntrau a
their Inspiration from religion.
Against 10 Commandments.
socialism stands against the 10 COM
mandments," declared the speaker.
Now [ am not here to apologize for
] the 10 commandments They have
stood the test of time, guiding men
/ throughout the ages and VIII continue
to guide them through the ages TO
come The lack Of the 10 command
ments is, what is the matter with the
world tOday.s
! Lack of harmony. said Mr.. Collins,
/ is what is wrong with the world today.
! Harmony, he said, is one or the essen
| tial laws of God. The lack Of harmony
! among men, he said, is the cause OF
all misery Men are fighting in the
trenches in Europe today because there
is lack of harmony among men He
| spoke of the divorce evil as lack OF
harmony in the family circle and OF
| lack of harmony among men and
women because Of failure to recognize
! the right of every man to worship as
! he chooses
! Lack of Harmony.
'Ihere are many evils that exist as a
result of lack of harmony between cap
ital and labor" said the speaker "One
is the evil Of the underpaid laboring
, man. The welfare OF the working class
| affects every branch of society. Around
, the evil of the underpaid workman is
| gathered IS percent of all the evils OF
drunkenness, ignorance and squalOr.
! The remedy is a living wage, a wage
( sufficient to provide the necessaries OF
| life, to properly feed and clothe the
| family and to provide for the gaining
/ of a home.
! Child Labor.
Another evil is that of child labor.
| There are today 100000 children IN
/ der 16 years of age working for wages.
] still another evil is the evil OF IN
| employment. From eight to IL percent
! of our laboring class are out Of en-
! plOyment during part Of a year There
! is something wrong with the world
/ when there is no employment for all
| men who want to work.
Employment bureaus.
! Something is being done along the
( line of finding employment for the IN
f, employed. The government has estab-
{ lished an employment bureau in con-
nection with 5000 of the postoffices.
! Another great evil is the great loss
! of life and injuries sustained IN indus
! trial plants. The sacrifice of a single
life brings about a tragedy"
! All the evils, the speaker declared
. were merely sores on the body, requir-
) ing but the proper remedies The vart-
: Gus interests, working in harmony, can
. bring about improvements in social con-
: dftions Capital" he stated is IN
/ herentlv right There are some graft
I ers, but to condemn capital because
: there are grafters is not right. Capt.
/ tai is not robbery. It is merely the ac-
I emulation Of savings
Called "a Judas"
| At the close Of his lecture he gave
| his audience an opportunity to ask
| questions A number took issue with
| him on questions of socialism and its
| relation to labor. One person. with a
| slightly foreign accent accused him Of
| being "a Judas betraying labor"
Are you a laboring man. ased the
| speaker.
| Il am"
DO YOU carry a card?'
Yes, sir"
| LET me see it."
After fumbIing in his pockets for 4
I few moments the man announced that
! he had left il in his other coat.
"Hereis Peter Collins's union card"
! said the speaker, displaying card. II
! am a member of the electrical workers
I i'm good standing and will always be.
| A good union man always has his card
|