Denver labor bulletin., 1916-09-30

There are some things in which So
ciety is so profoundly interested that its
interests take precedence over the in
terests of any group OF men whatever.
One of these things is the supply OF the
absolute necessaries of life. 1t would
be intolerab!e if at any time any group
OF men by any process should be suf-
fered to cut society off from the neces-
sary supplies which sustain life.
but these supplies are of no use un-
less they can be distributed. and in the
matter of the distribution OF goods, par
ticularly of the goods that sustain life
and industry, the interest of society is
paramount to every other interest; and
the difficulty about all situations like
that which we have just passed thru is
this. that the main partner is left out
of the reckoning.
Rights of America Were at Stake.
"Thcse men were dealing with one an
other as if the only thing to settle WIS
between themselves. whereas the real
thing to settle was what rights had the
hundred million people of the United
States
"The business of government is to see
that no other organization Is as strong
as itself, to see that no body or group
of men, no matter what their private
interest is. may come into competition
with the authority of society; and the
problem which congress, because Of the
lateness of the session. has for a few
months postponed is this problem:
"By what means are we going to
oblige persons who come to a contro-
versy like this to admit the public into
partnership by which the thing IS dis
cussed and decided
THAT is not an easy problem A great
many different methods have been pro-
posed and one Of the reasons why con-
cress thought IL necessary to postpone
the decision for few months was that
there were so many honest differences
of opinion. not as to the object, but as
to the method.
How to Do It? Eternal Question.
eI want to suggest to you means OF
testing your fellow men as to whether
they Know what they are talking about
or not II Is not necessary for a man
to come and argue with me an obvious
moral principle but I am very much in
terested when he comes and argues with
me how he Is going to make 1t wn-S.
And when men saw We must not permit
any organization TO neglect the interests
Of societv.' I saw. Amen. but what
want to sit down and discuss with you
+ how arr we gong TO prevent it.' ira
only thing worth talking about in poll
tics or any other sphere i the eonstruc-
tive idea: How are Won going to do it,
I'VE all know, or at any rate we pre-.
tend to know. what we ought to do.
but we do not all know how to do il
and the very difficult question which th'
American people is now face TO face with
and which they are going to settle, i,
this:
How are we going to organize our
participation as a partner in the settle
ment OF disputes between capital and
labor which interrupt the life of the
nation.'
"I invite all subscribers to suggest a
method
"The question is apt to be ob=cured in
some quarters as If We were saving that
it was the right of the government or OF
! organized society. which is another term
! for the same thing. to say to a man:
\ 'You must work whether Won want to
or not but it is privileged to say to
an organization of persons: You must
/ not interrupt the national life without
consulting us
at is not a question of bligsting in
dividuals: il is question of enforcing
a partnership and seeing TO it that n"
organization which we all belong to and
I support and call and love by the name
of our own government violates any
] rule that has for its purpose the regard
of all the people.
$50 laid a program before congress
] by which. at any rate, a beginning might
] be made in that direction. and that pro
gram is going to be proceeded with.
+ Way to Confidence Is Earning of 1t.
"Is is no fun talking unless you can
expect to do something. The only zest
that ever comes into affairs for man
with ned blood in his veins is the zest
/ that comes when he is put to it to think
( out difficult thing and do it; and
Z for my part congratulate the business
men of America that some of their dit
I ficulties have been removed by legisia-
I ton; that they have been fortified
I against certain forms of control which
must have been intolelable to them; that
they have had their real commercial
] strength put at their service by such
acts as the federal reserve act for eN-
ample, and that now. If they think they
can conquer the world, il is up to them
l to do it: and that nobody is going to as
I sist them. because il is thing in which
/ they cannot he assisted by anything but
/ their own brain.
I'VE are now out in the open. competi.
i tors for the confidence Of the world. sud
there is only one way to get it, and that
/ is to earn il
ITO Turn Back Would Be Craven
81 cannot imagine anything more in
/ spring than to be put on your rnettle
I after legislation has taken the shackles
I off YOU and appraised you. You know
/ that You are no mans servant. Reac-
/ ton in this matter would shut us up
] like a province. To turn back upon any
I portion of the road we have Travelled
world be craven.
"To pretend that we are able to com
pete with the world and then cringe at