Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1916-03-02


All life has a physical basis. Ths
human being is no exception and the
4 system that robs man of what nj:
labor produces also destroys his man
hood and is responsible for his failure
in life.
There are thousands of so-called
criminals today who were made wnat
they are by the system in which il
is crime to pilfer penny and al
honor to rob the people OF millions
These unfortunates crowd all of oul
prisons to their capacity. The other
day the governor OF Missouri pardon
ed a lot OF them and paroled another
| lot because the prison Wuulu no long
er hold them.
An overwhelming majority of these
homeless, hapless, Deaten, broken
brothers of ours could be. reclaimed
and made men OF ii they were but
given the chance. The proof OF this
/ is beyond doubt.
A few days ago l was shown about
49, 4AO04J 0O40 b0LOAAOD1ACfs WIZ No.
at Detroit, the mose marvellous indus.
trial plant In the world. snail make
no attempt to DESCRIBE lnls vast in
stitution, utterly bewildering in its
qualifications and overwhelming in its
immensely, but simply want to show
that Henry Ford has demonstrated to
the world beyond cavil that he can
make men out OF the most hardened
and hopeless criminals, so-called, by
simply giving them a decent chance
to live.
Henry Ford takes the convicts that
are released from state prisons, sets
them to work eight hours a day in
light, warm, comfortable quarters,
and with every safeguard against dam
ger, and pays them S. day. Henry
Ford proves, moreover, that it pays
him financially to do it. z
1t is fact which anyone can verify
hat Henry Ford has taken convicted
~nieves, pickpockets, prostitutes, burg
ar, dope-fiends, murderers, both
.iale an0 female, who were supposed
% be hopeless degenerates, and has
made men and women of them. There
5 nothing strange or miraculous about
his. 1t is simply the operation Of
.4,u1al law and demonstrates the
moulding and determining power of
human environment.
Frank P. O'Hare of st. Louis, who
gently visited the plant, wrote in
regard to it: Il saw women-hnndreds
/ them-doing kindergarten work at
day no piece work, no bonus sys
-, just free-for-all. If Henry Ford
nothing else it would get him
Up near the throne of grace. !
los,.y believe those girls and wo-
pray for him at night Anyway
hey have tears in their eyes when
hey tell how Henry Ford lifted then
- out of their SIS, Sc and So per week
slavery"
mere is an object lesson here Oh
tne profoundest import to people who
have a real interest in their fellow
beings and who have sufficient of the
Christ spirit to feel their kinship wit.
the unfortunate and to wish to set
them happy.
There is no longer even the shadow
Of an excuse for widespread poverty
and for the crimes against humanity
which flow from such poverty. Bern
ard Shaw is right in declaring that
poverty is the crime of civilization.
The system that fabulously enriches
the few and impoverishes the. many
because. the many are economically
dependent upon the few-and this on
ly because the few privately own the
earth's resources and the means Of
life, which were intended for the
equal use of all-has got to be de
stroyed, and when it is destroyed and
the new system, based upon industrial
democracy and universal freedom
takes place and all men and women
have the inalienable right to produce
and enjoy on equal terms, vice and
crime will vanish, peace and good will
prevail and the sons of God will again
shout for joy.