Evening journal., 1916-01-27

we lived in a country in which the
government was lodged in an auto
crat. it might be well, it might be
possible to continue without the peo-
pie having either high standard
of living or education or independ-
ence of thought and action. The auto.
crat may make a mistake and max.
ing the mistake the people have learn
ed nothing. In the republic of our
country the government of IL rests
IN the hands of the people and if we
make mistake at least we learn by
the errors which we have made and
never commit the same error over
again. We have learned and if the
error be committed it is one OF the
penalties which democracies pay for
liberty, and makes for the greater sol
idarity and the progress of all our
people. So that anything and every
thing goes to make up a healthier
body, a healthier and a broader man,
a deeper understanding of the rights
and the obligations of citizenship.
makes for the greater grandeur of
our great republic. And there is not
in all our land, any group, any assO-
citation so potent to bring about
higher standards of life and work
and citizenship and manhood and
character than the much-misunder-
stood and misinterpreted labor organ
izations. Perhaps one of the best and
latest contributions to this under
standing was given by that great en-
ginieer, General Gorgas quite recently
as the result of his experiences in
the army, and particularly in the
building of the Panama Canal. when
he declared that higher wages, an
eight hour work day. opportunities
for light and life in the soul of the
workers have done more and will do
more for a greater development both
industrially, commercially, physically
and morally than any other known
agencies.
"ls there in all our country any group
of men of considerable Importance which
has done so much, which concerns itself
so much with the physical well-being,
as the organized labor movement?
realize that there are phlanthropic as
sociations and efforts that would help
heal the balm to the wound; L grant
you that there are many sympathetic
souls who would gladly aid if they could
and knew how; but it is not their busi-
ness. 1t is the business of the workers
to see to it that there is some little
tightening of the burdens upon the
shoulders Of laboit some better oppor-
tunities 10 live a rightful life. And
there are some, too, who would lead our
thoughts to save our souls and bring us
salvation in the sweet bye and bye. All.
we do not underestimate the value of
all this. but it does seem TO us that the
purpose in our time is 10 learn how to
live as we'll as to learn how to die. We
would not surrender or give up one iot
of hope of that everlasting life and Joy
to come, but We want it now and here.
at is true that labor has made its
mistakes organized labor has made its
mistakes-but the incident which our
honored friend and brOther-who, by the
way. was a great Judge long before he
was known as great arbitratOr-that
! this incidental roughness occurs and
that mistakes are made are readily
! granted; as are the mistakes made by
all great groups of men engaged in mass
movements. The history of the world is
| full of the roughness incident to
the great struggles of humanity for jus
| tice and right. From the time Of the
! Crusaders when men went to foreign
countries with the Bible in the one hand,
/ the sword in the other, to bring the word
/ of peace and good will to the world,
| there was an element of roughmess in it.
I In the great struggle Of the people of
| the colonies of the United States, which
! declared for the first time in the history
! of the world that men had certain un-
alienable rights. and among them the
right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of
! happiness, which not only made these
/ immortal declarations the great funda-
mental principles of a new and indie
pendent nation. but in them there was
an element of roughness incident TO 1t.
The great civil struggle in which the
people Of our country were engaged Tor
the abolition of human slavery and the
maintenance Of our union there was an
element of roughness in that struggle;
but we look back to all these move
ments of people and thank God we for
/ get the roughness Of the struggle he
cause of the nobility Of the purpose OF
/ their souls.
"The incident which Judge Gray
mentioned of the roughness incidental
to the coal miners strike is forgotten
i'm the wonderful achievement, for
while the coal miners in the anthra-
cite regions, even while at work,
were i'm a miserably impoverished
condition. While working they were
mendicants upon the people OF Penn
sylvania, New York and Delaware and
/ elsewhere. Today the miners stand
\ erect and take their places with our
\ fellOw-workers and fellow-citizens the
country over, and we forget the Incl
dental roughness in the regeneration
of the coal miners OF the anthracite
region. CApplause)
During the coal strike and in IT'S
early stages the late Mr.. George Baer'
president of one OF the great COM
panies involved in the controversy,
declared that he and his associates
i'm the directorate of the affairs OF
his company, as all other employers
OF labor. were the trustees of God
! i'm the holding OF the property, and in
their kindness and sense of justice
/, and consideration the conditions OF
(, the miners could be well entrusted.
am not quoting him with verbal ac-
, curacy, but substantially so; nor do
. I quote his utterance either i'm deris-
ion or in criticism. But Mr. Baer
lived long enough to revise his Judg-
ment upon that subject and to agree
that there was sufficient basis for
conference and determination s TO the
conditions OF the employment between
the miners and the operators. And that
% ,.,.-f-i,,, ~ IND srnnnf ic ooino On We