The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-12-27

diamond aclds Of South Africa where
ne passed through the FIRST Boer war.
Later he came to America and at Bos-
ton got employment at East Dearheld.
Mass. as a telegraph operator at 81 a
week for the Pittsburgh Railroad. In
those days. according to Pagan, rail-
roads asked only three questions OF per-
0 n securing employment: How old
are you?" What is your Nance" What
shall we do with your remains?"
After serving the road for sometime,
and learning or its great ability TO snuff
out the lives of employees. Mr.. Pagan
determined 10 write an article on what
he had seen. He was at work eighteen
months on the story and il was publish
cd in The Atlantic Monthly. Theodore
Roosevelt. then president. asked Pagan
10 visit him in Washington and tell how
the railroads were killing their men
That was the start or Fagan's Safety
First" work.
Regarding the relations Of industry
and labor at present Pagan said:
One upon a time. II you remember,
two cats having acquired some cheese
could not agree about dividing the
booty. In order therefore to settle the
dispute, they consented to refer the
matter to a monkey. The proposed ar
hitrator very readily accepted the Of
fee. which sounds very human. by the
way. and producing a balance lie put
a part of the cheese into each scale.
Then his abirtrative wisdom began TO
set busy. Let me sec, said he, why it's
just as | expected-this lump here out
weighs the other-whereupon his mon
keyship bit on q considerable piece. in
order 10 reduce it, as he observed, 10 an
equilibrium. The opposite scale. Of
course, was then the hearier. which af-
fordea our conscientious Judge an addi-
tionaI reason for a second mouthful.
Hold, hold, said the two cats. we began
to be alarmed for the result, give Us our
respective share and we are satisfied.
If you are satisfied. returned the mon
key. the arbitrator is not.
For the future all hands Will be cal
led upon 10 live up to these lessons and
10 carry along the present splendid pro-
gram of patriotic partnership. And to
encourage and if necessary. enforce this
state of affairs in the new world Of in
dustry and life, the people themselves
will enter the lists with greater In
terest and with a clearer vision Of what
is fair and just to all concerned, than
ever before.
In the next place I wan TO say some
thing about the lessons contained in
this story OF Practical Patriotism.
From day TO day the great fact Of in
dustrial patriotism becomes clearer and
clearer. The philosophy Of the ssitua-
tion is still more interesting and sig
nihcant. As a matter Of fact practical
patriotism in America, as we all know,
is not confined TO the army and navy.
Comparatively speaking the military So
pect Of the war becomes daily less and
less significant. The issues are infinite
Is bigger and wider than the clashing
Of arms, In a word, a new conception
Of human life and human purpose is
abroad. Even in the midst OF the bat
ties it's is thrilling the the nations
with a splendid vision and when the sol
diers return from the trench 70 their
homes, they will everywhere find them
selves in a new world.
For one thing and in particular wa
are going to have q new world ia Amer
lean industry. In this as in every other
respect, my friends, you will ind the
great lesson or the war will be on its
job. For one thing. the isolation Of the
people in all the big problems of in
dustry will be a thing Of he past. II
will be just as well to have a good look
ct the present situation in the simple
matter Of industrial relationship
some of you doubtless can recall the
old fable Of the Litigious Cats, I did not
write the fable. 80 / am not response
bic for its cynical reference to consti-
tuted authority