Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-01
SAFE AND SANE INDUSTRY
President Of Baltimore Federation Of
Labor EIoquently Defends Ameri-
can. Institutions Against For
eign Fomenters Of
Unrest


f0ciUycrs' Record, of. Baltimore, has many
interesting aud significant things 10 say con
ccrHing the labor situation. His article fol
l0nS:
OUR present industrial system is destined
to last for a long time in its main out :
lines That is TO say. private ownership Of
capital is not likely to be suppianted by a
coEcctvist organization of industry at n
date sufficiently near to Justify any present
action based on the hypothesis of its arrival
This is not only extremely probable but
highly desirable; for. other objections apart,
socialism would mean Bureaucracy. political
tyranny. tho hclplcssncSs of the individual as
factor in the ordering of his own life and,
in general. social inellccncy and dccadcnce.
1t is true there are those in the ranks of
organized labor who. in the fcrvor of their
world improving mission. discover and pro
claim certain cure ali; for the ills of hu-
manity. which they fondy and perhaps hon
rStiy believe to be new and unfniliug RENE
dieS. but which, as n matter of fact. are
heavy with age, having been tried on this
old globe of ours at ono time or another. in
one of its parts or another. long ago--triea
aud found wanting and discarded after sad
lisillusionmcnt. There are the spokcsmrn
cf %ophomorism, rampant. strutting about in
the cloak of superior knowledge. mischrv-
odsly and noiSily. TO the disturbance of quiet
aud orderly mental processes and sane prog
Icss. There are the sentimental, unscasoncd.
intolcrant aud cocksurc advanced thinkers
claiming leave to set the world by the cars
TO reconstruct society overnight, and with
their Stridcut and Cca SClcSs voices to drown
the views of those who arc too busy to indulge
in much talking. There arc the self seeking
dcmagoaucs and various related types. and
finally there arc the dcvOtccs of liberty run
amuck. who in fanatical obscssion would
place visionary and narrow class interest
and a sloppy intcrnatioualism above patriot
ism. and with whom class hatred and envy
have become n ruling passion.
A ApNG these agitators and disturbcrs
"A who dare rlamorouSly to assail the ma
irstic and bencfcCnt structure of American
traditions, doctrines and institutions there
arc somc-far too many. indced-who are of
foreign parrntagc or descent. With many
hundreds of thousands they or their parents
came is our free shores from lands of op-
preston and persecution. The great re
public generously gave them asylum and
opened wide to them the portals of her
freedom and her opportunities.
The great bulk of these newcomers have
become loyal and enthusiastic Americans
Most of them have proved themselves useful
and valuable clements in our, many rooted
population. Some of them have accomplished
eminent achievements in science. industry
and the arts. Certain of the qualities and
talents which they contribute to the com
mon stock arc of great worth and promise.
But some there arc who have been blinded
by the glare Of liberty as man is blinded
who after long confinement in darkness comes
suddenly into the strong sunlight. Blinded,
they dare TO aspire to force their guidance
upon Americans who for generations have
walked in the light of liberty. They have
become drunk with the strong wine of free
dom, these men who until they landed on
America s coasts had tasted little but the bit
ter water of tyranny. Drunk, they presume
to impose their rocling gait upon Americans,
to whom freedom has been pure and re-
frcshing fountain for century and a half
DROODING in the gloom of age iong op-
- preston. they have evolved fantastic
and distorted image of free government. In
fatuous cffrontery they seek to graft the
growth of their stunted vision upon the splen-
did and ancient tree of American institutions
Admitted in generous trust to the hospitality
of America they grossly violate not only the
dictates of common gratitude but of those
elementary rules of respect and consideration
which immemorial custom imposes upon the
newcomer or guest. They seek. indeed, to
uproot the foundations of the very house
which gave them shelter.
We will not have it so. we in the ranks
of labor who are American by birth or by
adoption. We reject these impudent pre-
tensions. We propose to move forward and
upward, but We shall proceed by the chart
of reason, experience and tested American
principles aud doctrines, and not intrust our
ship to demagOgues, yisionAres o. shallow
sentimentalists, who would steer it on the
rocks.
CSTRIDENT voices of the icmenters of un-
~ rest do not cause me any serious appre-
hension. Changes we ought to have: changes
we shall have. Where there are grievances
to redress where there are wrongs existing,
we must all aid in trying to right them to
the best of our conscience and ability. To
the extent that social and economic institu-
tions, however deep and ancient their roots, !,
may be found to stand in the way of the
highest achievable level of social justice and
the widest attainable extension OF oppor-
tunity, welfare and contentment, they will
have to submit to change. And the less
obstructive and stubborn, the more broad :
minded, co operative, sympathetic and dis
interested those who pre- eminently prospered
under the old conditions will prove them
selves in meeting the spirit of the new day
and the reforms which it may justly call
for, the better it will be both for them and
the community at large.
Society" said Pope Leo XIII, "can be
healed in no other way than by return to
Christian life and Christian institutions. -
The truth of these words is more widely
nerceiyed today than when they were writ :
ten, more than twenty seven years ago.
Changes in our economic and political sys-
tens will have only partial and feeble eff :
cheney if they be not re-enforced by the
Christian view of work and wealth.
MO PROGRAM of betterment will prove
IN reasonably effective without reform in
the spirit of both capital and labor. The
| laborer must come to realize that he owes
| his employer and society an honest days
work in return for a fair wage and that con
ha ,huto ksnn..