The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1919-05-15
CANADIAN METH0O|STS FOR
SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION
Remarkable Program of Cana
dian Church.
Methodist Conference Declares for
New Deal for People In
Reconstruction.

A great deal of interest has been
aroused by the program for social re-
construction announced by the Can
adian branch of the Methodist church.
That it expresses a somewhat gener'
al feeling in the church world is evil
denced by the fact that about the same
time the National Catholic War Coun'
Gil which undoubtedly speaks for the
Catholic church of America published
a radical program.
And the Quakers of Society OF
Friends in England and in the United
States have been advocating radical
reforms in our everyday business life
to meet the new problems brought on
by the war. The MethOdists Of the
United States also are probably large
~ in agreement with their Canadian
position.
Condemns Special Privilege.
The industrial program of the Can
adam Methodists declares in part as
follows:
Special Privilege Conference.-The
declare all special privilege, not based
on useful service to the community,
to be a violation of the principle of
Justice, which is the foundation of de.
mocracy.
Democratic Commercial Organiza.
tion.-We declare that forms of indus.
trial organization should be developed
which call labor to a voice in the man.
agement and share in the profits and
risks of business. All forms of auto
cratic organization Of business should
be discouraged, We call attention to
the remarkable and unchallenged sue
cess of the cooperative stores, factor
les and steamship lines of England and
Scotland, as great examples of democ.
racy in industry.
Profits Of Capital and Labor.-We
declare it to be un-Christian to accept
profits when laborers do not receive a
living wage or when capital receives
disproportionate returns as compared
with labor. y.
Old Age Insurance.-We recommend
old age insurance on a national scale,
in which the annuity paid shall be
based upon the average earnings of
tive life. This would protect all citi.
zens from the fear of penury in old
age, and at the same time would make
every citizen directly interested in
both the prosperity of every business
in the country and the good health
and industry of every fellow citizen.
Speculation Condemned.
Unearned Wealth.-We condemn
speculation in land, grain, foodstuffs
and natural resources, as well as the
frequent capture of unearned wealth
through over capitalization of CONNER
cial enterprises. We place the prin-
ciple of the Golden Rule before the
man who seeks wealth by investment,
and then endeavors to escape impend-
ing loss by unloading upon others.
These are dangerous forms OF
economic injustice in which we can not
engage without sin. Is there not in
our church a widespread call for re-
pentance and confession of sin in this
regard?
Prcfiteering.-As the people are vir.
tual partners in every business enter
prise, we condemn that profiteering
which takes out of them profits not
justified by the value or cost of the
service rendered. We recommend the
enactment of legislation which shall
secure to labor fair wage adequate
to a proper standard of living, to the
business a fair profit adequate for its
continuance, and to the public all re-
turns in excess of these.
Naturalization Of Natural Re-