South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-20
ABO NJ CAPITAL.

INK the AtLlhlLlte OF muse no are
Interested in the labor problems par
ticularly in our city but also In the
country and the world at large. I as
sumo that you will be pleased 20
insert in your paper the statement
which I have 20 offer.
Having been called upon last Sun
day TO give an informal talk 10 "A
gathering Of honest looking work
lngmen. I was glad of the opportun-
ity 20 express my interest as a teach
or and student OF economic ques-
tons. in the problems that confront
not only South Bend but every COM
munity Of the civilized world. As
the report Fl the Monday issue Of
your paper credited me with some
things which were said by others
and as the same report is incomplete
as 20 what I did say. / will plainly
but briefly state what 7 believe the
conditions are and what can and will
be done. In so doing I will not nee
~essarily limit myself 10 the explana-
tion OF principles given at the meet
ing.
I believe that labor should be or
ganized not for the purpose Of rant
ing about the conditions Of labor and
lnhaming "A certain element that will
not understand. nor OF carrying out
the insane vandalism Of the l. W. w.
or OF b-OIshevism, nor Of PROFOUND
ing the economically and morally
untenabIe principles Of radical So
cialism, nor Of instigating general
strikes which would amount 70 sui
eide for the w~orkinEmen. not lei
for the purpose Of organizing strikes
in any special industry in any spe-
ciai place unless all peaceful means
have been exhausted. But labor
must be organized for the p OF
making their legitimate demands in
q legitimate way being represented
By men who understand not only one
phase OF the question but all the
phases OF IL, and who. because of
this and the impartial ann in
which they would approach the en-
ployers. would obtain a proper hear
ing and for labor all hat II is en-
titled TO without friction but rather
with the good will Of the more rea-
H0IldDlt tIAlpAOI tGE- announcer lHlpOE-
tant reason for the organization of
labor is the proper education Of la
borers "a to their legitimate rights
and the best methods Of obtaining
their Just dues.
No one will reasonably deny that
the c~apitaIistic system is a necessity,
that without il. most OF the things
we produce could not be produced,
that If economic goods cannot be
produced there is nothing 10 distrib-
ute and labor will be asking for
something that does not exist. It is
also rue hat the c~apitalistic sys-
TEN is no more the exclusive prop
erty OF capitalists for II has been al
lowed 70 come into existence with
the use Inc cooperation of labor:
hence the conviction that the gains
OF large scale production under the
~capitalistic system should be shared
by workers as we'll as by owners of
capital; just as the invention is the
exclusive property of the inventor
only for a limited time so is il with
the c%apitalistic system: just as the
transportation system Is considered
such a vital necessity tnat il is called
a public utility with whose opera
tions the state has a right TO inter
fere, so the c|apitalistic system is a
vital necessity that all classes of
economic society should wish to pro-
tect and at the same time obtain the
proper share Of service and benefits
accruing from the system.
I believe the workers should share
in the profits or large scale produc-
ton according TO a reasonable scale.
that they should in a reasonably
short time become absolute owners
Of shares in the corporations for
which they work without being sub
iected 10 any form OF pa~ternalism
or any necessity for continuing TO
serve the same employer.
Also there is no reason why work
men could not have some voice I'm
formally determining what should he
some OF the conditions under which
ihey are 10 work for IL must not be
forgotten that labor is a personal
product which, in a sense. represents
an expenditure OF human substance.
and that the individual wh6 fur
1ishes labor Is affected los the same
conditions in his dual personality OF
producer n consumer and there
.ore should be heard in all matters
concerning his we'll being while at
work.
Il is my contention that there is
10 need whatever for any serious
rOuble in reaching a permanent set
Element OF the labor question in
south Bend because some of the
most important employers them
selves realize that the era Of O
Tauon has come and they have ser.-
ously begun e act upon the cues
ion. and any corporation Of n
Importance that fails 20 deal hon
sstly and effectively with the pres
mt situation will find itself labor
ng under very serious difficulties in
ess than eight months from the
present time. Employers who will
nave done the right thing without
being forced into action will have
made friends OF the laboring class
and viii be in a position 10 choose
heir workmen thus making for ef-
ieiency which will be OF mutual ad-