Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-07-26
STATE SHOULD AID WORKERS
 TOLIvE RIGHT
Church Council Advocates High CT Standard and Better
 Wages.

ant churches of this country repre-
 sented in the Federal Council of the
 Churches of Christ in America has
 issued a declaration that the state
 should attempt to secure to the
 wol ker an income sufficient to main tain his family at standard of liv-
 ing which the community can ap- prove"
 ihis was part of pronouncement on the attitude of the church toward social reconstruction which was drawn up by the commission on the church and social service of the fed eral council. The federal council is "a congress of thirty leading Christ ian bodies for united action.
 False Idea of Church.
 The statement asserts that Lit is false idea that the churches are only concerned with religious, educational and charitable enterprises. They are or should be- vitally concerned with civic, economic and other social inter- ests.''
 Rights of working men to share in the control of industries are set forth in this statement at length. We have come upon times when people are not submissive to in- justice or to unnecessary privation and suffering" declares the church commission. "They are deeply and justly in earnest. If those who are the actual industrial, political and social leaders of the nation will not act upon the principle that the great est shall be the servant of all then the people themselves, with indigna- tlon and bitterness, are sure to take their destiny and that of the world into their own hands.
 Glass consciousness and the use of violence are not confined to the revo- lutionary groups. The possession of wealth and education tend to the for nation of classes, and industrial ownership and management to class conscious ruling group. We ob- serve the dangerous tendency of many state and municipal officials to deny fair hearings to radical of- lenders and to use unnecessary and provocative brutality during strikes.
 Legislatures, judges and officials should act firmly but justly, without buster and with unnecessary vio- fence. Working men believe that they do not get an equal chance be- fore the law and it is highly import ant that whatever real basis there is for this conviction, should be re- moved.
 Labor Entitled to Voice.
 "A deep cause of unrest in in- dustry is the denial to labor of share in industrial management. Laborers must be recognized as being entitled to as much considera- tion as employers and their rights must be equally safeguarded. This may be accomplished by assuring the workers as rapidly as it can be done with due consideration to conditions a fair share in control; by oppor- tunlty for ownership with corres- ], bonding representation; or by con- blnation of ownership and control in | cooperative production.
 "The living wage should be made the first charge upon industry be- fore dividends are considered The resistance of labor to general wage reductions even when accompanied i by reduced hours of work should re- ceive moral support from the com munity, except where the demand is clearly unreasonable. Wage levels must be high enough to maintain standard of living worthy of re- sponsible free citizenship in de- nocracy. 1; Wages Purchasing Power Decreases 1:
 Actual wages, that is, wages ]; i'm power to purchase com nodities, have been decreasing for E: several years in spite of wage in- reases. There is urgent need of pro- 'lslon by industry under the guild lnce of the government for some egular method of adjustment of wages and salaries to the purchasing 'ower of money. High wages are de- lrable as a general principle" Elm loyers who justify low wages or 'age reductions should open their ooks and submit their figures to ublic scrutiny, adds the commission.
 To provide employment, the com lission advocates that nationwide . mployment service be maintained nd suggests adoption of a policy of