Evening journal., 1919-10-18
Nicholas Murray Butler on The Labor
Problem; A Straightforward Presentation
From the New York SUM-

\ this is not only entirely compar-
able with our American principles
OF government and Of life, but II is
nothing more than a decent appli-
cation Of those principles TO mod
ern industry. There would be no
wage slavery under such a plan"
Turning to the alternative. the u
terer Of the foregoing extremely llber
sentiments concerning the place
labor in the industrial system discuss'
the political bearings with equal car
dor and courage:
Until the millennium comes and
until selilshness and greed disap-
pear from the world there will be
no frictiOnless industrial machin-
cry. All that can be hoped for is
10 apply the methods Of reason
ableness and b. support those
I methods Of good will by sympathy
and by kindly criticism Of happen
/ ings as they occur. This way lie
peace, progress and the preserva-
ton Of American institutions and
/ ideals.
IF, however. we are not 10 use
or are not to be permitted to use
The methods Of reasOnableness in
/ dealing with the problems, then we
must be prepared for the use of
force. The alternative is shocking.
II would mean nothing else than
the Substitution Of anarchy for or
der. Of physical power for justice,
and of a perpetual struggle be-
tween changing and conflicting in
terests for the calm and temperate
discussion Of principles. 10 would
almost certainly involve the de
struction OF the individuals moral
right TO his own property, which
right is itself an attribute Of lib
erty and an essential condition OF
social and political progress"
or the insidiOus doctrine. now
preached and taught. as President But
Ter points out. in American uniyersi-
ties and even in American law schools.
that the state Is not any more funda-
mental than several other forms OF
human associations. and. therefore,
has no superior claim upon the loyalty
and devotion Of the citizen:
This doctrine is given several
high sounding names, but it Is cor
rectly and bluntly described as the
gospel Of anarchy and disorder as
we'll as Of the complete destruction
or everything that mankind has
accomplished during the past three
thousand years"
And, further, with regard 10 the
strikes Of servants Of the community.
As in the ease Of the Boston police:
Nothing more disastrous could
happen TO the movement for the
Improvement Of working condi-
ti0ns, now going forward so hap
PLY, than TO have The public get
the idea that those who desire i'm
pr0vement for themselves are will
ing 10 conspire against the peace.
order and public service Of the
whole community. If public ser
wants were TO be ass'milatei in
practice to employees Of private and
corporate enterprise, and II they
were 10 use the strike as a mode
Of enforcing their requests or de-
mands, then the American form OF
government would have come TO
an end 10 is not true that
our loyalty to any one Of a dozen
OF our associations is the same in
character anil quality as our 10y
ally to the state. The State demands
our primary loyalty because only
through loyalty TO it can all other
l0yalties have any meaning or i'm
pOrtance.'
His conclusion:
TO solve the real labor problem.
then. we must think straight and
clear regarding facts Of industry.
and think straight and clear regard
ing principles Of political organiza-
tlon. COnsnued industrial progress
and far reaching industrial reform
are easily possible, and In my view
are only possible. il the principles
and ideals on which and for which
the American people have been
building for a century and a half
are maintained and strengthened.
Moreover, we must shun and take
active steps to limit the influence
Of those who foment unrest and
organize industrial war and who
thrive upon this process. These {
are public enemies and the hand
workers meanest friends.
From the very active companv
N those who would not hesitate
10 tear down or to overthrow the 8
Government OF the United States
N order 10 attain their immediate l
personal or group ends there has {
lot come a single suggestion which I
ioes not spell destruction. Not one g
II those who claim 20 represent
hese movements and tendencies {
las proposed 20 build up anything. {
they are all bent upon destruction L
n the wild hope that after their n
oy in tearing down has had fun 2
abstraction somewhere and some j
low personal advantage may ac- . e
rue. In the process they would 5
lot hesitate TO destroy America" q
lere is sound doctrine. sound Amer II
n doctrine, formulated with pholo- c.
'hic precision and presented with b
surpassed clarity by a master mind Ii
need not apologize for the length ci
the extracts from Or Buffers adj a.
IS which We are presenting on This In
-e Of The sun. :.