Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-29

went on to say that exaggerated self
 importance. poor work, large de-
 nally bring their harvest and that public opinion will smash anything in the long run that is unfair and un- req sonable.
 qualified disappreval of the lahor un- ions, l should win the applause of practically all of the business men of our church and our city. said Rev. Mir. Purkiss. The man who deals with this question is@playing with fire. Yet be- cause think it is the biggest ques- ton of our country today, and because think we must face it feaf1essly in the spirit of Christ. shall attempt to bring to bear upon 1t what I believe to be the teachings and the spirit of Christ
 I fear there is little use in asking men to be sober and reasonable, for this is war time, and feelings run high, and reason has but little control in such times.
 Humanity is very patient and long
 suffering, but when endurance has
 ceased to be possible, you can look for
 a hurricane. Frees are untorn, houses
 are crushed, humanity is bruised and
 bleeding, but one must not make the
 mistake of ignoring what caused the
 hurricane.
 Take the railroad situation. We owe
 much to our railroads. We gave them
 bonuses, wide stretches of territory,
 every help we could. Their watchword
 was that of Commodore Vanderbilt
 'The Public be damned They de-
 bauched the legislature of our states.
 watered the stock. shot the innocent
 stockholders blind, and then they
 wonder why the public won't give
 them a square deal The public isn't keen. You can abuse it for long tibe, but when it really comes to the
 conclusion that you have been doing it, you can look out for trouble, and reason and argument cannot stay the tide.
 in this audience who have been rob-
 bed in days gone by the Ney York. New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
 We have maltreated the railroads, but they sowed to the wind and they must reap to the whirlwind.
 When Hughes was given +he task of investigating the big life insurance compa nies of New York city .le found out that these great companies were eating up the money of the people, sent their agents out throughous the country, making alfuring promises, and then when the time of payment came due. they gave them but al small. per cent of what really be ionged to them. The story of child labor in this country is a terrible one. Children were robbed of their child hood, of their education. and when their freshness and vigor were gone they were thrown on the scrap heap. account Men were murderers of the best and noblest of human life. and all for the sake of the almighty dollar
 T am here to say tonight that mon counted for nought. that human life has been cheap, that factories and mills have crushed and destroyed fu- man life until like blind Sampson ,oII nf +Lo r,i11 of ftno temple of civilization and bid fair to destroy both friend and foe in the downfall
 I am no prophet. I do not know what the future holdh. but know that there are grave possibilities for de- that there is enough dyna- mite in the present situation to blow us into pieces unless we are serious and thoughtful and repentant. It isn't going to be handled by vitupera ton upon the part of either business men or laboring men. I believe that we are big enough under God, to solve l this question.
 On every hand I hear the labor l ri righteous anger? I want to express as strongly I know how. my sym l pathy with the laboring man. and the | labor union. Personally in all personal | matters, I have just as much sympa- 1 thy for one man as for another. The needs of one, the personal needs. are not confined to one class. There is | no class.
 But economically I am more sym pathetic with labof than I am with ! capital This for the following req sens. Labor has been under the heel 3f capital from time immemorial, and 1 am in favor of the under dog
 My divine Lord always cast his i'm duence on their side, and since l am ! follower of His. that's where stand.
 Men of money have their troubles. No more difficult times for business | But you are lacking in imagina ton if you think your troubles are small with that of the ordinary la oorer. When we were in Jamestown we had a young lady working in our nome. Her father was in one of the "a actories He said MT. Purkiss, the sorrow of my life is that 1 can't give ny children a better chance in life.
 Two things want to say about Ia DOT unions. A strike is their only weapon. friend of mine had a 20 ayTnent. life policy for s2600 come due he other day. He was assured that le would receive about s550 diyi- lends, but when the statement camel h. the dividends were S231. There is 10 redress. He took his medicine. But ome enc stole the balance. Some ne corners the wheat market. and our flour doubles in value. They stole i our money. II
 Labor union methods are not meoth. They are rough and ~.ude, hey make great trouble and difncul- y. It is warfare. It produces great itterness, but thus far it is their only vay. Time is coming and coming oon when there will be better way. ,
 Again-the walking delegate. They ay someone from outside comes in : makes ait this trouble. When la or unions first started. they elected heir representatives from their work rs. The employers settled with the nions in one way or another. and hen took their first opportunity to -et rid of those obnoAfous men who epresented labor unions. So in self efense these walking delegates were ppointed. |;
 The labor unions are on top. and ike most men who have power they ave abused it. And if they continue o abuse it, they are going to lose it. ooner or later.
 I do not know the details of the po- l