The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-07-16
Big Business Busts
The Interchurch
World Movement
(By Charles M. Kelley.)

(By Charles M. Kelley.)
Failure of the Interchurch World
Movement, the most ambitious plan
of cooperation ever attempted by the
churches in America, directs ataten-
ton anew to the determination of
large business interests to dominate
every channel of thought and action
in this country.
When the Interchurch industrial
program ran counter to the wishes
and the interests of Big Business, its
end was inevitable. A survey of the
steel industry, underta ken despite the
active opposition of the steel trust,
was the rock upon which the move
ment broke up. When the steel trust
could not secure a report of this sur
vey by purchase, it sent its agents to
steal it. That failing, it combined
with big business to destroy the
movement by withholding from it
funds that had been pledged and
which were necessary to the carrying
out of its program.
AS long ago as 1908 the Federal
Council of Churches of Christ in
America, which was the active force
| back of the Interchurch movement,
adopted an industrial program which
recognized the right of collective
bargaining and demanded the correc-
ton of industrial ills that were "de-
structive of civilization and con-
trary to the teachings of Jesus
Christ" 1t declared that the pres
ent industrial system was on trial,
and favored reforms that ultimately
would establish democracy in indus
try.
1t was pursuant to the declara-
ton that the industrial relations de-
partment of the Interchurch move
ment made it's survey of the steel
and coal industries and was about to
extend it's Investigations into other
fields when the crisis became acute.
Forty millions of dollars that had
been promised by friends" were
withheld, and there was nothing to
do but wind up the affairs of the
millions of dollars, guaranteed by
large industrial interests.
While Big Business has not yet
gained control of the conscience of
the nation, it. has strangle-hold on
| the pocketbook, and without ample
| funds it was impossible to continue a
scheme as ambitious and comprehen-
sive as the coordination of the
activities of all evangelical churches.
Warning came to the religious
leaders through the official publica-
tions of the Manufacturers Associa-
ton that unless they abandoned their
"meddling" in industrial matters
they would find it difficult to main
| tain their collections. The first
definite statement of the case was
handed to the annual convocation of
the Young Women's Christian Asso-
citation, at Cleveland, O., in April,
this year, when Industry" official
organ of the Manufacturers, declared
| that business men took exceptions to
| its industrial platform, and that if
it were not rectified retaliatory meas
ures would be adopted by them.
The Y. w. C. A. reaffirmed its
platform and Mrs. Helen Gould Shep-
pard, owner of stocks and bonds, re-
signed as president. Whether the
organization will suffer from lack of
funds is for the future to determine.
Big Business, in plain words, has told
| it that it need expect neither SYM
pathy nor support from that quarter.
The leaders of the Interchurch
movement, progressive and far-seeing
men and women, would not recant
their industrial heresy" and were
preparing to extend their work when
the foundations were pulled from un-
der their organization by large in
| 1Y1c al i,,tn a., ,lx, ~,
John D. Rockefeller, jr., Stephen H.
Dodge, and some lesser financiers
had promised to supply funds with
which to maintain the organization S
activities, but none of this money was
forthcoming and there remained only
one course open to the religious lead
ers. They have taken it, reluctantly,
to be sure, but not until the public
had been made aware of the sim
lister and suasive methods that are
employed by Big Business to domin-
ate even the churches of the coun-
try.
The steel report, said to be a
damning statement of the crimes of
the steel industry, is document of
more than 10000 words, with ex-
hibits that bring it up to 250,000
words, the public being advised that
the complete document is "too long
for general reading"
This action was taken after two
agents of the steel trust made an
earnest appeal to the general COM
mittee to withhold publication of the
report. They represented that the
church was making a serious error in
taking sides in industrial disputes
and stated emphatically that it's
business was with the hereafter and
not with now and here.
1t is an interesting issue, and it's
final determination will show wheth-
er material forces are stronger than
spiritual forces.
Try "BLUE RIBBON" Cipars. 5c