The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-05-28
INTERCHURCH
MOVEMENTS
OPPORTUNITY

A great opportunity is that of the
interchurch movement, which has the
more or less helpful backing of
John d. Rockefeller 1t can make of
the united church forces power
full agency for the true redemption
of the world 1t cannot do this by
following conventional lines, endeav-
oring to reform the world without
removing obstacles in the way of
reformation. 1t must lend its aid
to those seeking to clear the way to
regeneration.
The very need of this interchurch
movement shows failure of methods
heretofore followed to influence in
dividuals to the extent that they
should be influenced. The inter
church movement must adopt new
methods to achieve success, or rath-
er it must cooperate with isolated
church organization that are recog-
nizing the need of applying moral
principles to public questions. No
church or other organization may
reasonably hope to reduce vice and
crime-to say nothing of abolishing
them-so long as there are legalized
distress. No church may reason
ably hope to establish better rela-
tions between employer and employed
so long as economic conditions de-
cree bankruptcy for all employers,
lacking monopolistic power, who do
not get out of their employees as
much as they can. No church may
reasonably hope to avoid failure,
if it tries seriously to induce those
empowered by foolish legislation to
control the nations necessities to
forego voluntarily the opportunity
for great profits. And even if it
should succeed in converting them, it
would open an opportunity to own
ers of the earth to take from land
less ones what monopolists of labor
products have refused to take.
But should the movement insist
on application of the moral law to
social institutions it will tighten
the task of individual regeneration.
Given conditions in which non will
be denied the opportunity to earn
living at any time, in which no one
will get what he does not earn, and
each will get all that he earns, the
obstacles in the way of regeneration
will be removed. To accomplish this
requires legislative changes. The
state must cease the practice of be-
slowing on some privileges carry
ing power to appropriate without
adequate return the earnings of 9TH
ers. Such privileges exist in differ
ent forms. Through private owner
ship of land a comparatively small
class eXacts from others ground rent.
Through withholding of large tracts
of coal-bearing lands from use the
Coal Trust creates a coal shortage
and exacts tribute from consumers.
Through monopoly of public high
ways, railroad corporations control
transportation and exact tribute in
eXorbitant rates from shippers.
Through monopoly of public rights of
way for pipelines the Oil Trust is
able to squeeze both producers and
consumers of oil. Withholding of
valuable city lots from use causes
shortage of housing and gives rent
profiteers their opportunity. Pro-
tective tariffs give American manu-
facturers the opportunity to form
trusts and levy tribute on American
consumers. And the practice of ma
ton, states and localities of raising
revenue by taxing labor and labor
products tends toward restriction of
industry and stimulation of specula-
ton. From such wrongs arise the
conditions under which a few pos
sess swollen fortunes they have not
earned and the many are doomed to
poverty, even though they have pro-
duced all existing wealth.
That it is the duty of the church
to arouse sentiment against such
evils has already been recognized in
some ecclesiastical quarters. Thus
The Church League for Industrial
Democracy, an organization headed
by Bishop Charles D. Williams, of
Detroit, is conducting an energetic
campaign for economic and social
justice. However, this league has
no official connection with the
church, although among its members
and endorsers are many holding &c
clesiastic positions. Not the least
of its services is the publicity it gives
to facts and utterances which would
otherwise remain obscured. 1t has
paid for advertising space in the
Baltimore News. In this space
many truths are told which the pa
per's management prefer should not
be disclosed. In this manner it car
ries the gospel into what is really
the darkest regions, the blind CON
stituency of great reactionary city
daily. This is practical missionary
work, bringing the light to the most
benighted of heathens, misled by the
most crafty of leaders.
The Church League for Industrial
Democracy presents to the Inter
church World Movement an example
of regenerative work that must bring
results. There is an opportunity for
similar work on a much larger ca
pacity by the new organization. Let
it be hoped that the opportunity will
not be rejected.