The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-09-07
PASTOR TALKS ON
THE STEEL strike
Rev. Davidson Says Pub
lie Must Take Interest
in Labor.


The responsibility fer labor tUou-
biea Iioa largely with the public, ac-
eordlng to Or. H.. 8. Davidson, pastor
Of the First Congregational church.
who gave n special Labor day ser
mon nj his church sunday morning.
REPRESENTATIVE Of Vnrioua labor or
R~nnizatlons, besides tho regular menu
bers. filled h church.
't~christIanity.' said DR.. Davidson,
is abeve all n movement TO right the
wrongs OF the world. to make condl-
lions what they ought to be. to give
everybody a square deal and TO bring
about that day when all men ahnlt
regard zach other as brothers.
I'VE who arc looking forward 70
n return IN this country to the spirit
that c-hriatianlzed us before the war.
the spirit that found expression IN
progressive movements In politics
aud in cooperative movements In IN
dustiy, are Indebted more han can
be expressed to the industrial Hc-
latlons' department OF tho inter-
church movement FOR tia impartial
and fearless report In h steel strike
Of a year $780,.
an the Judgment OF the commia-
sion there was but MI thing to do
10 get at the facts. bring them before
the public M trust to the sense OF
the American 10 do the right thing
The speaker referred 10 the wldc-
| spread belief among people al Tho
time that the strike was a move
ment to overthrow n industrial or
der and To make America b~olahcviki.
DR.. Davidson said that AFTER the mock
painstakine inquiry that the mve4ti-
gntion showed that the cry was traced
to the corporations, who he noid
sought to blind the eyes Of the peo-
pie to the real issue.
The commission found. according
TO DIR. Davidson. that the cry OF
lolHheviam was not only n fraud on
the public, but u a a dangerous
thing because II advertised TO tho
mass OF immigrant s~teeiworkera. who
went down 10 defeat under old flags
and old slogans, an idea ana untrled
methods. under which they might %
tempted to make another battle. II
reused in the minds OF hundreds OF
thousands-who know best that they
are not bolshoviki-a dlatruat IND a
sunplcion OF government agencies ana
OF American public opinion.
THE Investigation showed" said
DR.. Davidson, that the cause OF tho
strike lay IN the hours, wnEes and
conditions OF work. while the occn-
sion which brought thinGa to a crlals
and brought on the strike was a re-
fusal on the part OF Tho
to confer with organized labor regard
Ing the grievances OF the men. These
grievances still exist. Approximately
one-half OF the employees In the iron
and steel plants are subjected to tho
schedule known as the twelve-bopr
day, and OF these approximately one
half are subject 10 the aeven-dny-a-
week of work. I'm spite OF the fact
that the wages OF tho men fall from
; to 80 per cent below whnt provides
the lowest standard OF living for an
average American family according
to government experts"
what IL to be done about ~" said
the speaker. In this last analysis.
the responsibility for this condition
of things lies with the people. Wa
are responsible, first. for accepting
what II handed out to us by the
corporations n their paid publi-
cists without investigating, and, Sec
ondly. for not insisting that the facta
known by the government be Eiven
to the public. Third. for not Insist
ing that the government. acting on
the facts Il has. right these indus
trial wrongs and not leave Il to the
trade unions, with the only weapon
they have--strikes-to do 20.
, Unless we are Wiling 10 make
u religion" he concluded. what IL
was TO Christ-a great campaign for
Fighting the wrongs Of the world
we should not call ourselves His fol-
lowers"