New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-07

Discussing "'rhc Pathology Of In
dustrial Unrest a British engincc,
describes the disease as follows:
AN acute Inflammation of lahor's
innate feeling of dissatisfaction with
;he distribution of the product Of in
dustry, the graduation of human soci-
ETY. and its own status therein"
The dissatisfaction is not confined
TO wage earners. 1t disturbs the re-
latlons of producers and consumers
managers and capitalists, brain
workers and manual workers and
skilled and unskilled labor.
Each element tends to think its lot
is especially unhappy, and lays the
fault not on Nature which varies
her gifts nor on uncomfortable cir
cumstance, but allows to develop al
inner sense Of injustice. Formerly
blame was laid at the door of IN.
scrutable gods. Now the fault is at
tributed to society, and especially to
those conspicuous in it's affairs.
The delusion has found Judgment
that all-of-us political organizations
are not merely aggrcgations of each
of us but something apart and diff
ferent. The old myths are dead, but
new ones arise. Does a man fall out
Of a boat through his own fault?
Not at all. Society is the culprit. 1t
allowed an Unbalanced craft to be
constructed or did not sufficiently
educate the accidents victim to bal
ance himself.
All advances of knowledge and
science, it is said, represent con-
quests over appearances. The seem
ing obvious is false and progress is
IN unlearning. Reason must over
come emotion. What seems so isn't
so, and psychological error must be
subdued by therapy of the intel
lect or by exciting another feeling
strong enough to neutralizc a harm
full one. For example, fear of bodily
privation may beget prudence and
Discrimination to work be subjugated
by love of dependents or by sheer de-
light in the exercise of power.
But as to these things there is not
much effort. The agitator is left I'M
combated. Only sporadic attempts
are made to present the case that
easily can be made out for the exist
ing industrial order as infinitely bet
ter for the masses than anything
reasonably promised by the meters
of discomfort.
The capitalistic system has devel-
opcd Of itself, and popular under
standing of why is meager. But the
general welfare will not be safe until
there is clear discrimination between
it's incidental evils, which are sus-
ceptible of remedy, and it's good,
which may be regarded as eternal.
A missionary and proselytizing spirit
is necessary to dissipate modern
superstitions whose acceptance W.
degrade mankind.
This educating task seems the
chief duty of the present generation,
but supplementing it is a call for as
sisting work. 1t is claimed by none
that the division Of the industrial
product is exactly proportionate to
merit. It is the business of all to
make the division fairer. Moreover,
man is man, and he does not live for
and by bread alone. He would rec
reate himself by times of leisuse
and amusement. That person is not
an intelligent friend of the existing
order who regards 1pen and women
as mere work machines. In thousands
of ways human life can be enhanced
without diminishing power to pro-
duce.
The organization of those who
would save the gains mankind has
made is insignificant when CON-
pared with the organization of those
who would have a general wreck.
Too much the idea has prevailed
that existing institutions are indie
structible. Perhaps they are when
distant views are taken, but tempo
rarily great damage can be done.