The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-04-10
Selfishness the Sole
Cause of Labor Troubles


acoulred except as the result OF hon
80 endeavor, and az the reward for
honest service to the general well
ARE OF humanity. God has no place
Il N human society for n lazy man.
yghether rich or poor; nor for any
nan who enriches himself by cheat
,ng another out Of the fruits OF his
iabor. But II Is n mistake to think
,hat only those labor that work with
thsir hands. The pastor. the teacher.
ne nurse, the physician, the editor.
.n doing work essential to society
i and are entitled to all the honors
accrulng 20 useful industry. But all
\ must work. God set the example,
christ kept It up, and even the first
/ nair In Eden were charged with the
duty Of tending to tho garden. In
| every line OF endeavor today II Is
| our part to make use of the facili-
4 ,ies placed at our disposal by
| Kind providence to not only keep
IN our own necessities. and the
| necessities of those dependent upon
ms but to strive at all times to make
our work Of benefit TO humanity,
mat God may be honored and his
| creatures helped.
Co-Workcrs with Divinity.
II is Gods will that his children
4 shAu have daily bread, but God
oiyes no man anything without ef-
fort. God provides the soil and
seed but man must sow the seed ana
nm the ground. God provides the
.rees but man must cut them down
and work up the lumber. God sup
pllos the cotton, but man must cul-
'iyate the soil and weave the fabric.
In order that Gods bountics may be
fashioned and distributed there must
he workers Of many kinds, and all
who work honestly are agents Of
| divine purpose as partners In full
| DulnE Gods plan. The true worker
,s A co-worker with God. This gives
| A mans work divine and sacred
meaning. IL Gods work at one end
o, the process is spiritual and glor-
ious mans work in completing the
process should be divine and glorious
100. The only reason why it may
: not be IS that selfishness enters in
and makes il sordid and evil.
Not An Economic Question.
The Industrial questions of today
as they have always been at the bot
tom. Is not so much a controversy
over the possession Of things as II
Is question of the right relation of
persons The problem ls funda-
mentally a human rather than an
economic problem, and the reason
Il is not settled Is because those
involved live not by the Golden Rule
but plan their affairs by the devil )
rule Of selfishneas. Many people
who are worried over the problems
Of labor and industry altogether miss
the fundamental need, taht Of human
brotherhood. To them the questions
al issue seem controversies between
labor and capital over wages and
hours. They are trying to find a
way TO industrial peace by compro-
misses over insignificant details. In
all this they miss the human factors
involved and misplace the emphasis.
more Just arrangement of things,
whereas the fundamental question
Is that OF mans Righteousness toward
men, the practical application OF
Christ's teaching as condensed IN
tho Golden Rule. The industrial
question is at bottom n question OF
human brotherhood, and the matter
Of hours and wages Ia only incl
dental II all men. both employees
and employers, did business under
this principle there would no long
y er be any industrial question.
Busybodics Not Workers.
"For we hear that some walk
about you disorderly, that work not
at all. but are busybodies.' That
same tribe IN with us yet-the tribe
that seeks to do nothing to earn
their daily bread, but capitalize the
misfortunes and weaknesses Of their
brothers and graft on keeping alive
every proposition tnat prevents men
from getting together in "A Chris
tian spirit and strengthening out
their differences. They live, not off
their own industry, but off the preju-
dices Of others. Such men are agents
Of the devil and should not, accord
ing to Gods work, be entitled TO eat
ybere they have not earned. Chris
@}n teaching demands that agita'
ton give way to cooperation. II
is unchristian and detrimental "a
everybody alike for employers &c
work up action among th"msclves
20 the injury OF their employees, ana
1t Is equally unchristidn and inJuri-
Gus for employees 10 agitate action
against employers. The agltator
whether he work for the seltisn
views Of either side OF the Contro'
yersy, is under Gods curse and can
not he real Christian. Regular
counsel and arbitration, when nee
eSsary, must take the place of force
20 settle all difficulties which ARISE
from the selfishness OF man in deal
Ing with man. Each must recognize
the other as a brother and one whon
we are commanded to love even ~
oursclf
should lie Partnership.
The Golden Rule In industry i'm
Sies that the product OF industr!
Hall be Justly and fairly divided
Tine was when the employer clalm''
me right to manage the industry ~
no pleased ard 10 pay such WaEe'
as he was compelled to pay. There
was no thought OF brothers right t'
reward comm ensurate with M
labor. That time IL now passed
That method was contrary TO th'
spirit OF Christ. There are thos'
Who would have the control giVef
exelusively TO the laborcrs: but tha'
Just as wron in the other direction
Nghuuly industry Is a partnership
whose successful working depend
upon the cooperation and contrlpu
uoh Of all; this being a partnership
al parties should have n voice IN lt'
hahagement and all parties shnuI.
nave division of the profits whlci
would render az near ~ possible al
adequate reward for their contriou
uon to It's success, Most directly
the laborer Is worthy OF his hire, an'
Ae position OF the church has beer
nat every wOrkRr should have NV