The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-03
CHURCH SHOULD
HELP INDUSTRY
Good Wages and Work
Are Necessary to Mans
Spirituality
CHURCH IS NEGLIGENT
Federal Council Sees Hope of
Better Things for Amer
ican Workmen

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2. --- The
church is called upon TO exert its
greatest efforts 20 bring tho Chris
iisu spir!t of fairness and good VII
into the economic order, TO teach
christian principles and to Insist
1ipon their application 10 Industry,
I'm the Labor day sunday message OF
the commission on the church and
social service OF the Federal Council
OF Churches
conditions during the last year. and
oxpresses sympathy with organized
labor in the coal and railway situa-
lions saying that both are due to
the inadequacy OF earnings of the
Non. That the financial conditions
of certain Of the railroads may have
made the reductions for their men
arnear desirable It saws, adds only
10 the seriousness of the situation
The message declares that the
shopmen are fighting for the very
life Of their union and that where
such n war Of determination Is be-
ing waged, employers can only eN-
pect ultimate moral defeat The
message deplores that the 12-hour
working day is still in effect in the
steel Industry and asserts that "ap-
o
flnued moral pressure of the church
10 complete the reformation OF the
industry"
Churchs Duty to Labor.
After ponting out that health and
happiness are, generally speaking,
necessary to the attainment of the
higher life and that the church cam
not be Indifferent TO the physical
welfare OF its people. which de-
ppnds so largely on their economic
status, the message declares that
Christian teachings az applied to
industry include three cardinal
principles--the worth of personality,
brotherhood as between all those
engaged IN industry, and the motive
OF service.
Regretting that 1--WE are still in
period where the dominant note in
the Industrial world IS one OF strife
aud controversy" the message says,
when there was more bitterness and
conflict, some of It due TO mis-
understanding between employers
and workers and SOME of II untor-
tunately due TO a very clear under
standing Of hostile aims and pur-
poses"
After stating that the public is
more conscious of the unpleasant
and disastrous results OF Industrial
disputes and is often ignorant OF
the major facts Of its Judgment dc
tatcd by considerations OF seif-in
terest rather than oS justice and
right, the message asserts ul1ry Of
the strikes which nave occurred
during the period Of depression have
resulted from a tendency to de
flate" labor-a tendency which, II
adds, in part is to be taken for
granted with the recession of prices
and of living costs and a corre-
spending deflation Of the farmer.
See Signs of Hope.
at cannot be too often repeated,
the massage says, that high wages
during the war were by no means go
general as believed and that tho de-
mand for a reduction OF wages in
proportion to the reduction in living
costs has been made without ref
erence to the fact that wages prior
TO the war were too low and cannot
fairly be taken as a basis of wage
determination"
Deplorlng as most unfortunate the
fact that no more general effort
has been made to approach a settle
ment OF disputes in a cooperative
spirit and to appeal to Justice and
palr play rather than TO trial by
economic combat the statement
says:
In a moral world force can set
tie nothing permanently. The con-
ferences by which most disputes are
settled would contribute much more
10 the stability Of industrial rela-
tons IL they were held at the be
ginning rather than at the end of
a controversy. The tendency on
both sides in Industry to break
agreements, which indicates a lack
of fundamental integrity. is ali too
prominent in the industrial world
and augurs i'll for the future"
j. Pointing to what is described as
the serious aspect OF the growing
hostility of organized labor to the
courts, especially the lower courts.
3he message states, however, that
the courts have been by no means
Aniformly hostile TO labor and that
The labor unions have gained much
during the year before the courts
The lower courts are held largely
responsible for the distrust.
- The message closes with the dec
larat.on that there are distinct
signs OF hope and progress in the
In -tegn II.