Evening star., 1922-12-17
Question of Unskilled Workers
Right to a Wife and Family

OF wife and children. take it
that If we were to take a vote.
which is a good way to settle
things in a democracy, on whether
the unskilled workman or the
Wildcats sowing rich son should
be denied the right of marriage
and family, the good hard common
sense of the country would render
a verdict in favor of the honest
hard working laborer. Not what
Il man does but how he does It.
whether his labor be skilled or un-
skilled, should be the measure OF
his glory in a republic.
The issues of life and death will
remain very much as they now are
regardless of the schemes and
theories of those who would
change them. We may lay impious
hands upon the Ark of the Cove
nant if we will, but We shall
never be able to break it open,
much less take out and destroy
the Book of the Law. Man and
woman have been Joined together
as husband and wife by either
God or marrying justice since
time began. 1t has been of no mo-
ment whether parents or preachers
or political economists advised the
step. In the future, a g in the past,
youth will be served.
X X X \
The quarrel goes on whether en-
vironment or heredity makes the
men. One can successfully up
hold either side Of the contro-
versy. Much as we think we
know about it, We know little
about it. There is a saying in
the middle west that 1t is just
three generations from shirt
sleeves to shirt sleeves. The ex-
preston epitomizes that all un-
skilled workman may by perse-
verance, thrift. foresight, make a
fortune. that his son may regard
his sole business in life to be to
spend the fortune, and that his
grandson may be back to the
pick, shovel or ak. 1t is unfor-
tunate that we did not establish
the economic limitations to the
right of life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness early in the
history of our country. If We had
proclaimed it. say along about
1900, lazy. unskilled, incompetent
Thomas Lincoln would have been
denied the luxury of family.
The world would have been saved
from the birth of Abraham Lin
coin. The black man might still
be in slavery and we could breed
crop of unskilled laborers suf-
hcient to meet the demands of the
times without danger of flooding
the market
1t seems impossible to prevent
well disposed people of intellec-
neneIactionS upon 4 needy world,
ihe best OF us are so sure that
We know what is best for the
world that we cannot refrain from
imposing our views. But some
no" our blessings will not soak
'ht" adamanfine heart of man. The
average fellow is quite willing to
trade advice for square deal
with a little kindness thrown in
he seems to feel that he must
work out his own salvation with
Tear and trembling. The one de-
sire or the normal man is to he
let alone in this
Real reforms always have and
always Will start in the mssses
of society-not in the brains or
MEN and women who never as
sociated with the masses. The
best OF US as we'll as the worst
OF US have u feeling Of resentment
about many things which doubtless
would be good for us, but which we
prefer to discover for ourselves.
With timidity l venture to assert
that the world is being uplifted too
much. The one experiment OF
eating of the fruit of the tree Of
knowledge in the Garden of Eden
ought to have taught that there
are some things it is just as
well for us not to know. 1t will
tend to peace if we will let peo-
pie go on marrying in the old
way. 1t will accomplish much if
by precept and example we can
instill into American society the
real belief that there are no such
things. per Sc. as masses and
classes. We must catch the real
CLEAN of democracy. which Is
nothing more than the idea that
all labor is honorable. that he is
an artisan who loves his work and
does it well. that to such a one
the republic holds out the ample
prize of opportunity.
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