New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-08-22
CALLS ON LABOR FOR
new STANDARDS
Public Opinion and Public Service
Allied Say Churches

Washington, Aug. .22.-Beeause the
economic advantage owing to better
times during the last year has swung
70 labor, the commission on the
church and social service of the fed
eral council of churches in its annual
labor Sunday message calls upon la
Dor in the light of the present oppor-
tnnity to set new standards of public
service.
The commission gives spiritual
counsel" to the unions. 1t states
that though labor must have the
right OF collective bargaining, this
right must be used only with great
care. In this connection it points out
that.tho tight against the 12-hour day
IN the steel industry has been won by
force of public opinion.
The message will be read in Protes-
tant churches throughout the country
on. labor Sunday, Sept 2. 1t says in
part:
Text of Message.
With the essential aims of the
labor movement the Christian church
has deeply sympathized. The crit-
cism Is not. without foundation, how
ever, that both in it's particular OBJ
1ectives and in the means by which
they are sought, organized labor
sometimes fails to take sufficient ac-
count of the needs of the whole COM
munity. The fault by no means rests
with labor alone; when forced to de-
vote all its energies to defense of its
right to live the labor movement
could not be expected to develop
social leadership. But the new eco
nomic advantage. whichswith the turn
of the business tide, has come to labor
enhances the stewardship for which
1t must give an accounting.
Such complaint as may be fairly
brought. from the Christian point of
view, against the activities of Ameri-
car. labor unions, arises out of the
fact that they have placed too great
emphasis upon The preservation of
their own status and too little pro-
vision has been made for the. growing
demands of the community in goods |
and services No permanent advant-
age can be gained by any group
which does not enrich the life of the
people as a whole. This has been re-
peatedly asserted and often demon
strated with respect to combinations
OF capital, and it is equally true of
organizations of labor. Labor itself
has as large stake as any other
group in the. prompt and adequate
fulfillment of the community's needs.
Periods of Unemployment
Employers have undoubtedly been
too ready to make labor bear full re-
sponsibility for low production. Re-
periods of unemployment
have struck fear into the hearts of the
lest increased production
should mean flooding of the market
with goods and a consequent short
age of employment. But this fear
must give way to a fuller under
standing of the nations needs. In
he future labor unions must attempt ,
more and more to Justify themselves
~ functioning, as the guilds of the {
Middle Ages functioned, in creating.
md to the limit of their power, pre- :
CRYING high standards of production.
We are not without examples of
UGH Industrial efficiency and states )
nanship. Definite efforts have been =
made by more than one labor union !;
U CIedl6 HlS Her SldHudTu OIL service.
he absence of the skilled craftsmen
rom the railroad shops during the :
resent strike has made the country ]
ewly aware of it's dependence upon !,
hem. Likewise the maintenance of a
fficient production by means of a =
,ng-tried agreement in the garment :
tades proves that vigorous unionism =
! not incompatible with industrial :
Efficiency, loyalty to the industry and
rderly government. This regime of
lint government has not ended
:rikes in the industry, but it has 1
cry considerably reduced their num- Il
err p
Example Quoted y
"Of much import are the develop d
tents of the last few weeks with ref u
-ence to the long continued regime of 4 p
lie twelve-hour day in the steel in II
lstry. An appeal to public opinion g
aSed solely upon a regard for the hu- 81
an values involved has brought an CT
nequivocal declaration from the in
Istry that the twelye-hour day would I
, shortly abandoned. Might not this oil
Id have been ccomplished much Ihl