The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-02-24
ANNUAL INCOME
OF THE MILLIONS
DIR. NJ. f. BURNS SEES SPREAD
THAT ENDANGERS AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY

cleveland, O--tA. P.)-The more
systematically and scientifically you
Investigate the present economic and
industrial institutions of this country
the more you are convinced that many
of these institutions are on-Christian,
some un-Christian, and a few are anti
Christian, DR.. M. F. Burns, of New
York City, told the sixth annual meet
ing of the Council of Cities of the
Methodist Episcopal church here to-
day.
"As nearly as we can discover
through government statistics" said
DR.. Burns, " thirty-two millions of our
people are on incomes of So 900 or
less per year, twenty-seven millions
are on incomes of 81 800 or less per
year; fifteen millions are on incomes
of $1,000 or less per year; ten mill
lions are on incomes of $500 or less
per year, practically ten million
others are without Incomes while
only five millions of all the income
producers of America enjoy incomes
over $4,000 per year.
Just after the great World war
had started, [ set at lunch with a
fine Christian gentleman. He said:
Doctor, I have made net profit
during the last twelve months of prac-
tically $5, 100000
"I replied:
How many folks do you employ?
about $1,000
Who are they?
Women and girls
How much do you pay them?
From So to SIS per week.
Mr.. Blank, do you think a woman
or girl can live virtuousIy dress as
she must to meet your clientele, eat
such food as she should on from So
to SIS per week?
'tHe replied: Doctor. am not
concerned as to that item; L am liv-
ing we'll within the business ethics
which the church has buiIded up dur
ing the last two thousand years.
." I said: You have fine oppor-
tunity to establish a new precedent
He replied: L expect the mini
ster to do that
.'I then said Mr. Blank. what would
happen if your minister should preach
on social justice condemning
the present social and economic or
der, the demanding such changes as
most economists believe should take
place?
{" He replied smiling, I suppose we
would have a change of ministers at
the coming session of our annual
conference
There also is the glaring fact of
unequal distribution. We are told that |
that in 1920 there were fifteen men
in the state of Illinois whose com
bined income was twenty million dol
lars There were, on the other hand
in that state thirty thousand families
who altogether had no more than
these fifteen men.
" Professor Sims states that 'one
hundred and eighty men possess one
quarter of the wealth of this repub-
Iic.' And this additional statement
has been made that the same one
hundred and eighty men control S5
per cent to 90 per cent of the wealth
Of the nation, and very large per
cent of the wealth of the world Mr.
II. H. Klein. in his Dynamic Ameri-
"a gives the names of one hundred
'amilies who now virtually control the
railways and the fourteen basic indus
-ries of the country.
Have we, as the greatest of all
the nations, the passion for moral
equity and social justice to readjust
and recreate industry so as to accord
with the principles and teachings of
Jesus?
& In some way we must make good
our claims of democracy in industry
rs well as in political life. Somehow
cooperation must displace the old
and conflict Finally
national Brotherhood must be inaug-
1rated.'