The Connecticut labor news., 1924-06-07
BY THE W AY
Comment and Criticism About Things
 Doing in the World.

Mr. Paul Blanshard, who goes around the country featuring in col leges for the League for Industrial Democracy, has made a great hit with the 'Information Service of the Fed eral Council of Churches, edited by the Rev. F. E. Johnson.
 'Information Service" which the churches accept as speaking for them. takes MT Blanchard at his own valu- ation. We are told without explana tion that he advocated the policy of "production for use as against pro- duction for profit which is socialism and nothing else. We are told that he was impressed with the lack of rep resentation in the colleges of the la bor point of view the implication be- ing that he supplied that point of view. Does the Federal Council of Church es Information Service know the diff | ference between American Labor and | international socialism-or does 1t per petrate confusion purposely? That is fair question and 1t ought to be an swered.
 The League for Industrial Democ- racy is a socialist organization. It formerly was known as the Inter-Co1- legiate Socialist Society. The name was changed for tactical reasons. Harry w. Laid1er, secretary of the old organization, remains as secretary of the new one. Nothing has been changed but the name. Nothing in the "Information Serv- ice" suggests the. truth. It is all dressed up to indicate that MT. Blanshard speaks for Labor, whereas that is about the last thing he does or could do. Why this rather typical transformation in this Federal Council lof Churches Information Service? Speaking of churches, there comes along at the moment, the pacihst res olution presented to the Methodist Episcopal Conference at Springfield, Mass. It is humdinger Of course to oppose a pacifst resolution may be unpopular, but to be popular at the expense of sanity does not yet appeal to all Americans.
 This resolution declares that wars 'futility IS beyond question and I've are determined to outlaw the whole war system War Is not always fu- tile. Was the American revolution futile? Was the war between the states futile? Was the war with Spain | futile? Was the Mexican war for in dependence futile? Was the rebellion against Dias futile? Was our late war with Germany futile?
 The nation is being flooded with mass of mawkish rot about war just now. War is to be avoided as long as possible. War of aggrandizement is to be opposed always. But the people that refuse to defend liberty, that refuse to resist invasion and that will not fight for democracy, Is a people doomed to deserved enslave ment. .#
 There is an honorable, sane and high minded field for work to prevent war--a field for work for peace. But IS emphatically not the field into which this Methodist resolution plunges so reckless1y.
 The resolution goes on to demand the principle of transcription of wealth and labor whenever conscription of manhood is contemplated in the fu- ture. Labor itself is best fitted to speak on that subject and to make what demands are to be made The glittering generality about conscripting wealth and labor is as deceptive as a mirage and about the last thing man kind wants in that connection IS deception.