Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-20
CHURCH SEEKS TO REMOVE
CAUSE OF BUSINESS STRIFE
Application of Truly Christian Principles
to Industrial Relations Is
Declared Cure.


the attention of men to this ideal In
no uncertain terms. Sometimes only
Singing rebuke is the most effective
method of making men think; at other
times more can be accomplished by a
discussional fellowship; but no mere
platitudinous generalities will solve
the situation. President Rowntree
translates this principle into the fol-
lowing minimum conditions which
any satisfactory scheme of industry
must provide:
ID Earnings sufficient to maintain
reasonable standard of comfort.
t2) Reasonable hours of work (prob-
ably eight.
3p Reasonable economic security
during the whole working life ana in
old age.
az A reasonable share. with the
employer, in determining the condi.
lions of work
0) An interest in the prosperity of
the industry in which he is engaged,
10 THESE might perhaps be added
loJ An equal chance for promotion.
90 Participation in the control of
the business.
Rights Often Ignored.
AT present employees do not have
chese rights in a large number OF IN
"u'tiidi concerns. In fdct, they are
oIten prevented from securing a rea-
sonable share in the financial returns.
Not so long ago a shoe company in
troduced new kind of machinery
which subjected the worker to a much
greater degree of physical and mental
strain. In the next two years the
pront9 were so enormous that they
equaled the total capitalized stock Of
the company, yet not a single cent
found it's way into the pay envelope
of the worker. No doubt the president
or the corporation thought himself a
Christian, but he needed a vigorous re-
minder from the church of what the
Christ way involved in his business.
1t is sometimes thought strange that
labor and capital. partners in a COM
mon enterprise, do not act as such.
The reason is that they really can
hardly be said to be partners In any
true sense. Partnership involves.
among other things, a knowledge Of
the business. including it's financial
secrets, q share in the profits and a
voice in the management. Labor feels
1t is not being treated as a partner.
and consequently does not always act
as one.
Above all else, the Christian en-
ployer should stand like a rock for the
SQpIcIiLhCY Oh human values over
property values.
Not only does the church expect the
| average business man to apply his
Christianity in the concrete details of
the working day, but 1t expects him to
welcome and not block honest investi-
cations into the truth about the indus
| trial conditions in his own plant.
Suggests Social ADULTS.
At present we have chartered pub
lie accountants who make financial
audits. Why not have chartered pub
lie economists and sociologists who
would make the human audit? Today
the costs of an audit are borne by
the company investigated. This would
hold true equally for the annual hui
man audit which determines the ac-
tual facts regarding wages. hours,
security, profit-sharing and status of
the workers. Such a report would
naturally be submitted first to the
company concerned. Later 1t would
presumably be published. II an In
dividual employer efused to pay for
an audit, labor self might con-
ceivably step in I'd have it done.
The public would sooner or later
come to expect this just as 1t now
does the financial audit. The social
effect would be almost incalculable
How does the public now regard
concern that is known never to have
an audit? What would it think of
one that refused to permit a human
audit? In the case of interstate cor
porations, the Government might we'll
make such an audit compulsory. It
is quite conceivable that this would
do more than all the welfare schemes
yet devised to usher in peace and CO.
operation between capital and labor.
The plan would seem to be build.
ing on our past experience and to
De eminently practicable. At any
rate, state governments are already
enforcing an audit or inspection for
many things. One of the most com.
mon examples is the investigation
OF safety appliances in factories If
it can be done for one item. Is it not
reasonable TO suppose that il can be
done for all?
The very least that any employer
can do is to point out mistakes I'm
an honest study of his plant. and
the very least that he can refrain
from doing is to hurl dangerous and
questionable epithets at the investi.
gator. After all. his greatest oppor-
tunity to express Christianity lies
IN the concrete tasks of business life
for there he touches the greatest
number of human lives. He should
welcome sincere Investigations, no
matter how far they may disagree
with his own ideas.
Unions Rose From Necessities.
Chief Justice Taft of the United
states Supreme Court said In a re.
cent decision:
Labor unions were organized
out OF the necessities of the situa.
ton. A single employee was HELPLESS
In dealing with an employer. He
daily wage for the maintenance Oh
himself and his family. If the EN-.
ployer refused to pay him the wages
that he thought fair, he was never.
theless unable to leave the emniov
and to resist arbitrary and unfair
treatment. Union was essential 10
give laborers opportunity to deal on
equality with their employer"
The recent United States Coal Com.
mission found that 1T was the union
which had been the potent force I'm
improving the conditions of the
miners
Roosevelt. in his autobiography.
gives 1t as the growing conviction of
a lifetime that the trade-union ia
one OF the greatest possible agencies
In the attainment of true political
democracy in the United States.
1t is growing constantly in wis
dom as well as in power, and is be-
coming one Of the most efficient aren.
c1es towards the solution of our IN.
dustrial problems. the elimination OF
poverty and of Industrial problems.
the elimination Of poverty and of in.
dustr1al disease and accidents. the
iessening of unemployment, the
achievement of Industrial democracy
and the attainment of a larger meas
ure of social and industrial i,,a4I.o