The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-12-18
SOUTHERN COTTON MILLS
AND LABOR


He also stated that there was not a family IN
the village which could not have everything 1t
needed (although many families haHonly nine
dollars a week on which to livel. except for
the foolish waste of money on ginger ale ana
such. He was in close contact with manage
ment and much opposed to unionlsm Another
pastor stated that conditions were far better
now than some years ago, IN fact just ABOUT
all that could be desired and that past
changes had been brought about by manage
ment for its people and that in good time 1t
would further improve conditions, should such
be needed A third preacher referred to the
low standard of living of village people but
seemed to consider it due largely to their
shiftlessness, and he also said he opposed
to unionsm. The fourth man had but one plank
in his social platform, beside religion: heq
wished to see mill people take up farming on
the side as a health and income aid. All four
stressed the necessity of spiritual regeneration
and their mission as reconcilers of capital and
labor, and of town and village. What they
said merely repetition Of the content
of speeches made by the main spokesman at
summer conferences of Southern Baptist and
Methodist minister's published in handsome
book form by the Manufacturers Record
notorious open shop organ, and presented
gratis to all the local pastors for their edifica-
tion
These christian" organizations and social
doctrines, which are quite acceptable to man.
agement, have had most decided effect on
mill peoples point of view. For instance, in
discussing their living and working conditions
AMI unionism as an attempt to remedy their
grievances, number of workers made some
such statements as 1--WE mustn't concern our
selves with earthly things. 1t is all in Gods
hands," or "Unionism might be a good thing
but l amt got no time, my thoughts is all on
the world to come" One woman, after
recital of fifty years of poverty's hardships,
ended with the words, "But for my belief in
God and His Goodness and His reward here
after, l coulden go on" Some also stated
themselves as opposed to unionism and gave
as their reasons that unionism would prevent
owners and employers from acting as chris
tian brothers AMI quoted the bible as proving
god Of this opinion! Of course many more
mill workers quoted scripture to prove gods
approval Of unionsm Needless to say, this
Interpretation of the matter they had not re-
ceived from the church but had worked out
for themselves, to justify their stand
While mill villagers are still very reli-
gious people, there are some indications that
religious activities are playing less of role
among them than formerly. In transferring
from agricultural to industrial life, many reli-
gious practices have been abandoned, and
smaller proportion belong to the church than
belonged in rural days.
Among the village populations, the younger
generation is less apt to join church, more
irregular in attendance and less orthodox in
its point of view than its elders, although the
teen-agers often use a Young Peoples Society
social center.
The reasons for this 1essenng hold of the
church over village populations are many, in
Guiding the breakup of church-going habits
through villagers continual moving from
place to place; the decrease in illiteracy and
growing sophstication especially among ther
young people, the tempting opportunities I'd
violate some of the religious taboos on thd
city's attractions of movies, theatres, dancing
and mixed swimming parties; and the develop
ment of other organizations which can meet
their emotional and social needs, such as
lodges, clubs, athletic societies and unions.
The most fundamental factor at work is the
growing feeling the part of mill workers
that the church is not only not fulfilling any
useful, practical purposes in their lives and
offers no real help in the problems of daily
work and life which they as mill workers must
face, but also that the village pastor and the
village church are really part of the COM
pany's machinery for controlling their actions
and thoughts. This feeling has become defi-
mite conviction when, in times of union agita-
ton and strikes, they have found pastors sid
ing with the company and serving to under
mine labors solidarity. No doubt as union
ism and class consciousness grow on the HILL
mill hands will emancipate themselves more
and more from the reactonary influences of
the company church
(To Be Continued