The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-23
POPE'S LABOR
EDICT LASHES
GREED OF RICH
Calls for Unity of Capital
and Workers for Their
Mutual Welfare.
HARD, CRUEL DESPoTS'
Desire for Power Brings
Conflicts, Pontiff Warns
in EnCYCIicaI.
By United Press

By United Press
VATICAN CITY, May 23.-A call
for unity of labor and capital in the
interest of their common welfare
was sounded today by publication
Of the full text Of the new encycli-
cal of Pope Plus XII, summarized in
radio address May Is and supple
menting the board platform of Pope
Leo XIII in his "rerum novarum"
Of 1891.
While adhering to the anti-So-
cialistic stand Of his predecessor and
once more enunciating the principle
OF private property, Pope Plus made
a thoroughly modern Interpretation
Of economic trends and dangers.
He warned against the menace OF
despotic power "in the hands of
those who, possessing money, donni-
nate and control loans" and showed
how this led to struggles for eco
nornic supremacy for political pow
er and between states.
Modern "Greed for Power"
Greed for power has succeeded
desire for wealth and our whole
economy thus has become terribly
hard, memorable and cruel" said
the encyclical.
Notwithstanding plans for the
benefit OF labor were inorsed and
1t was pointed out that wealth
solely is produced through the
workers labor, either manual or
mechanical"
Slletching the history of the rela-
tons between capital and labor, the
encyclical said
For long time capital appro-
priated so much that it left the
worker a barely sufficient amount
for existence. 1t was the change
less law that wealth belonged to
the rich and the workers must re-
main pereptually of the proletariat,,'
living a poor, miserable existence.
1t is no wonder these false views
have been opposed"
Fair Wage Is Urged
The encyclical, considered the
most significant economic pro-
nouncement of the church since the
time of Leo XIII, calls for the re-
construction of the worlds entire
economic system TO bring about a
more equitable distribution Of
wealth between capital and labor.
The encyclical adhered to the
historic division between the classes
of capital and labor, holding that
the Creator decreed such a division
and that 1t was forever unchange-
able, but 1t was made clear that
there be a gradin-up of the condi-
ions of the lower levels of mankind
in order that they might enjoy the
benefits of modren improvements
and greater productivity.
Underlying the entire document
was apparent the desire that the
1aborer be granted a fair wage,
compatible with the requirements
Of social justice, even though this
entailed a reconstruction OF the
present economic system.
Menace Seen In Trusts
Referring to tn emenace of trusts
and the accumulation of wealth
and power, the encyclical said:
This power becomes despotic In
the hands of those who, possessing
money, dominate credit and control
loans. Sue hpeople are, in sense,
distributors Of the blood whereby
the economic organism lives. They
have the soul OF economy in their
hands; no one can breathe without
their permission. Thus there Is a
concentration of power.
This 81 the result of q temporary
economy with uneestrained competi-
ton, allowing only the strongest to
survive. That is most violent and
most constituencies.
Three Kinds of Struggle
This concentration Of wealthy
generates three kinds Of struggles.
First, for economic supremacy; Sec
ond. for political power. and thirdly.
q struggle between states.
Free competition has destroyed
Itself. Economic hegemony has
taken the place of freedom of mar
kets. Greed for power has sue
ceeded to desire for wealth, and our
whole economy has thus become ter
riblv hard inexora BILE and cruel"