Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-12-24

any form of government that puts tn,
welfare of the mass above the wei
fare of any favored group within thu
mass is too well known a cause Of
political revolt to be examined here
What is more pertinent is that those
who have" shall understand the poin,
of view of those who "have not" Al
Christmas time we as individual:
share with each other. We give gifts
to our friends. We provide for the
neediest cases. We partake of the
spirit of Christ's life in seeking tc
catch the meaning of the most joyful
of all holidays Of the year.
But when Christmas Day has pass
ed, the anti-climax sets in. Back to
the year-end figures, back to the
struggle between profits and losses,
back to the cold decisions of bust
nesses and industries regimented by
the inevitably cruel tests of the age
old rule-the survival of the fittest-
we turn back, indeed, to the hates and
passions of individualism.
Class Strife A Destroyer
of Goodwill
Granted that Responsible Individul-
ism is the real alternative to rugged
individualisb, how shall we attain
such an ideal? 1t can come only by a
sofetening of rigid temperaments
which with almost military vigor
dominate the memorable practices of
modern economic life.
Many an employer with a heart Of
gold, with sense of social response
bility, with deep feeling of affection
for his fellow-man has had his en-
thusiasm cooled, his ardor dampened,
his Christian purposes thwarted by
the brutishness and selfishness of
self-styled leaders of his own work
men. Appreciation of a trend toward
betterment of working conditions has
too often been lost in the melee of
class war.
America must end her class wars or
be destroyed by them.
The command of the coming year,
indeed of all years in this critical pc
Rod of recovery and reconstruction,
is to learn how ito live together, to
work together, to serve together" The
quotations are from that remarkable
book, "This Changing World" by
Samuel S. Fels of Philadelphia, bust
ness man, who practices what he
breaches.
But how shall we learn to work to-
gether and to serve together, how
shall we extinguish the fires of hate
and substitute therefor a spirit OF
mutual good will?
There must be revival of the spirit
of religion. The Oxford Group Move
ment, which, without discouraging
any creed or sect, seeks to encourage
each individual to find in his own
heart and conscience the living God
is perhaps the most remarkable move
ment in recent years. It conflicts with
no church but would inspire them all
It looks toward the development OF
religion in everyday life.
Recently in one of England's most
important and widely circulated trade
papers entitled MEMS Wear" appear
ed an editorial, God in Business oc-
casioned by a luncheon arranged b.
Austin Reed, head of the London firm
bearing his name, to which he invited
II of the leading executives in thu
mems wear trade in England. The
editorial says:
'Last week a luncheon we at
tended provided striking example
of what to many must come as
new policy. This party Of people in
the trade were invited by Mr.. Aus :
tin Reed to hear the experiences
of the Oxford Group international
team. These young men show that
the movement is taking growing
place in busineSs.....
"Take the common case of the
man whose business means every
thing to him and is the selfish
centerpoint of his existence. He
soon comes to worship his profit
and loss account, and then, to-
bolster up profits, he cuts staff,
cuts wages, pares qualities, claims
| unfair discounts, trades direct and
| on the sly.
Multiply that men ten thous-
and times and you create unem-
ployment. price-cutting, sweated
labor and the hundred and one
problems that are in the news
weekly, daily.
| Change the individually moral
standards and business and life
move up on a new plane. The OK
ford Group people. believe it
can be done, must be done, if we
are to face the big and unknown
changes that await US tomorrow.
"This ideas are worth thinking
about, inquiring about and doing
something about.