Montana labor news., 1937-01-21
Should Practice What They Preach

There is much in common between real
Christianity and true unionism. SO it is
not cledr why ministers Of the gospel.
preaching the doctrine Of the Mon OF
Nuzureth, need be urged to support IN
ion labor. 1t would be interesting to know
just what would be the reaction OF many
members Of the clergy did "open-shop-
pers" adopt and promote q label to
identity their creed. The action Of the
Ministers Union Of America in putting
forth the resolutions shown below is all
the more refreshing because Of the evi-
dent sincerity with which they state their
viewpoint.
|. The Federal Council Of Churches
and the majority Of religious denomind-
tons have come out in fUvOr OF organized
labor. Similar stands have been token
by the Catholic and Jewish bodies. These
resolutions and social programs ore
meaningless unless the churches make
q serious endedvor to practice whdt they
preach. To organized labor they are
nothing but pious resolutions if we con-
tinue to pdtronize nonunion shops tor the
sake Of saving q few dollars. Put your
self in the place Of organized labor and
you con not blame them if they are sus-
picious Of the churches!
Q. We should do this to uphold q de-
cent American standard OF wages and to
help increase the purchasing power OF
the nation which President Roosevelt and
others ore urging us to do. The WdY to
do thut is pdtronize those printers thdt ore
paying wages above the standards OF the
NRA.
g.. We should pdtronize organized ld-
Dor because organized labor is in many
respects prdcticing what we are preach
ing and is for 0 in harmony with the
Ideals Of organized religion than those
EMPLOYERS who in practice ore lowering
the standards Of wages. For example,
the Printing Trades Unions Of Greater
New York-open to all without regard to
race or creed-during the lost three
years have taken care OF their
ployed. During thut time Typographical
Union No. 6 spent over eight million dol
lars for unemployment relief. Old-uge
pensions, mortuuIY and hospital benefits
and many other humanitarian activities
costing over 100000. have been one
MAGNIFICENT manifestation Of the brother
hood-of man as prdcticed by this some
union. one Of eighteen unions comprising
the Allied Printing Trades Council Of
New York City. How many churches
can show such q record as that?
I A. If some trustee or other practical
Business man" in your church should
say I'VE would like to have the union
label on our printing but we con not at
ford il" you can honestly say to him, and
these facts can be verified, that men
working in union shops receive 10 per
cent more in wages than men working
in those shops thdt are supposed to live
up to the NRA standards. Therefore, if
you ore getting your printing done under
10 per cent less thdn what union printers
will charge, you may be sure that you
are not only violating the standards Of
organized labor but are supporting those
EMPLOYERS thdt are violating the NRA
standards. In other words. the church is
supporting chiselers.
Will you join us in this cdmpdign by
putting your church on the fdir list if il
is not dlreddY there and thus help the
churches Of America to more nearly prdc-
tee what they preach?
The appeal is signed by the Rev. Leon