Montana labor news., 1939-08-31

Inc recent world conference OF the
churches held at Madras, India, to
consider their missionary task issued
to the world a stirring call to fellow
ship and Christian brotherhood. 1t
is appropriate that the Church
should speak this word at a time of
conflict and confusion. In critical
hours of human history God has
spoken through His Church and re-
directed the course of human affairs.
Once again the Church speaks to
our age of transition and crisis and
lifts up the practice of Christian
brotherhood as a commanding ideal
above the warning and conflicting
ideologj-s of the hour.
The most menacing evil from
which the world is suffering today
is lack of brotherhood. This lack
has been conspicuous in the rela-
tons between race and race, nation
and nation, employer and worker.
On Labor Sunday u attention is
especially directed to the area of
our industrial and economic life. It
is encouraging indeed that a new
spirit of understanding and coopera-
ton is becoming apparent between
many employers and organized la
Dor. Widespread recognition of labor
unions, the acceptance Of the prin-
ciple Of collective bargaining and
the regulation of hours and fair
labor standards now pave the way
for more constructive and intelligent
cooperation in American industry.
The trend toward industry-wide
organization of employers for col
lective agreements with organized
labor, covering whole industries, Of
fers hope of the more stabilized la
Dor relations and fewer strikes which
characterize British and Swedish in
dustry. We heartily commend the
efforts of far-sighted American m
ployers toward this end and earnest
ly hope that such trends may be
strengthened.
But today there are other areas
of misunderstanding and strife to
which we wish to call attention.
At the very time when the in
terests of workers require coopera-
ton and unity, we see organized
labor unable to agree within its own
ranks. We would express the hope
that the conflict between organiza-
tons of labor may be resolved and
a genuine unity among all the repre-
sentatives of labor be realized.
Industrial Workers and Farmers
There is, however, another area
to which the Church has in the past
given little attention-namely that
of the relation between the indus
trial workers and farmers. Because
of the lack of personal acquaintance
and contacts between these groups,
there exists a widespread lack of
understanding of each others just
needs and objectives. Prejudice and
even bitterness feed on ignorance of
these groups concerning each other.
Yet farmers and industrial workers
have much in common. Both cher
ish the principle Of democracy in
organization. Many farmers seek,
through their farm organizations, the
same essential democratic right of
collective action to safeguard their
interests as industrial workers seek
through their labor unions. The
same thrilling spirit Of democracy,
the same determination to have a
voice in their own economic des-
TIMES, runs through both the or
ganized labor and organized farmer
movements.
Furthermore, many of the alleged
conflicts of interest between farmers
and industrial workers rest upon
assumptions which are without
foundation. There are, of course,
wide differences in the economic
status of farmers and also in the
relations of large-scale farmers and
employed labor. Doubtless the posi-
ton of those farmers who own their
own land is more analogous to that
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