The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-09-02

ces of trusted leadership. the
inevitable.
ditions AZ the following prevailed:
long hours. child labor. poor
wages. unhealthy working condi-
tons. slumH. vice. sickness. and
poverty were in evidence.
Church Hut Agency
The church. a. an institution.
cannot take sides or be arbitrary
In its pronouncemfnts. 1t In the
agency through which the spirit
and mind Of the Master finds ex-
preston In our day and world. He
had compassion on all the men,
the rich and thu poor. the high
and the low. the saint and the sin
ner. But He protested violently
against all injustice and unright-
eousness. When the strong OPP
pressed the weak, he championed
the weak: when the evil ones in
fhcted harm upon the good. ne
protested; when the favored and
entrenehed exploited the defense
les, he struck out boldly in their
behalf. In short, when the evil
and selfish forces of his day
played havoc with human person
atty, seeking 10 use IL for their
own end. he countered by pro-
claiming that his mission was Ito
preach good tidings TO the poor;
to proclaim release to the cap
tives and recovery Of sight 10 the
blind. 10 set at liberty them that
are bruised. and TO proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord"
Church Protests
When II became apparent that
conditions under which men had
to earn their living and 10 live
were contrary to the spirit OF the
Master. II was the church which
first raised its voice In protest in
England. The ouakers began TO
awaken the conscience of England.
demanding that the state step in
TO ameliorate the cruel conditions.
IL Is not necessary TO 20 into the
history Of reform. But In all civil
lized countries the movement of
reform went on. In our own coun-
try great Christian church men
were moved by the plight of the
worker, and such names as WASH
ington GLADDEN. and Walter Raus-
ehenbusch led the list of noble
names who gave their lives and
talents in this crusade.
Now II Il not my claim that
the church must enter the
warfare n an active combat
ant. Rather. II must always
be impartial and Just. II
must ever tip the scales TO-
ward Righteousness. In the
the conflict of today between
employer and employee, neither
one nor the other IL always
right: lasting peace between
labor and capital cannot come
II either imposes upon the
other conditions by virture of
force. Only when both are
reasonable and unselfish can
conditions result that will
have In them hases Of perma-
hence.
II 10 at this point that the
church 10 an important factor. 10
create IN the minds of men the
fact that we are all of one family:
that the good things of life should
be shared by all. and that to de-
press one group for the benefit OF
The other means that all will even
tuaily sink.
The Master said: The laborer
IL worthy Of his hire" This places
The mark of dignity upon the
worker: he Is indispensable to the
well-eeing Of mankind. whether he
works with his hands or head. and
for his labor he should be ade-
quately rewarded. II Is also true
as St Paul says. III any win not
work, neither let him eat" Life
demands creativity on the part
OF all creatures. And there is no
place In life for the drone. the
shirker, or the parasite.
Rights Of Labor
The church. therefore. realizes
that in the spirit Of democracy
The worker must have the RICH, 10
be heard. and II this can best be
done by organization. 50 be IL
But, n labor become.
stronger. and grows IN power.
II. too. must accept the moral
responsibility that gce~ with
increasing power.
II cannot asset itself 10 the def
riment Of others. for that would
De rejecting again the spirit OF
sefishness which has always mo-
dueed strife and misery. Organ
lied labor mus, pass on the bene-
DID JOHN |. SULLIVAN FIGHT