Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-06-13
By
Clayton
Rusch
Chairman

Ills QOQUL uldy NC ONS W
the fact that not m a n y
churches have made a special
point of condemning the Taft
Hartley Bill in particular. 1t
must be recognized however,
that constant reiteration of
principles with which all regu-
lar attendants of churches
should be familiar could re-
suit in much monotonous and
trite repetition.
The Protestant, Catholic and
Jewish faiths have expressed
their sentiments so clearly on
the record that the position of
the religious groups on labor
legislation should be clear to
all.
A feU pertinent quotes
makes this point indiSputdble.
THE Federal Council of
Churches of Christ in Amer
ica, representing two dozen
Protestant denominations, in
Guiding many of the largest,
has stated: The churches
should stand for the right of
employers and employees
alike to organize for collective
bargaining and social action;
the protection of both in the
exercise of this right; the OBJ
legation of both to work for
the public good
"it is because of the con-
cern of religion for justice and
for social welfare that church
bodies have for thirty years
officially declared for the
right of employees as well as
employers to organize.
Such a belief issues in a de-
mand for democracy both in
political and industrial rela-
tions. This leads to the or
ganization of workers in order
that many have a recognized
voice in determining the con-
ditions under which they must
live and work.
"' AS yet only a minority of
American workers are organ
lied and it must be recognized
that annual wages of many
skilled workers are still be-
low a comfort level of living,
while the wages in many in
dustries both urban and agri-
cultural are grossly made
quate for a decent standard
of living for an American
family. We are convinced,
therefore that thoughtful
Christians will welcome the
contemporary gains in status
and economic welfare on the
part of labor with the social
ideals of Christianity
Pope Plus XII, in a letter
to the bishops of the United
States in 1899, wrote: Since
association is one of mans
natural requirements and since
1t is legitimate to promote by
common effort decent liveli-
hood it is not possible without
injustice to deny or limit
either to the producer or the
laboring and farming classes
the free faculty of uniting in
associations by means of which
they may defend their proper
rights and secure the better
ment of goods of soul and
body, as we'll as the honest
comforts of life
"In 1923, the Central Con-
ference of American RabbiS
affirmed: The same rights of
organization which rests with
rest also with whom
they employ. Modern life has
permitted wealth to consoli-
date itself through organiZa-
tion into corporations. Trade
organizations for mutual bene-
fit within specific industries
are quite common among en-
ployerS. Workers have the
same inalienable rights to or
ganize according to their own
plan for their common good
and to bargain collectively
with their employers through
such honorable means as they
may choose
In 1884, the Rabbinical
Assembly of America was
even more emphatic: We be-
lieve that the denial of the
right of workers to organize
and form group associations so
that they may treat as eco
nomic equals with their en-
ployers is tantamount to a cur
tailment of human freedom.
For that reason we favor the
unionization of all who labor.
We demand legislation to pro-
tect labor in its right to bar
gain collectively with its en-
ployers through representa-
tives of its own choice with
out any pressure or influence
to be eXerted by the employers
on the organization of the
workmen for such purposes,
or on the choice of their rep
resentatives. "
I n eSe prounouncements
clearly demonstrate that the
Catholic and Jew
ish faiths are unalterably OPP
posed to any such measures as
are contained in the Taft