The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-09-03
Labor Day, 1854

This Labor Day will find the Diocese of Colum.
bus sponsoring Labor Day Mass for the tenth
year Begun ten years ago by Bishop Ready the Mass
has served to emphasize for Catholics and non-Ca-
tholics alike in the community the harmony of In
terest that exists between Labor and Religion.
1t is we'll for the community to recognize this
and to realize that the dignlfying of manual labor
is distinctively Christian 1t only with the COM
ing Of Christianity that there was erased the dis
tnction between the slave and the freeman. And
labor can hope to be free only as long as Chris
uanity is force in society.
Labor has only TO look al those countries in
which religion has been officially wiped out to see
the resurrection of slave labor. The dignity of
labor is dstinctively Christian and once Christianity
ceases to be force in society the dignity of labor
will suffer The Labor Day Mass serves to high
light this fact and serves notice of the Churchs
continued and lasting interest in the working man.
AS Christians we are all concerned about the
problem of peace, between nations, between races
and between labor and management IL is regret
table that sometimes there seems to be so little
progress made toward unity and harmony In the
field Of labor management relations there will al
ways be antagonisms and tensions and disagree
ments provoked by the distribution of a material
product which cannot belong to all parties. While
We recognize the existence Of differences we must
lament That same attempt to turn these differences
into class hatreds and class warfare.
Workers and employers are not of necessity enc
miles, AneN are DTOlneTS III 1HIlhl dnu III lney can
not amicabIy reconcile honest differences il is be
cause they have left religion out and turned to
secularism and materiasm which cannot lessen
but only accentuate their differences
The past year has not been devoid entirely of
differences which settled by of strikes
md some consequent bitterness. There we're signs
that collective bargaining is approaching that per
iection in which indicates that both labor and
management are becoming more expert in its use
and more inclined to see it as the means of set
Ting differences reasonably.
We might mention two instances The agreement
reached by the steel industry and the steel union
which certainly emphasized the wide Of mutual
interests between the two Steel for many years
the scene of bloody battles and this friendly
and mutually agreeable settlement marks the prog
that has been made in industrial life in just
few years.
The other insanc is the agreement recently
reached between the Studebaker Co. and the union
in which the union voluntarily took cut in wages
IN order 10 put their company in competitive
position IN very competitive industry II
undoubtedly hard decision TO make but il shows
the value Of collective bargaining an instrument
Of industrial peace II is used in good faith by
both parties.
This Labor Day does moi herald the millennium
but ii does hold out bright hopes for the future We
can we'll recall the words of recently canonized
Plus that better world will be the result Of
prayer and action The good order in society cannot
be attained without religion. II is the responsibility
OF all TO see that Christianity is the guiding force
Of industrial life.