I
II
SOCIAL
ByRev. Chas.
' "We have been too easily satisfied with a cheaj) success. Few of
us have taken the trouble and suffered the pain to get deep down in
to the social problems of the Church. A bit of philanthropic work
has been done here and there, not always because of a love for the
sufferer, but that our own accusing consciences might be stilled, and
frequently we have done more harm than good. This has often been
true because of a lack of knowledge. Could we have known all the
facts, we would have put more heart and life into the task.
In order to be efficient, it is absolutely necessary to know the con
ditions with which we are dealing. This is so manifestly true in busi
ness life that no one will deny it. But often we disregard this prin
ciple when performing service for the Church. What do the peo
ple whom we have been discussing think of the Church, and why do
they hold these opinions? This question is easily answered if one
will take the time and trouble to inquire. It is very important that
we should get their viewpoint if we are to accomplish anything with
them, but more important still is it to know why these opinions pre
vail. If the objectionable Socialist and the anarchist, and the others
who trouble some of us, are to be eradicated, we must begin at the
fountain head and remove the filth which poisons the stream we
must remove the things which give rise to the spirit t)f social unrest.
This will require an honest study of the problems of the poor. It will
mean the confession that undoubtedly there is injustice in our deal
ings with the masses. It is absurd to imagine that all of this agita
tion of unrest would have no existence but for the vaporings of the
professional labor leader. It will be seen that while the agitator has
no doubt exaggerated some things, nevertheless, he is, himself, the
product of the conditions which he deplores, rather than their or
iginator. It will be discovered, further, that while the use of pal
liatives are justifiable in order to lessen the burdens of the poor,
nothing short of complete justice will sufficeand until this has beer
given, it must not be expected that peace will reign.
Unfortunately, there are too many individuals in the world who
are so comfortably situated that they deplore agitation of any kind
because their continued prosperity is very seriously impaired dur
ing a time of strike or economic disorder. To such, social unrest is
simply an expression of unrighteous discontent.- As a matter of fact
it is one of the most hopeful signs of the times. It proves that the
people are alert to their needs. "What is required to-day is unselfish
leadership in the struggle which the masses are making. And here
in lies the opportunity of the Church.
Famished Rooms
Rooms and Board
u The above signs, neatly printed ((
)j on heavy cardboard, for sa!e at'
I A705 "0" STREET
UNREST
Stelzle
MAUPIN IN ST. LOUIS
8t. Louis, Mo., Nov. 16. It has been
my good fortune to watch both branch
es of congress while in session. It has
also been my good fortune to sit twice
as a delegate in conventions of the
American Federation of Labor
though I have never been a congress
man. But I am prepared to say, and
to prove that the average of brains in
a Federation convention is quite as
high, if not higher, than the average
of brains in the present congress of
the United States, lhere is an earn
estness about the delegates here ifchat
is good to see. It speaks in loud and
encouraging tones for the future of
the trades union movement.
A few seats over from where I am
writing this sits John Mitchell, whose
name is as familiar as the name of
Roosevelt, and whose services to his
fellows far excels those of the Sitrenu
ous One. Near him sits John Walkei
of Illinois, another mine worker, whose
name is not so familiar as that oi
Mitchell, but who is making his marl
in the labor world by reason of hi
ability and his force of character
John B. Lennon, for twenty yean
treasurer of the Federation, sits across
the hall.' Lincoln unionists know thi:
splendid man. We may not 'all agree
with some of his views on publii
qviestions, but every one of us wilj
agree that ihe is a four square 'mm
md full of fighting ability for an;
2ause he espouses. Over there i'
Tames M. Lynch, the burly, able anc
obstinate president of the Internation
il Typographical Union. Frank Hw
ber of (the car enters, "Bill Mahon o'
'he street railway men, Jerome Jone;
of Atlanta, Al Urick of the Iowa stat
federation, 1 Secretary Morrison of the
Federation, Perkins of the cigarmaker
and scores of others who have epem:
their lives fighting in the cause o
.lnionism and the uplift of humanity
And presiding with serenity and firm
ness is Uncle Sam Gompers! What a
fine old fellow he is!
It is an honor to any man to sit a?
t. delegate in a convention like this
It is doing business not for pay, no;!
"or glory, but for the benefit of com
non humanity.
Its sessions are all open to the pub
lie, too. Nothing to conceal, nothing
bo be ashamed of, about the American
Federation of Labor. Secrecy and
plotting are left for the enemies of or
anization.
It takes about three davs for th
onvention to get down to real busi
tiess, for committees must meet and
tart reports, delegates must get ac
quainted and frame up their little cau
3uses, and the orators must be given
time to polish off their little speeches
nd miake them fit the occasion. And
You'll hear a lot of mighty good ora
tory at one of these conventions, too
He hasn't opened up yet, but pretty
soon Victor Berger of Milwaukee will
open up, and then there will be sparks
fllying. Berger is the recently elected
socialist who will represent the Mil
waukee district in congress, and be
tween him and President Gompers
there has been a struggle for years
The socialist are going to make things
warm at this session. The man who
fails to see ifehat socialism is growing
by leaps and bounds in this country is
indeed blind.
There are some strong women here
too. Mrs. Raj-rnond "Robins of Chicago
president of the Woman's Trade Union
League, is a general favorite. She is
a wonderfully brilliant woman, and her
life has been one of devotion to the
cause of her working sisters. She led
the shirtwaistmakers of New York to
victory, and she practically won the
strike for the garment workers in Chi
cago. Alice Henry, editor of the oi-
ficial organ of the Woman's Trade Un
ion League, is another powerful factor
in the labor movement. There is no
sacrifice too great for Mrs. Henry to
make if in the making she can ad-
i
vance tihe cause of her working sister.
Gentle, yet with positive character, she
is a leader in the world's industrial
progress. Agnes JNestor, tne tireless
little secretary of the Gloveworkers '
International, watches everything like
a hawk, and not one point escapes her.
In knowledge of the union movement
and the best methods of accelerating
the progress, Agnes Nestr has few
quals and no superiors among the men
whose names are most familiar to the
working world.
There are some human dynamos here,
less widely known than Gompers and
Mitchell and Lewis, but who keep
things going all the time. There's
3am DeNedry of Washington, Jerome
ones of Atlanta, Charley Fear of Jop-
lin, Frank Rist of, Cinsinnati, Ed.
xscn ox 5aj!twno-e, Jimanie ii0an oi
Toledo, Woodmonsee of Sprin0fielu,
ind others. ,
As at Toronto the electrical worl.ers
controversy is going to take up consid
arable of the convention s time. It
.vill all be fought over again, and un
ass all signs tail the weight of the ad
ainistration is going to be thrown on
he side of the McNulty Col.ins f ae
on. If two or three of the Federation
organizers have done anything in this ,
ontroversy it has been to widen the
breach. It is time they were called off.
The convention will last practically
;wo weeks, bue I'll not remain till the
olose. Next week I will" endeavor to
write up the convention, not in detail
jut in perspective, and it will be my
dm to throw a little light upon sone
of the incidents. The attendance is
the largest in the Federation 's history,
ind there 's a mighty lot of political
medicine mixing going on, especially
by . our- socialist friends.
WILL M. MAUPIN.
WILL IT BE DONAHUE?
Omaha Man Aspiring for Deputy Labor
Commissioner Maupin's Job. -
Humor has it that Tony Donahue
of Omaha is an applicant for the po
sition of deputy labor commissioner,
now held by Will M. Maupyi. Mr.
Donahue is a republican, has several
times been president of ' the Omaha
Central Labor Union, a frequent aspir
ant for a police "commissionership or
sheriff, and is by occupation a switch
man. Donahue is a loyal union man,
a hard ; worker and "well acquainted
with the" organized labor game. .
It is reported that . Donahue 's friends
are already setting the pins for him
and preparing to file stme- strong rec
ommelkdiations . witib " Governor-elect
Aldrich.