THE WORKERS' DISCONTENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1006, 22 December 1910, Page 9

THE WORKERS' DISCONTENT.

Sir,—The able leader, upon the "Workers'.' Discontent,". in, your this day's .journal,; prompts ino. to address you. •Th?', article speaks of "Radical legislation »aimed at a class which expresses the .gospel" of hate." 'If a'supremely impartial mind„- holding tho "gospel of hate" in one .hand, aud the gospel of love in 'the other; havimr either to afford maniind its choice, upoii the manifest public ;voico of.ito-day—which,'.think you, ho ?>vould release? Do you think lie could offer, other than tho gospel of hate. Is '.not this .whole cry' of discontent that of a vast crowd crying: "Releaso linto'us BaTabbps." Of 'the Gospel of Christ, of a boundless (love, they will not heed it. A quick, patent solution is also spoken of'. The onlyisolutioii for labour or social troubles is a natural one. Rather, I err. ■Tho gospel of liato will eventually open .the gates of revolution, and afford an unnatural solution. Thogospol of lovo would afford a natural.one.. Hut lest wo forget: in tho mind of intelligent men: ■"True .lovo sits square, on tho basis of provision. Lovo is free will to the uttermost" " ■

Wo are now in iv period of transition, 'the/old. era is dying, and-the quickening ,pulse 'of a new era beats. through fho "wonib-.of society. The lovo. that brings •that-new era forth to uhtural perfection ;Cau be nothing less than a mother's love. -But, liowover wisely tho problem is faced, ,-vvo cannorexpect to avoid the labour and pains of birtL An unnatural birth will {produce tho direst of social convulsions. j.An era of social health , must first be cou|Cßiy«d or designed by moral- thought— Jlegislahvo effort can .tbeii embody it iu (institutions of practical worth. A greut palace is conceived in tho mind of an iarchitect. .The builders mould the base unaterial to tho' architect's design, und Jthe result is tho palace—iu other word?, nhe builders translate tho designs-of the (•architect, to practical ends. Aro not all {institutions Jike houses built to the do[Sign of architects of moral thoughts? • / to- assert that the solution jof'these social troubles will be found [when the design of the * new era is given ;jto the world in sublimoly moral thought. :The question. arises: "Where is the individual competent to do that? Ask of your scions of wealth; ask of your statesmen, of your princes of royal blood, your philosophers arid poets, what they would :• give lo; be possessed of- that -genius of Bpirit, that would enablo them to give tho World that necessary design. Do you Dot think that any sane man would covet that power before all earthly honour? Nw, supposing an individual lived who possessed that power. Do you think that he would not bo conscious, "that he, held ' a sceptre of world dominion"? Would not human gratitude alone placo him on a pedestal in. its esteem higher than any .ether,earthly being? Do you think that the mind possessed of-such power would beg the plaudits of the crowd, tho favours of :wealt!i, or jthe : approval and honour i of .-kings, rather than' stand to his native ,-sentre fast?—l am,,etc., • , COSMOPOLITAN. December 13. r