A REAL SOCIAL DANGER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1526, 23 August 1912, Page 4

A REAL SOCIAL DANGER.

The sermons which the Rev. Dr. Gibu has been preaching on some of the problems of Capital and Labour have been decidedly interesting from several points of view, even if one Tj a^i. no k on points, iio has handled the question in no narrow partisan spirit, but has dealt with the great issues involved in their broad moral and social aspects, standing outside the turmoil of party politics, he has been able impai tially to insist upon the duty of the employer to give to every man an adequate return for his labour, and also to remind the workman of his clear duty to render loyal, efficient, aiid willing service. Du. Gibb does not for a moment believe that tho present state of society is perfect, nor docs he despair of finding a remedy for many of the evils of the existing economic system. He is in favour of progressive reform on broad, sound . Christian lines, and sees in co-operation and profit-shar-ing the most hopeful line of advance. He has no time for the sweater or tor the employer who treats his employees as though they were something less than mon;. and on the other hand lie has some very plain warnings for the democracy. He states that, though on the whole the democratic movement has been in the direction of a broader and juster brotherhood, there is a serious danger of the democracy ceasing to be democratic, and abdicating its rights to an oligarchy consisting of Labour ibosses and paid agitators. Hore Dr. Gibb certainly puts his finger on. a real danger-point in the present social outlook, namely, tho persistent efforts of a certain class of agitator to persuade the people that revolution and anarchy are the only effective means of social betterment. In days gone by it required great moral bravery to rebuke wrongdoers in high places. In. these days, however, tilings have changed, and anyone can abuse the capitalist and employer with impunity, whereas some courage is necessary to enable a'man to'stand before a triumphant democracy and tell it faithfully of its faults and tailings. It is so much easier to swim with tho stream like a dead dog, to borrow an expression from Dean Inge. In times of, trouble, howovcr, the true character of thoso flatterers _ who always prophesy smooth things stands revealed, and in the long run the people will recognise that those who honestly tell them of their faults and warn them of their dangers are their real friends. ■ It would be a national tragedy if, after throwing off the tyranny of kings and nobles, the British democracy were in this twentieth century to place itself under a still more galling bondage—the tyranny of the Labour boss and the paid agitator. Yet every right-thinking man must recognise that there is much room for improvement in our social system, and no, one should rest content till every efficient worker has the means of living a full life and of developing all his faculties—physical, mental, and spiritual; but this ideal will never be realised by the methods of tho social wrecker, which, if given effect to, would overwhelm rich and poor alike in one common nun.