JUSTICE TO THE MASSES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 263, 25 July 1918, Page 9

JUSTICE TO THE MASSES

CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES

THE SOLUTION: OWNERSHIP U3x Archbishop Hedwood.] When we take a survey of the social ■condition of the civilised world, what do wo iind? Wo find that tho masses of tiie people are making u just demand for an adequate share in the properly which hey helped, or aro helping, to create. Undoubtedly, in more places than one extravagant and alarming claims are made; radicalism is in the air; but nevertheless, the serene- voice of impartial .justice is also loud in the air, and determined not lie silenced again. It seems, therefore, beyond qiiostiim that the nations have their momentous choice petiveen anarchy and justice; and justice, iu the concrete, is nothing but tho true social teaching which certainly is round m Ciir.slianity. And it is a hopenii omen that, iu inanv countries, anion" thorn bain- tho United States of America, the trend of eano economic opinion is towards Christian tradition and Christian doctrine. And no wonder. J'or Christianity stands, and has ever stood, in tho van of nil genuine progress, and leads the social movement of our day. Christianity opens its compassionate' heart affectionately to the worker's appeal for justice. Like its Divine Founder and busier it has pity on the people. An Inalienable Right, What, then, is primarily and essentially the worker's just demand? Jt in a fair wage. And depidedly no cue moru than genuine Christians heartily approve-? every just and reasonable iiiethod which Mill enable the labourer to secure this inalienable right. JJut both reason and experience point out'only <»nt> sura way to attain this end, namely, wise legal measures. Wo cannot reasonably hope for thu conversion or a dominant class of selfish capitalists; rm nun we .put our trust in the method of social revolutionists who would annihilate authority and plunge the world into a hopalcss anarchy. If yon take human nature at its best, you find by experience that it cannot be trusted very far, where gain and profit aro in view. And all fair-miiidod employers aro among tho first to thoroughly realise the difficulty they encounter in carrying out their lofty Christian ideals, and thoso of their friends, when, as happens generally, they are forced to compete with unscrupulous rivals uncurbed by law. The Unskilled Masses.

Hut, it might iie objected, cannot the labour unions save the situation? Cannot thuy le.nl to victory tjie fight tor justice? To give thwu ungrudgingly their due, they lmve doue much and desovvo credit. But the. question in its hardest aapect docs not touch them so ranch ns tho uuskillcd -workers. What most urgently needs assistance ia the great mass of the labour population. Trade unions have not successfully reached them. In organising themselves to acquire strength and intlucnce, the unskilled masses have inado little or no progress, except, alas! when they have been momentarily swept into some baneful 'revolutionary movement, n danger to which they are singularly exposed. But .skilled labour, by means of unions, can sooner or later, exact justice for itself whore it. bus not yet obtained it. There is danger, and a great one, that skilled labour may become tyrannical and use its power to.injure both the. consumer and the unskilled worker. Instances of this have been experienced in the past; It seems wife to affirm that the greatest nued of the day aro labour unions thoroughly Christian,. that is, based on Christian principles. But do what they may, with tho best motives, they will find it a hard task to adequately assist the vast mass of the la--hour population, extent by promoting intelligent and -wise legislation. A lid tliero is urgent need of State legislation. Organisation. ■ Why are the masses unorganised? Becftiwo of their low wagos. And why aro the wages low? Becauso they remain unorganised. Nor is organisation likely to ariso among them', becauso low wages destroy initiative, energy, and intelligence in the worker. \et, without organisation the workers never will bo able to raiso their wages.- Extraordinary circumstances may, for a time, create ecan:ity of labour, and improve their wages, but a period of unemployment is certain to follow,, and t<i depress wages to their former level. Accordingly, there is no hope to obtain for all workers- at all times a decent living wage, except by means of proper legislation. Jsow wo find in Christianity a tradition of wise legislation. The Christian guilds drew up ininuto and far-reaching regulations for such legislation. The State sanctioned them and guild officials wore empowered to eummarily punish all offenders. At that time there was little: difference- between t lie remuneration of employer and'employed, <nid in fixing the wage-scale the benefit of the consumer was never overlooked. Tho aim wns not to secure tlio highest wages which the union or guild could 'impose, but to adjudicate upon the fairest wages for all.

No Work, No Pay. However, both employee anil employer Inul on« stringent rule—no work, no pay. Nor could any employer derive profits without actually engaging in the ramo occupation of his single trade. And— signilicnnt fact to note.'—these rules owed t[leii' origin to (he employers thoiiiselvoh. Now, of cour.ic, legislation suitable to our ■any cannot be. identic ivitli the one just dr-.-cribi'ii, oycept in the spirit of fair play all round. But the requisite Icrihliilion for to-day has been, dourly made known. The. principle of a living wage has bcfon Inid dovvn by moat competent authority. The eoneiusitm is obvious It will not l>3 sufficiently brmisrht home to'the m.iHsts until it is practically applied lo Hid changing conditions of'place and time. What nil the true friends of labour have to do is to unite solidly upon a minimum wage Every worker has a natural ; ,nd inalienable right to a living wa?i\ 'a right linking precedence over every other consideration, oxcepti".;;, of course. Ihe vislit of the employer to live, limself nnd his family, in reasonable iiiul moderate comfort, according fii his condition in life. Also, in thn interests of both employer and employed, the- continuance of the velfnre of'the particular industry ilsclf must be considered. Ge.vnmi.ihis, prollls aro out of the ([ueslion, until the living wiijib has been pnid fo the employees. Justine, Not Charity. And this demand-mark it well-is one ul ju:.!ici:, and not of cuirity. Yet bciore this terrible wnr, iicirorilino to preiv.'ir slniislics ovismiitln<- *n.ni social workers mid econoinisN, v,c find that tho adult male.labourers of the.Tjnited Stales (for instunco) wero not receiving a living wiiß«. And iHfimse only impossibility could excuse- the employer loom payin'" a living v.-i,g,\ and because, millions of dollars wore JK-iu-t garnered in profits, it follows that there existed n condition (it social injustice loudly clamouring for htate interferenee aim correction. What is a Living Wage? But, lo come to the point, what is a living wage? Loo XHI-an adequate nuthorily--definc« it: "A snffiwciit romiineration to support tin; wiißc-eiimer in reasonable and frugal comfort." And for tho malo adult worker, accordin" to I ho spirit of the Pope's immortal encyclical, it is a wiige "Sufficient to en; Ma him to niiiinliiin himself, his wife, and his children in reasonable comfort.'" For the grown-np vvomnn, it in a w«so by which sh;: can reasonably iiml decentlv (iupiioi't h'-rsolf awny from linrap. Vur(her thnri tins minimum wage, the labourer should be nVln-v-hon all ,'xpen;ns havo been paid for family and pereonnl imiinlenaiiee—"to iMit by some smnll savings, and.lTius secure a small income." Becausi' Ijotli he and his family must ho provided iigainsl the day of death, of sickness, and iif unemployment. Christian Legislation. Now— ooto Iho coninirit—tho fair wage, ticcording In the capitalist system of the psst, whs (ob« wcertiiincd by tliu ranrkiit price of labour in tho community. If, therefore, wages wero bolow tho liv-

ini; lino in other communities, the capttiilist oiii]>lnytT claimed lilt; right, lo employ their toilers undi'r Iho snmu conditions. iSnch a system was unjust and inhuman, boeaiise. it ignored ili« clit!«it.y uf the worker as u lnimiin liping. Such employers failed lo understand that joblxTy Liinuut be justified, because it happens tu be likc-Aieo employed i>7 others. Such immoral and heartless principles can evidently be combated and overcome in mi other way limn by Christian legislation. It is the absolute dutj- of the. Stale lo protect its workers under such dire conditions. And (be it niilcd most carefully) the immoral principle-; just stigmatised ui'o (he strongest argument of Hie need of a legal minimum wage. It is also needed to protect Ci.rist'ap.-mindod employers in their ciimpccitior villi criminal profiteers. The Housing Problem. But, further, what ie tlie minimum comfort required for a family; that it may live in accordance with ils Christian" dignity? In answer (to be practical)ii single detail may suffice. A suitable home requires at the very least three, sleeping rooms—one for the parents and one each for the boye and pfirls of tlio family—besides two additional rooms for all other purposes. Food, clothing, furniture, and opportunities for recreation ought also to come up lo this standard i>l , decency and .self-respect. Surely I his is- :\ moderate demand fur any inmily wishing to lead a true Christian home life. Vet the realisation of even this result would necessitate the regulation I'v the Slate of the housing problem. liccaiHo the whole burden of expense ■•i , wild not in justice fall upon the employee ami the consumer, while the Iniullnrd ii left free to raise his rents whenever (-.lip nesd is greatest, since workers are obliged to accept his terms. The radical destruction of tho abuses cropping up from the unearned increment may involve the necessity of offering compensation to present owners. A Minimum Wags. There are objections to the minimum wage, but they have been sufficiently disproved by experience. Women, generally, have not been, through the minimum wage paid lo men, thrown out of employment; wages have not been depressed lo the level of the legal minimum; unci prices have not risen to appreciable heights as a result of such legislation wherever it has been tried. The accident hardships that fell upon some people are far outweighed by tho good results. In the. cuso of workers who are nimble, for one reason or another, to earn even the minimum wage, they can have special permits iillowing I hem to work for less. Similarly, whim tho. payment of a proper minimum wage is impossible, for a time, in any industry, wise allowance can readily bo made for the salte of the employer and employed. Tho first step required is to establish minimum wage boards, which, in some countries, are becoming common. Under State control, lliesn boards fix the just minimum of remuneration according to time and place. Ownership. Such legislation, however, is only tho beginning of . economic readjustments. Tho ultimate object must not bo lo keep tho woi'kers in permanent dependence upon a capitalist class. Tho aim that ".very Christian man and woman ought vo keep steadily in view is to enable the workers themselves to share, as far an possible, in the ownership of iho land which they till, and of the industry ill which they toil. This.is not Socialism, but , the vßiy opposite. U'lmt a blessing it Mould l>. , if, li'i (ivory place where the people's representatives assemble.—Parliament, Supremo Court, mid so forth— was written in lellors of gold the epochmaking message of Leo XIU, tho most important: legislative principle ever formula ted for the promotion of justice and good will throughout the earth: "Let the law favour ownership, and let its policy bo to induce ae. many as possible of thn labouring classes to become owners!" Hero is the only solution, the bridging. over of Ihe "giilf between vast wealth and sheer .poverty," the reconciliation, with one I'.noihor of all classes of society, liie Kocial unshakable basis of lasting concord and Christian charity.