June 1931
252
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Has the Church Failed Socially? A Travel Experience B y H ugh R. M onro ( Montclair, N. / .) '
uation, and there was mutual acknowledgment that the outlook was serious indeed. Our respective viewpoints differed chiefly in the fact that my cultured Red Cross friend believed all the evils could be remedied through ed ucation, legislation, and social action, while to me the, sit uation appeared much more complex and difficult of so lution. To illustrate my view of the difficulties, I ventured to present a brief outline of our national industrial devel opment, noting the several steps by which the present status had been reached. The illustration was after this fashion: A typical American artisan of a century ago might be found working in the wood, metal, or other industry, with perhaps one or two associates as helpers. There was no social chasm, no economic barrier—in fact, no labor prob lem. The members of the little group were neighbors and friends,, and any one of them might easily embark in business on his own account. Then two decades of the industrial era pass: The same artisan has so extended his business, perhaps, that fifty men are employed. He now must devote his time to supervision, correspondence, and accounts. The social and economic cleavage has be gun. Let us imagine the passing of another twenty years. The business now employs one hundred men; there are
JSN the course of a continental journey some time ago, Asraj I found myself in one of the western states which had been visited by a flood disaster. In a near-by —Igh city there had been the loss of a number of lives liL and vast destruction of property. Communication ■k*" was still interrupted when our train stopped at the nearest junction for the transfer of refugees and the dispatch of supplies. As the train was pulling out, a young woman in the uniform of an officer of the Red Cross entered the car and took the adjoining seat. She had come from the stricken city, and I inquired eagerly for the latest news. Soon I was listening to the details of the disaster, given in precise military fashion. Although there was reticence in referring to her own activities, I was conscious that she was one of those cultured, clear headed, resourceful executives whose distinguished ser vice in many great emergencies has established the world wide fame of that great philanthropy. When the subject of my immediate inquiry had been covered, a chance remark concerning certain social prob lems which had been involved led the conversation in an entirely different direction, and the exceptional conver sational powers of my fellow traveler were soon engaged in outlining her views regarding not only the problem
under discussion, but also her gen eral social philosophy. This phil osophy was of a very advanced or der and surprisingly militant. The fact that a national convention of a great labor organization was in ses sion at the time led to observations
several departments, a foreman, a bookkeeper, and office assistants; also a prosperous proprietor who is a leading man in the community. Two decades later, the business falls to another generation; the sons of the founder are in charge, and the
on the rights of labor, which indicated a sympa thetic leaning toward the aims of the more radical wing of the labor move ment. When the conver sation disclosed the fact that I belonged to the em ploying class, and that I failed to sympathize with some of the extreme so cialistic aims, there was a spirited defense of the philosophy of socialism and a keen indictment of the present economic sys tem, which was said to be responsible for a species of industrial slavery. All of this was set forth in good spirit but with in tensity of feeling. A C ase in P o int The conversation led more deeply into the in dustrial and economic sit
sons of his associates are among the employed. There are, perhaps, ’ five hundred workmen, several superintendents, and a numerous office force. The age of industrial or ganization and specialized machinery has arrived; the town has become an industrial city. Few of the employees are person ally known to the present proprietors, who occypy pretentious homes, send their sons to college, de vote much time to pleas ure, travel, etc. The so cial gulf has thus wid ened, and many elemehts of the present complex situation are apparent. After several added decades, we reach the final stage—the present indus trial epoch. An industrial promoter appears on the
When Jane Addams, of Hull House, Chi cago, was asked upon whom she relied for volunteer unsalaried workers, whether creed less altruists or church members, she replied : i They are all Christians from evangelical churches. I have had a good many ‘altru ists’ try it, but I never knew any slum work er to stand the wear and tear of our work for over three weeks, unless inspired by Christian love.”—Rochester Times.
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