If employers and employees are ever to be brought into harmony,
strikes and lockouts abolished, the industrial forces attain to their
highest efficiency and the products of the world distributed with the
utmost facility, it must all come about not by the invoking of courts
of law, but by the bringing in of a new sentiment and the adoption of
certain principles. A sentiment is at the base of the present troubles
and, until it is changed, they will be likely to continue and the
world at large will suffer the consequences. So long as men think only
of the inequalities of life--and there are glaring inequalities--the
unfair distribution of wealth and the comparatively obscure positions
which they hold, they will be discontented and will fight to better
themselves, no matter who suffers. The spirit of discontent and
contention finds lodgment in the heart of the humblest working man, up
through all grades, to that of the richest employer, for no man,
however wealthy, ever thinks he has enough of this world's goods;
those who have the most are often the most eager in grasping for
more. Courts of law can only regulate the more flagrant outbursts of
the prevailing sentiment, they do not and cannot remedy the causes.
What are some of the principles which are destined to help the
industrial world out of its difficulties?
The Observance of the Golden Rule.--"Therefore all things whatsoever
ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" (Matthew
7:12). Just before giving this rule Jesus was speaking of a man whose
chief object was to serve God (Matthew 6:33) and in the beginning of
the Sermon on the Mount, He showed the blessedness of the character
which was to be sought (Matthew 5:1-16), before this rule could be
rightly carried into practice in any life. "Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself" (Matthew 22:39) is in the same line of thought
as this rule, but, and here is the point, we do not want certain men
to love us as they love themselves, the thief, the gambler, the
drunkard, and we do not want them to do to us as they do to
themselves.
In order then that this rule be rightly observed there must be first
an avowed allegiance to God. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God"
(Matthew 22:37) precedes the command to "Love thy neighbour." It is
only when men love God aright and obey His commandments that they can
come into proper relations with their neighbours.
Hence, in seeking God first and obeying the Golden Rule, the whole
outlook of employer and employee will be changed, the attention will
not be fixed upon the inequalities of life or the making of a fortune,
but upon the desire to be of service; each man will look into his work
to improve it and seek to help his neighbour; whatever the
compensation, he will seek to do his best, serving as in the sight of
God. "A just consideration of the rights of others is the very
beginning and end of true social economy." It is difficult to enforce
any law which works against a public sentiment, but let the latter be
in favour of the former and the law will enforce itself. Let the
sentiment in the industrial business world be in favour of a supreme
service and the difficulties and trials of strikes and lockouts would
disappear; the energy, time and money now spent in fighting could be
turned to the benefit of employer, employee and consumer.
Cooperation.--Jesus never set class over against class. He mingled
with the wise and the unwise, the rich and the poor. He sought to draw
men together in a common brotherhood; this brotherhood was not
composed of employers or of men who worked at a certain trade but of
those who sought to build up the kingdom of righteousness.
There is cooperation to-day amongst men but it is the coming together
to build up some trade and make it strong that it may contend more
stoutly for its rights. There have been various attempts for the
federation of unions, but they have too often been for the purpose of
coercing a like federation of employers' unions into taking a desired
course of action. The world awaits a cooperation of all men in the
business world upon the basis of love for each other and seeking for
the best interests of all concerned. This again is a sentiment but it
is one which must work against the prevailing sentiment of selfishness
and looking out for self alone, if ever a better state of things is to
be brought about.
The Acceptance of Jesus Christ as the Great Example and Leader.--No
man was ever so marvellously endowed with power as Jesus, yet that
power was used for the good of mankind. He said "All power is given to
Me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). He made it a proof of His
business on earth that the blind received their sight, the lame
walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf heard, the dead were raised
(Matthew 11:2-6).
The man who follows Christ is the one who makes his business minister
to the wants of men and helps them to better conditions, whether he be
ruler or ruled.
The glory is that, to-day, there are many men who are trying
conscientiously, in the ranks of the employers and employees, to carry
out the Golden Rule, cooperate with their fellow men and to follow
Christ in His business of ministering to men.