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Show FDRWOnKERS Protestant Church Issues Pronouncement on Social Reconstruction. Laborers' Right to Share in Control of Industry Is Set Forth. MOW YORK. July LI. The Proteslant church of . this country represented in the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in A merica today Issued a declaration that the state should "attempt to secure to tho worker an income sufficient to maintain his family at a standard of Ifv-j Ifv-j ing which the community can approve." This was part of a pronouncement on the attitude of the church toward social reconstruction which was drawn up by the commission on the church and social service of the federal council. The federal fed-eral council Is a congress of thirty leading lead-ing Christian bodies for united action. The .statement asserts that "it is a false idea that the churches are only concerned con-cerned with religious, educational and charitable enterprises. They are, or should be, vitally concerned with civic, economic and other social interests." Should Share Industry Control. Rights of working men to share in the control of industries arc set forth in this stat omen t at length. "We have come upon limes when people are not submissive sub-missive to injustice or to unnecessary pri-A pri-A at ion and suffering," declares the church commission. "They are deeply and justly in earnest. If those who are the actual industrial, political and social leaders of the nation will not act upon the principle that the greatest shall be the servant of all. then the people themselves, them-selves, witli indignation and bitterness, arc sure to lake their destiny and that of the world into their own hands. "Class consciousness and the use. of violence are not confined to the revolu-ttonary revolu-ttonary groups. The possession of wealth and education tend to the formation of classes, and industrial ownership and management to a class conscious ruling group. We observe the dangerous tendency ten-dency of many state and municipal officials of-ficials to deny fair hearings to radical offenders and to use unnecessary and provocative brutality during strikes. Legal Unfairness Charged. "Legislatures, judges and officials should act firmly out justly, without bluster and without unnecessary violence. Working men believe that they do not 1 get an equal chance before the law, and ; it is highly important that whatever real basis there is for the conviction should be removed. "A deep cause of unrest in industry is the denial to labor of a share in indus-t indus-t rial management. Laborers must be recognized as being entitled to as much consideration as employers and their rights must be equally safeguarded. This may be accomplished by assuring the workers as rapidly as it can be done with due consideration to conditions a fair share in control; by opportunity for ownership with corresponding representa- lion; or by a combination of ownership and control in co-operative production. "The living wage should be made the first charge upon industry before dividends divi-dends are considered. The resistance of labor to general wage red net ions, even when accompanied by reduced hours of work, should receive moral support from the community, except where the demand 1 '. clearly unreasonable. Wage levels must be biuh enough to maintain a standard stand-ard of living worthy of responsible free citizenship in a democracy. Living Wage Paramount. "Actual wages, that is, wages reckoned in power to purchase commodities, have been decreasing for several years, in spite of wage increases. There is urgent need of provision by industry under the ! guidance of the government for some regular method of adjustment of wages and salaries to the purchasing power of I money. H igh wages are desirable as a general principle. II Employers who justify jus-tify low wages or wage reductions should open their books and submit their figures fig-ures to public scrutiny, adds the commission. com-mission. To provide employment, the commission commis-sion advocates, that a nation-wide employment em-ployment service be maintained and suggests sug-gests adoption of a policy . of public works and la ml settlement, a guarded extension of opportunities for social insurance in-surance to cover unemployment due to industrial conditions or iil health; and the rehabilitation of industrial cripples under the direction of the slate and at the expense of industry. A general pot-icy pot-icy of vocational training is approved. Concerning the payment of the war debt, it is p"inted out that "powerful Influences are organized to shift, the burdens bur-dens of Ibis debt on the public, while the public itself is unorganized and practically prac-tically unable to protect itself." A revolt, re-volt, the commission says, already lias taken place against the policy of levying direct taxes upon minor luxuries of the people. Resnjute use. it adds, should be made of graduated income and inheritance taxes as "a just method of placing the heavier burdens upon those most able to bear them." The church asserts that it sta nds for a living wage for industrial women and equal pay for equal work. It urges persons per-sons having free, capital to Invest it in homes for workers. It points to the need of community centers to replace the saloon sa-loon and declares that churches should be open seven days in the week. |