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Show Cardinal Gibbons on the Sweatshop Evil. Cardinal Gibbons in a sermon to a large con-ii gregation at the Cathedral in Baltimore made arl ; vigorous attack upon the sweatshop y?.trm ami strongly advocated what is known as uuion-iuadc ' goods. The sermon was delivered by special request, re-quest, the Cardinal being one of the vice presidents presi-dents of the Consumers' league, which advocates the purchase of union-made goods. Bishop Curtis and , a number of priests were in the sanctuary and many members of the league were in the eoniin -jration. The text for the sermon was: "Am I my brother's broth-er's keeper i" He said, in part: "My purpose today is not to commend to your indiscriminate charity, but my aim is to set before be-fore you a special class of persons in this city, that you may help to improve their condition, to redress re-dress their grievances, and enable them to earn br their industry and honesty a comfortable livelihood. liveli-hood. ' ? "To come to the point there is a class of persons per-sons in Baltimore and in other large cities who an' . employed by proprietors of large clothing estah- ; lishments. Some of these workers are employed in i the stores; others, make garments in their o ; homes and bring them to the establishments. "Many of these workers, men and women, arc compelled to toil in sweatshops, of which there arc eighteen in one section of this city, which are contracted con-tracted in space and poorly lighted and ventilated. They are overworked and underpaid. "After a careful investigation I have discovered that, after laboring for six days, at ten or twelve hours a day, their weekly compensation amounts to $6 or $3. And with this pittance they have to pay for house rent, food and clothing, and other e.v penses incident to family life. "There is something radically wrong in our "' cial and economic condition when the employer be-cornea be-cornea suddenly rich, while the toiler, with the ut- most thrift and economy, cau scarcely keep the wolf from the door. These toilers ask for no alms. All they demand is living wages. They appeal t you and the public for compassion and eonsidcra- ; tion. They are our flesh and blood. You may not be able' to aid them directly, but you can do so indirectly in-directly in various ways. You cau agitate the question; ques-tion; you can arouse public attention to pressing I grievances; remove the veil so that one-half of the J world can see how the other half lives. "You can appeal to the conscience and humanity human-ity of employers themselves, who may be dispose-l to repair a wrong when their attention is called t'j the situation. And surely a little reflection will enable them to realize that they will derive m" substantial happiness from the contentment anl gratitude of their workers, than from the money hoarded in their safes. If they are deaf to your expostulations you can have resource to more drastic dras-tic measures. . "Thank God there are in Baltimore some clothing cloth-ing houses that treat their employes with justu and charity. In making your purchases you discriminate in favor of these establishments, will thus exercise a moral pressure on the oppi3 sots by appealing to their self-interests. f "You can encourage and co-operate with t'1 excellent society, existing here and elsewhere. e;iii i the Consumers' league. It is composed of f zealous in works of charity, and has already a complished a great deal in improving the cem i tions of these oppressed toilers and of estaoli-"4 ing happier and juster relations between them an their employers. . t "Perhaps you will say." continued the Carding "why should I concern myself about other peopj affairs i I have my own business to attend to. I my brother's keeper V These were the wor 13 Cain, the first, murderer. What would hare come of you and me if Christ, the Lord, had , , 'Am I my brother's keeper i' We would be prop today in the darkness of idolatry and intuie . What would have become of society if the -y j;v r ties had said: 'Are we our brothers keepers . they had returned to their homes and close d 'ministry. 'after the death of their master, be deprived today of the priceless blessing oI tiau civilization." |