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Story
July 30, 1948
Arkansas State Press
Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas
What is this article about?
Opinion piece on industrial justice, blaming strikes on inequality from laws favoring the wealthy. Cites Mather's book on resource abundance and Abdu'l-Baha's 1912 call for workers to share factory profits equitably.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
INDUSTRIAL JUSTICE
The question of strikes may, for a long time be the subject of difficulties. 'Strikes are of two causes. One is the extreme sharpness and rapidity of the capitalists and manufacturers: the other, the excesses, the avidity and ill-will of the workmen and artisans.'—Abdu'l-Baha.
But the principal cause of industrial dissention lies in the laws of the land, for they lead to a small number of individuals accumulating great fortunes, while great masses of people are extremely poor, almost to the state of destitution.
A couple of years ago there was a book published by Kirtley F. Mather, Professor of Geology in Harvard University, entitled 'Enough and to Spare'. The book contains about 150 pages, and seems to be a geological survey of the world. If his statements are true, apparently there is enough natural resources in this world that every man, woman and child should have 'Enough and to Spare.'
Our problem today is the proper organization and distribution of the wealth of this world, and it is so vast that it staggers the imagination. The increase of the power and productivity of man during the twentieth century up to the present time has been very great. No imagination can fathom the possibilities that lie ahead. We are living in a New Era of human endeavor, mankind has grown to adulthood, and therefore must put aside childish things, and the confusion about us does look as though our thinking capacity is that of an infant.
New laws and regulations must be adopted, taking into consideration all the people, from the lowest to the highest.
Abdu'l-Baha, the great world teacher from Persia, who made public addresses from coast to coast while he was in this country in 1912, summed up the solution of this vexing problem as follows: '...Therefore laws and regulations should be established which would permit the workers to receive from the factory owner their wages and a share in the profits, according to the wants of the factory.' so that 'the body of the workmen and the manufacturers should share equitably the profits and advantages.'
The question of strikes may, for a long time be the subject of difficulties. 'Strikes are of two causes. One is the extreme sharpness and rapidity of the capitalists and manufacturers: the other, the excesses, the avidity and ill-will of the workmen and artisans.'—Abdu'l-Baha.
But the principal cause of industrial dissention lies in the laws of the land, for they lead to a small number of individuals accumulating great fortunes, while great masses of people are extremely poor, almost to the state of destitution.
A couple of years ago there was a book published by Kirtley F. Mather, Professor of Geology in Harvard University, entitled 'Enough and to Spare'. The book contains about 150 pages, and seems to be a geological survey of the world. If his statements are true, apparently there is enough natural resources in this world that every man, woman and child should have 'Enough and to Spare.'
Our problem today is the proper organization and distribution of the wealth of this world, and it is so vast that it staggers the imagination. The increase of the power and productivity of man during the twentieth century up to the present time has been very great. No imagination can fathom the possibilities that lie ahead. We are living in a New Era of human endeavor, mankind has grown to adulthood, and therefore must put aside childish things, and the confusion about us does look as though our thinking capacity is that of an infant.
New laws and regulations must be adopted, taking into consideration all the people, from the lowest to the highest.
Abdu'l-Baha, the great world teacher from Persia, who made public addresses from coast to coast while he was in this country in 1912, summed up the solution of this vexing problem as follows: '...Therefore laws and regulations should be established which would permit the workers to receive from the factory owner their wages and a share in the profits, according to the wants of the factory.' so that 'the body of the workmen and the manufacturers should share equitably the profits and advantages.'
What sub-type of article is it?
Social Commentary
Economic Essay
What themes does it cover?
Justice
Moral Virtue
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Industrial Justice
Strikes
Wealth Distribution
Profit Sharing
Abdu'l Baha
What entities or persons were involved?
Abdu'l Baha
Kirtley F. Mather
Story Details
Key Persons
Abdu'l Baha
Kirtley F. Mather
Event Date
1912
Story Details
The article discusses causes of industrial strikes, attributing them to capitalist sharpness and worker excesses, but primarily to laws enabling wealth inequality. It references Mather's book on abundant resources and advocates for equitable profit-sharing laws as per Abdu'l-Baha's teachings.