THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12776, 21 October 1919, Page 5

THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY.

REPORT PRESENTED TO ANGLICAN SYNOD.

ft TH® DUTY OF THE NATION,”

A contribution to tho many utterances upon Christianity and industrial problems was made in a report presented by a select committee to yesterday afternoon's session of the Anglican Synod. It was introduced by the Key F. N. Taylor, chairman of the committee.

“ Wo desire at once to acknowledge the Church’s shortcomings,” ran the report, “ and to recall with thankfulness the immense debt which the cause of human betterment has owed in pastgenerations both to tho Church as a society and to individual Christians. The shortcomings which we lament consist mainly of the failure of the Church in the last four centuries to maintain and adapt her social principled in face of gigantic changes in the industrial and economic condition of the world. In the first fifteen centuries there was a remarkable consistency end persistency in the Church’s witness about social duty. But there came a gradual change, spread over two or three centuries, a change that has been variously expressed as the substitution of science for ethics, or of reason for authority, or of enlightened, self-interest for. the rule of custom, or of economic rationalism for religious tradition, or of impersonal laws for personal morality. About the same time tho growth of foreign trade and tho extension of capitalist agriculture and capitalist industry,. together with the introduction and improvement of machinery, began to lead more and more to those impersonal methods of economic organisation which have done so much to make our industrial system the heartless soulless machine that we now know. For nearly a century there has been a growing protest against the exclusion of business from "the scope of religion and ethics. But the general mass of Christian thought remained unmoved 'until. a world-wide war came to shake all things. Here in New Zealand as elsewhere the war lias caused the Church to take stock of her jxsition. At the Synod of 1916 an earnest effort was made to learn and to apply the lessons of the time. Simultaneously. though we knew little about it, the Church in England was coming to identical conclusions with our own.”

Alter stating that the committee’s terms of reference were “ to consider and report upon the ways in which the Church may best commend tho teaching of Christ to those who are seeking to solve the problems of industrial life,” the report proceeds that the Gospel is fundamentally a social one, and that the Church is not merelv a society that teaches brotherhood, put that it is a brotherhood in which each soul has an equal value. Sendee is the corollary of brotherhood. The conception of industry ns a selfish competitive struggle is unchristian. The Christian view is that material wealth and natural talents are each a trust from God; work is the duty of all, to be regarded primarily as a social service rather than as a means of earning a livelihood. Service implies sacrifice. The Christian ideal is incompatible with the common habit of making profit the aim of industry, and the chief or sole standard by which its success or failure can be gauged. It is necessary thnt the teaching of the New Testament with regard to material wealth should be re-studied and re-applied. There can be no doubt that if Christian principles are fully accepted, all will be called upon to make some materiel sacrifice; many will be called upon to gri'e up much; and some to give up all. The fundamental evil of modern industrialism is that it encourage; competition for private gain instead of co-operation for public service. This perversion of motiv© fosters an organisation of industry which treats the workers as “ hands !5 rather than as persons; the absence of responsibility on the part of those employed for the permanent results of their industry and of human interest in the work which they do; a disposition on the part of some of those engaged in industry to seek their own advantage at the expense of the community by unduly limiting the output, raising the prices, or deteriorating the quality of the work which they perform; conditions of poverty which do not arise from individual defects or from natural scarcity, but which exist side by side with excessive riches; an organisation of industry which makes the livelihood of the workers insecure and uncertain; an attitude of mutual antagonism and suspicion between the different parties engaged in industry. As to the committee says

“ It is the duty of the nation to take without delay such steps as may be necessary-, in order to secure a full living wage and reasonable hours of labour to all workers. By a living wage we mean, not merely a wage which is sufficient for physical existence, but a wage adequate to maintain the worker, his wife and family in health and honour, and to enable him to dispense with the auxiliary earnings of his children up to the ago of sixteen years. By reasonable hours we mean hours sufficiently short, not merely to leave him unexhausted, but to allow him sufficient leisure and energy for home life, for recreation, or the development of his mind and spirit, and for participation in the affairs of the community.

“There is urgent need for some modification in the attitude of the community towards the profits of industry. Profits in some industrial undertakings are excessive. There is no moral justification for profits which exceed the amount needed to pay adequate salaries to the management and a fair rate of interest on the capital invested, and to ensure the growth and development of the industry.

“The demand of the workers for an increasing share in tho control of those industrial conditions upon which their livelihood depends is one which ought to he met. To this end the committee would recommend the development of such associations of employees and employed as are urged in the 'Whitley report. (1) Bach organised trade should have regular conferences, attended by representatives of employers and workers, to deal not merely with wages and working conditions, but with all questions affecting tho trade as may bo suitable for common discussion. (2) Each worksnop should have its association of employers, managers and representative workers, to meet at regular intervals to discuss matters affecting the livelihood and comfort of the workers, and the welfare of tho business.”

“ A large number of persons in New Zealand are at present boused under conditions which are a grave menace f° their physical and moral well-being. It is the duty of the State and of local authorities to ensure the provision of sufficient and healthful housing accommodation—(l) By corfl|rulsorily acquiring and holding land, if need he- (2) By planning the development of towns with a due regard to the provision or open spaces. (3) By themselves undertaking the building of houses in those districts in which the supply of houses is or is likely to be inadequate. “ While we are glad that in New Zealand the conditions of female labour are generally better than in the Old World, we have yet to point out that circumstances exist which compel women to go out to work at times when they ought to bo at home looking after their - Your committee are strongly of opinion that some means should be devised to make this unnecessary.

“ Wo desire to draw attention to the very gx*ave danger which arises from the employment of children in industries and trades. It is obvious that tWJdjron cannot secure full opperVuni-

ties of education as human beings and' citizens if during their school years their strength is overtaxed by toil in the early morning or after school hours. " No merely external change in man’s environment will bring -about the social • improvements that we all desire. Social reformers are constantly disappointed at the failure of their plans through the vices or the prejudices oi those whom they wish to help; and the opponents of social reform are ever ready with wet blanket stories of such failures. It is therefore important that any scheme of social betterment should take into account the necessity of developing character. One important means to that end is education. Recognising that the aim of education is to produce, not primarily efficient workers, but bettor men, better citioetter Christians, your committee is of opinion that a liberal education must be put within the reach of all, and that the nation must be prepared for large expenditure to secure this. Among many reforms calling for immediate attention are the raising of the school age and the extension of adolescent education." The committee recommended the following resolution for adoption by Synod" That the Synod set up a. Social Service Board whose duties shall bo to study the subjects referred to in the above report; to diffuse information thereon; and to take such action as may from time to time be deemed advisable."

The motion was made an order of the day for to-dav.