Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Apr 18, 1912

A Radical Statement

THE Rochester (N. Y.) Evening Times of February 15 contains the following striking quotations and comments thereon:—

Judge E. H. Gary is chairman of the board of the United States Steel Corporation, a position more important than that of president. He is the directing head of this greatest corporation in the world. In a recent speech, Judge Gary made the following remarkable declaration:—

“Unless capitalists, corporations, rich men, powerful men themselves, take a leading part in trying to improve the conditions of humanity, great changes will come, and they will come mighty quickly, and the mob will bring them.”

Judge Gary’s statement was part of a speech delivered to the New York Lehigh Club. Judge Gary made it very plain that he thought the people generally are “evincing a readiness to take things into their own hands.” He also stated that the “spirit of unrest” was not confined to the United States, but was world-wide.

“Things are being said,” he declared, “very similar to things said just before the French Revolution. I tell you that the spark may yet make a flame, and that soon. I have an especial reason for saying this, a reason that affects you and me. Men of great power and influence in the affairs of the country, have all of us done the fair thing? It is imperative that something be done to improve the condition of mankind. Can not we ourselves do something to improve that condition?”

“I say that it is not only good morals, but good policy likewise, to improve those conditions. I appeal to you all in your dealings with men under you to do the square thing.”

Had these statements been made by some radical agitator, a cry of indignation would have gone up from certain quarters that he was trying to array class against class. But Judge Gary certainly is not trying to do anything of that sort. Neither would he make such radical statements lightly. There can be no question that he is impressed with the seriousness of the situation, and that he intended to sound a warning.