Ambassador College - Envoy Yearbook (Big Sandy, TX)

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Organized Labor Organized labor has contributed greatly to man’s living standard. But how is it different from the other facets of a bankrupt civilization facing annihilation? ODERN organized labor has | Gee about the highest living standard the common man has ever enjoyed in any country. It has shortened work hours, increased pay and improved labor conditions. Early in the 20th century American industry got the jump on other nations with assembly-line production, made possible by the American mass market. This greatly lowered production costs and greatly expanded profits. Then the ‘‘get’’ philosophy infiltrated labor unionism. No longer was a single company a ‘‘team’’ where all worked together against rival competition. Even that had been based on the ‘‘get’’ incentive. But now companies became divided — capital and management became the enemy of labor. Labor wars ensued. It may be true that some union men are often more proficient that non-union work- ers. But that is because unions tend to enlist the more skilled — not because unions encourage workers to climb the ladder of success. Too often a union leader has said to an employee, ‘‘Slow down there, buddy, or we'll all soon have to work as conscientiously as you are!”’ Where is organized labor different than those in other facets of a bankrupt civilization? ‘‘Get’’ seems to have got us all. Yet the ‘‘get’’ incentive is the root cause of all the world’s troubles and evils. The way of ‘‘give’’ — cooperating, serving, sharing, helping — is the basic spiritual law of our Maker. The world has been trying to beat that law — and is being beaten by it! But surely new and better developments lie ahead... What about science and technology? Perhaps modern laboratories hold the key to a “‘world of peace and prosperity.’’ Let’s continue our search...

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CIENCE and technology provide us a Oy 25: push-button world of the three L’s — leisure, luxury and license. They have led us to believe we have matured beyond the need for God. Modern science will provide all needs and banish all evils. But what is the truth? Let us look again at the fruits. A realistic look at modern science and technology leads only to disillusionment. Their attention is confined to the realm of the material and the mechanical. But problems and evils are Spiritual in nature. Peace, happiness and joy are spiritual values. Yet these basics of human welfare are not their concern. The incredible human potential is outside their domain. True enough, we find accelerating inventions, intricate mechanical devices, labor-saving mechanisms, spectacular tech- nological productions of entertainment and amusement. But then, we observe the failure to teach people to put added hours, days and weeks of leisure to beneficial uses. Instead, human nature has desired to get more and more — and once they get what they want they’re dissatisfied with what they’ve got. These are false values which only increase unhappiness and evils. An increasing segment of adolescents stare a hopeless future in the face, turning to immorality, drugs, violence and, too often, suicide. The principal contribution of science and technology has been the development of constantly more terrifying weapons of mass destruction. This has brought us to today’s No. 1 problem — human survival. Science and technology are not evil in themselves, but an important facet in a good civilization — if we had one. The evil lies in the materialistic concept — the ‘‘get’’ approach to life instead of the spiritual ‘give’ attitude of outflowing love and concern for one’s fellow man. Modern science stands exposed as a false messiah — about to destroy us all! Who else can we look to for hope? Religion seems to be the last bastion of salvation for our weary world. Surely, those entrusted with the teaching of spiritual values will have some answers... . Science and Technology Our 20th century world looks with awe at modern science and technology. Can this “modern messiah”’ deliver the world from ignorance, poverty, disease and unhappiness? ue aaa ree a 4