urrent affairs
between workmen and manufacturers cannot be compared with ordinary affairs
between private persons, which do not concern the public, and with which
the Government should not occupy itself. In reality, although they appear
to be matters between private persons, these difficulties between patrons
and workmen produce a general detriment; for commerce, industry,
agriculture and the general affairs of the country are all intimately
linked together. If one of these suffers an abuse, the detriment affects
the mass. Thus the difficulties between workmen and manufacturers become a
cause of general detriment.

The court of justice and the Government have therefore the right of
interference. When a difficulty occurs between two individuals with
reference to private rights, it is necessary for a third to settle the
question: this is the part of the Government: then the question of
strikes--which cause troubles in the country and are often connected with
the excessive vexations of the workmen, as well as with the rapacity of
manufacturers--how could it remain neglected?

Good God! is it possible that, seeing one of his fellow-creatures
starving, destitute of everything, a man can rest and live comfortably in
his luxurious mansion? He who meets another in the greatest misery, can he
enjoy his fortune? That is why, in the religion of God, it is prescribed
and established that wealthy men each year give over a certain part of
their fortune for the maintenance of the poor and unfortunate. That is the
foundation of the religion of God, and the most essential of the
commandments.

As now man is not forced nor obliged by the Government, if by the natural
tendency of his good heart, with the greatest spirituality, he goes to
this expense for the poor, this will be a thing very much praised,
approved and pleasing.

Such is the meaning of the good works in the Divine Books and Tablets.

UNIVERSAL PEACE

This recent war has proved to the world and the people that war is
destruction while Universal Peace is construction; war is death while
peace is life; war is rapacity and bloodthirstiness while peace is
beneficence and humaneness; war is an appurtenance of the world of nature
while peace is of the foundation of the religion of God; war is darkness
upon darkness while peace is heavenly light; war is the destroyer of the
edifice of mankind while peace is the everlasting life of the world of
humanity; war is like a