A Request

The Executive Committee of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has authorized the presenta­tion to the President of the American Federation of Labor, the President of the United Mine Workers of America, the President of the Congress of Industrial Organizations, and the United States Secretary of La­bor, of the following statement which sets forth the position of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United States of America with reference to that body's relationship to industrial union, organizations, and the attitude of Seventh-day Adventist laboring men re­garding membership in labor unions. This statement is made because members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church find they are frequently subjected to various disabilities because of their attitude concerning mem­bership in labor unions.

* * *

Seventh-day Adventists are in sympathy with the basic objectives of organized labor—proper wages, proper hours, and proper working conditions. We be­lieve that laborers who are conscientiously free to do so are warranted in organizing to obtain such objec­tives.

Seventh-day Adventists base their beliefs on the Bible. We cherish as God's gift the principles of lib­erty of conscience as set forth in the Holy Scriptures, and recognized and acknowledged as unalienable by the Government of the United States, both in the Dec­laration of Independence and .in its Constitution. We not only treasure these liberties ourselves but concede them to all others.

On the basis of these principles we accord to every man the right to join a labor union. We raise no objection to men organizing themselves into industrial organizations for the attainment of their basic objec­tives by all proper means. We believe, however, that no opposition should be raised against, and no pen­alties or disabilities should be applied to, those who choose not to belong to industrial organizations. This appears to be fundamental in the application of the principles of civil and religious freedom referred to above.

Those Seventh-day Adventists who do not join labor unions are led to take this course because of religious convictions. They feel themselves barred by conscience from membership in any industrial organization or labor union which involves men of varying convictions being yoked together in one organization and mutually required to adhere to policies, comply with decisions, and abide by restrictions which may be contrary to in­dividual conscience. No person can enjoy or exercise freedom of conscience or religion when bound to a course he believes to be wrong, to be against conscience, or to be un-Scriptural.

While we sympathize with the worthy objectives of labor unions, it is well known that occasions arise when, failing to obtain these objectives through the peaceful processes of negotiation, mediation, and arbi­tration, measures of coercion are resorted to by labor unions. These sometimes take the form of boycotts, strikes, picketings, and similar methods of enforcing their demands. Being under Scriptural injunction as Christians that "the servant of the Lord must not strive" and is to "do violence to no man," Seventh-day Adventists believe sincerely that they must stand apart from a relationship which requires participation in such procedures.

To stand apart from this relationship, however, even on grounds of conscience, often results in harsh eco­nomic and employment discrimination against those taking such a position, which, even when it is unin­tentional, nevertheless, subjects Seventh-day Advent­ists to disabilities which ought not to be imposed on any man in this land of freedom. It is our conviction that whether he does or does not belong to a union, he should not be discriminated against, and some way of removing the disabilities resulting from conscien­tious conviction should be arrived at and applied.

Not being able, because of religious conviction, to share in measures of coercion, either of labor or capi­tal, and believing that participation in industrial strife accompanied by unfair and unjust practices, either by employers or employees, would subject our consciences to the guilt of sin and the condemnation of the Su­preme Judge, we ask that an agreement be recom­mended under which our members may be left free to obey what they believe to be the will of God for themselves. As a basis of such agreement we suggest the following:

* * *

I. As employers we stand apart from manufacturers' or employers' organizations insofar as they may have as their objective resistance to, or strife against, the labor movement. We will not employ methods such as the lockout, the black list, detective agencies, espionage, strikebreakers, and munitions. We consider ourselves bound by the Bible rule tci "give unto your servants that which is just and equal." Under this Scriptural injunction we consider ourselves under obligation to God to an industrial way of life which includes the payment of such wages, the establishment and main­tenance of such working conditions, and the effective functioning of such provisions for the social and eco­nomic security of employees as shall remove any justi­fication for grievance, strife, or complaint.

2. As employees we stand apart from labor organiza­tions insofar as their sanctions require coercive meas­ures such as the boycott, the picket line, and the strike

3. Consistency in such positions and attitudes re­quires us to stand apart, not alone from membership and participation in these organizations, carrying no membership cards, but to take no part as well in their financial support insofar as this would go into the gen­eral treasury and thus could be used for measures of violence and coercion contrary to our conscientious convictions.

4. We are entirely willing, however, to share in the financial support of the hospital, benevolent, and char­itable projects and programs of mercy, welfare, and re­lief of these industrial and labor organizations, and would welcome the opportunity of doing this in lieu of membership and participation in unions and asso­ciations.

5. On our part we agree to advise our members to so relate themselves to labor unions that, in cases of conflict between union and employers, they will stand apart in an attitude of strict neutrality; contribute the equivalent of membership fees to specific charitable or benevolent projects of the union; and accept the wages, hours, and working conditions agreed to between union and employers.