Publication date
5/15/14
Volume
35
Number
10
The WatchTower
Giants In These Days
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1914/10/1914-10-2.html
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
The 
Editor 
is 
well 
aware 
that 
apparently 
much 
has 
been 
done 
to 
bind 
these 
giants; 
and 
he 
well 
knows 
that 
they 
have 
apparently 
submitted 
and 
apparently 
acknowledge 
themselves 
the 
creatures, 
the 
servants 
of 
the 
people. 
But 
he 
also 
takes 
note 
that 
this 
transformation 
is 
merely 
an 
appearance. 
This 
docility 
is 
merely 
affected. 
'rhe 
giants 
of 
intellectual 
and 
monetary 
strength 
have 
not 
really 
surrendered, 
nor 
is 
it 
in 
harmony 
with 
the 
laws 
of 
human 
nature 
to 
suppose 
that 
they 
would 
ever 
capitulate. 
Instead, 
they 
have 
seemingly 
acquiesced 
to 
the 
laws 
and 
regulations 
while 
merely 
transforming 
them­ 
selves 
and 
retaining 
their 
power. 
In 
several 
instances 
they 
have 
demonstrated 
that 
they 
are 
as 
powerful 
today 
as 
they 
ever 
were. 
And 
in 
their 
behalf 
it 
should 
he 
acknowledged 
that 
much 
of 
the 
legislation 
emleted 
agaillst 
them 
is 
mere 
demagoguery­ 
the 
work 
of 
politieians, 
intended 
to 
eurry 
favor 
with 
the 
people 
and 
not 
for 
praeti('al 
use. 
We 
have 
no 
sympathy 
with 
those 
who 
make 
tirades 
against 
the 
courageous 
and 
brainy 
men 
who 
have, 
along 
purely 
com­ 
mercial 
lines, 
done 
so 
much 
to 
help 
forward 
the 
world's 
condi­ 
tion-so 
mueh 
to 
prepare 
for 
the 
Millennium. 
Instead 
of 
be­ 
ing 
tantalized 
and 
hampered, 
these 
financial 
and 
enO"ineerina 
princes 
should 
be 
appreciated, 
honored. 
Then, 
while 
'"'honoring 
them 
we 
should 
insist 
upon 
their 
reasonable 
control 
and 
super­ 
vision 
by 
the 
people 
through 
their 
governmental 
representa· 
tives. 
If 
these 
giants 
are 
necessary 
and 
useful, 
they 
can 
be 
be~te: 
ruled 
by 
love. 
afold 
j~lstice 
than 
1.,y 
naggir,tg 
and 
pin­ 
prIckmg. 
N 
a 
doubt 
]t 
]s 
thIS 
very 
naggmg 
that 
]s 
producing 
more 
and 
more 
a 
spirit 
of 
bitterness 
in 
the 
giants-a 
feeling 
that 
they 
are 
not 
appreciated 
by 
some, 
a 
feeling 
that 
they 
must 
teaeh 
the 
people 
a 
lesson. 
CONDITIONS 
AS 
THEY 
ARE 
We 
are 
not 
especially 
finding 
fault 
with 
anybody. 
We 
are 
merely 
pointing 
out 
conditions 
as 
they 
are 
and 
showing 
how 
these 
are 
shaping 
themselves 
and 
preparin'g 
for 
a 
great 
struggle 
between 
the 
giants 
and 
the 
people-a 
struggle 
in 
which 
the 
people 
will 
suffer 
more 
than 
will 
the 
giants. 
The 
fault 
is 
not 
with 
humanity 
at 
all. 
The 
fault 
is 
with 
the 
sin, 
the 
selfish­ 
ness, 
the 
meanness, 
which 
for 
centuries 
has 
had 
a 
firm 
foothold 
in 
humanity-rich 
and 
poor. 
All 
are 
selfish. 
Each 
according 
to 
his 
opportunity 
seems 
disposed 
to 
take 
advantage. 
The 
giant 
corporations, 
we 
believe, 
are 
much 
more 
leniellt 
than 
they 
would 
be 
if 
they 
were 
in 
the 
hands 
of 
naturally 
smaller 
men 
of 
lower 
class. 
These 
giants 
are 
realizing 
that 
they 
have 
opponents 
on 
every 
hand. 
They 
have 
long 
contended 
with 
th0 
labor 
unions, 
and 
more 
or 
less 
have 
been 
compelled 
to 
submit. 
Now 
in 
addition 
to 
the 
unions, 
they 
are 
obliged 
to 
contend 
with' 
the 
people 
in 
governmental 
legislation, 
and 
with 
new 
ideas 
in 
re­ 
spect 
to 
corporation 
rights 
and 
liberties. 
These 
giants 
are 
say­ 
ing 
to 
themselves, 
The 
people 
do 
not 
realize 
how 
much 
good 
we 
have 
done, 
nor 
what 
important 
factors 
in 
their 
welfare 
we 
are. 
Few 
of 
the 
people 
realize 
that 
the 
managers 
and 
the 
presi­ 
dents 
of 
our 
great 
railroads 
and 
large 
business 
enterprises 
are 
men 
of 
powerful 
mind, 
any 
of 
them 
well 
qualified 
for 
the 
high­ 
est 
stations 
of 
life, 
and 
many 
of 
them 
are 
earning 
salaries 
as 
great 
as 
that 
of 
the 
President 
of 
the 
United 
States, 
and 
salving 
problems 
as 
difficult 
as 
those 
which 
the 
President 
must 
handle. 
Few 
people 
realize 
that 
next 
to 
the 
farming 
element 
in 
im­ 
portance 
come 
the 
railroads, 
as 
respects 
numbers 
of 
employes. 
And 
the 
latter 
are 
an 
increasing 
army, 
while 
the 
farmers 
are 
a 
c1ecreasing 
army, 
because 
of 
labor-saving 
machinery. 
Whoever 
supposes 
that 
these 
long-headed 
business 
men 
intend 
to 
sit 
down 
and 
quietly 
submit 
to 
every 
kind 
of 
legisla­ 
tion 
is 
deluding 
himself. 
The 
giants 
know 
their 
own 
strength. 
They 
prefer 
to 
hide 
it 
rather 
than 
to 
boast 
of 
it; 
but 
when 
it 
comes 
to 
a 
life-and-death 
struggle 
they 
will 
use 
it, 
and 
terrible 
will 
be 
the 
effects. 
The 
very 
fact 
that 
the 
people 
are 
seeking 
to 
bind 
them 
arouses 
th('m 
to 
a 
more 
arbitrary 
exercise 
of 
their 
power. 
If 
legislation, 
for 
instance, 
affects 
to 
hinder 
railroads 
from 
monopolizing 
the 
anthracite 
and 
other 
coal 
interests, 
the 
coal-owning 
railroads 
with 
a 
snarl 
of 
defiance 
raise 
the 
price 
of 
roal, 
and 
thus 
give 
a 
hint 
to 
the 
consumers 
that 
they 
will 
need 
to 
be 
thankful 
if 
permitted 
to 
purchase 
at 
all 
and 
to 
keep 
from 
freezing. 
A 
SHOW 
OF 
GIANT 
STRENGTH 
A 
more 
or 
less 
preconcerted 
action 
has 
begun 
on 
the 
part 
of 
the 
great 
railroads 
and 
affiliated 
interests. 
They 
have 
de­ 
termined 
that 
unless 
they 
are 
granted 
permission 
to 
raise 
their 
freight 
rates 
they 
will 
make 
the 
restrainers 
of 
their 
liberties 
pay 
dearly 
for 
it 
by 
bringing 
upon 
the 
country 
financial 
dis­ 
aster, 
reaching 
losses 
a 
thousand 
times 
greater 
than 
the 
five 
per 
cent. 
which 
they 
demand. 
It 
would 
surely 
in 
many 
respects 
be 
wise 
to 
placate 
these 
giants 
with 
the 
increase 
they 
ask, 
merely 
requiring 
them 
to 
render 
more 
prompt 
and 
efficient 
service 
in 
return. 
But 
will 
this 
course 
of 
wisdom 
prevail 
f 
Possibly 
not. 
H 
not, 
we 
have 
before 
us 
already 
an 
illustration 
and 
prophecy 
of 
what 
may 
be 
expected. 
Already 
the 
railroads 
have 
laid 
off 
thousands 
of 
workmen 
who 
have 
been 
employed 
in 
road 
con­ 
struction 
and 
repairs. 
Already 
they 
have 
canceled 
orders 
for 
rails 
and 
equipment, 
which 
in 
tUl'll 
has 
rendered 
idle 
many 
of 
the 
large 
mills, 
throwing 
other 
thousands 
ant 
of 
employment. 
Already 
they 
are 
cutting 
down 
their 
office 
forces. 
All 
this 
is 
done 
with 
a 
certain 
amount 
of 
justification 
in 
the 
fact 
that 
they 
have 
not 
been 
making 
as 
much 
money 
as 
formerly. 
Pal' 
in­ 
stancG, 
a 
great 
steel 
corporation's 
reeent 
report 
showed 
a 
"sad" 
falling 
off 
of 
revenue 
and 
profit, 
"leaving 
only 
$18,­ 
0.00,000 
of 
profit 
for 
the 
quarter;" 
whereas 
they 
had 
for 
some 
hme 
been 
accustomed 
to 
more. 
In 
accord 
with 
this 
policy, 
there 
has 
for 
some 
time 
been 
a 
gradual 
curtailing 
of 
train 
service, 
which 
is 
really 
a 
safe 
and 
sane 
poliey. 
We 
are 
not 
complaining, 
we 
arc 
not 
finding 
fault 
even; 
we 
are 
merely 
recording' 
facts, 
in 
supporting 
our 
contention 
that 
these 
great 
institutions 
arc 
really 
giants 
whieh, 
if 
they 
ever 
become 
angry 
and 
malicious, 
may 
accomplish 
incalculabl(, 
injury. 
Their 
power 
and 
dissatisfaction 
have 
already 
been 
hinted 
to 
the 
government, 
which 
is 
more 
or 
less 
fearful 
of 
thc 
industrial 
suspension 
threatened. 
On 
the 
other 
hand 
we 
have 
tr::u1es 
unionism, 
which 
is 
only 
beginning 
to 
realize 
its 
great 
power 
at 
the 
polls, 
and 
also 
its 
physical 
power 
through 
strikes. 
The 
threat 
of 
the 
railroa,l 
managers 
partially 
to 
suspend 
business 
until 
their 
deman<ls 
are 
met 
may 
any 
day 
be 
duplieated 
by 
the 
giants 
of 
labor 
with 
their 
threat 
of 
suspension 
of 
labor, 
stoppage 
of 
fuel 
supply, 
walk-outs, 
etc. 
It 
may 
be 
said 
that 
these 
giants 
of 
labor 
are 
blind 
and 
unwise; 
but 
neYC'rthelcss 
it 
is 
manifest 
that 
they, 
like 
the 
blind 
Samson 
of 
old, 
arc 
feeling 
for 
the 
pillars 
which 
support 
our 
present 
social 
structure; 
and 
that 
they 
have 
in 
view 
its 
wreck 
and 
ruin, 
even 
though 
tlJis 
means 
also 
the 
destruction 
of 
their 
own 
interests. 
THE 
DEATH 
STRUGGLE 
NEAR 
How 
soon 
these 
great 
giants 
will 
enter 
upon 
their 
death 
struggle, 
each 
confident 
of 
victory, 
yet 
both 
doome(1 
to 
dpstnH'­ 
tion, 
no 
one 
can 
tell. 
Sure 
we 
may 
be, 
hOlreveI', 
that 
in 
the 
battle 
of 
these 
giants 
the 
masses 
of 
mankind 
Irill 
suffer 
with 
them 
in 
the 
ordeal. 
Looking 
from 
the 
Bible 
viewpoint, 
we 
perceive 
that 
these 
giants 
have 
reached 
their 
present 
size 
and 
strength 
through 
the 
light 
and 
blessings 
of 
the 
Millennial 
morning. 
Had 
the 
veil 
of 
gross 
darkness 
been 
lifted 
a 
thousand 
years 
sooner, 
these 
giants 
would 
have 
developed 
that 
much 
sooner; 
and 
their 
death 
struggle 
would 
have 
come 
that 
much 
sooner, 
with 
its 
resultant 
overthrow 
of 
present 
institutions 
in 
anarchy. 
But 
God 
would 
not 
permit 
this. 
It 
is 
no 
part 
of 
his 
plan 
to 
allow 
human 
passion 
utterly 
to 
desolate 
the 
earth. 
Hence, 
he 
with­ 
held 
the 
morning 
light 
until 
the 
morning 
time, 
so 
that 
the 
struggle 
and 
its 
disastrous 
effects 
upon 
human 
institutions 
will 
occur 
just 
in 
advance 
of 
the 
time 
for 
the 
establishment 
of 
Messiah's 
kingdom, 
for 
the 
control 
of 
the 
worl,1 
by 
its 
spiritual, 
invisible, 
but 
all-powerful 
King, 
who 
is 
so 
soon 
to 
take 
unto 
himself 
his 
great 
power 
and 
reign.-Revelation 
11: 
17,18; 
19:6; 
Psalm 
99:1. 
How 
soon 
this 
great 
catastrophe 
will 
engulf 
the 
world 
none 
is 
wise 
enough 
to 
say, 
yet 
the 
trouble 
is 
discerned 
and 
feared 
by 
all 
persons 
of 
intelligence, 
but 
more 
particularly 
by 
those 
whose 
intelligence 
is 
guided 
by 
the 
Word 
of 
God. 
The 
catastrophe 
may 
be 
put 
off 
for 
months 
or 
years, 
but 
it 
is 
sure 
to 
come. 
And 
we 
can 
see 
how 
it 
might 
be 
suddenly 
pre­ 
cipitated. 
Even 
as 
we 
write, 
the 
newspapers 
are 
('choing 
the 
mutterings 
and 
threats 
of 
the 
labor 
giants, 
while 
the 
capital­ 
istic 
giants 
are 
admittedly 
feeling 
sour, 
and 
are 
half 
inclined 
to 
give 
the 
public 
a 
pinch 
as 
a 
mere 
suggestion 
of 
what 
they 
could 
do. 
It 
is 
these 
hints, 
suggestions 
and 
threats 
which 
are 
likely 
to 
lead 
from 
bad 
to 
worse, 
producing 
anger, 
malice, 
hatred, 
strife, 
and 
various 
works 
of 
the 
flesh 
and 
of 
the 
devil. 
as 
St. 
Paul 
intimated. 
"SEEK 
PEACE 
AND 
PURSUE 
IT" 
Whether 
this 
great 
trouble 
be 
very 
near 
or 
further 
afield, 
the 
proper 
course 
of 
God's 
consecrated 
people 
is 
the 
same­ 
, 
'Seek 
peace 
and 
pursue 
it." 
And 
not 
only 
so, 
but 
we 
are 
to 
be 
peace-makers 
and 
not 
strife-breeders. 
When 
all 
arouna 
men's 
souls 
give 
way, 
a 
special 
opportunity 
comes 
to 
the 
people 
of 
God 
for 
pointing 
their 
distressed 
fellow-creatures 
to 
the 
grand 
blessing 
which 
God 
has 
provided 
for 
the 
near 
future, 
and 
for 
re-establishing 
faith 
in 
the 
Creator 
and 
in 
the 
future 
life, 
and 
for 
pointing 
out 
that 
it 
is 
to 
he 
attained 
only 
by 
those 
who 
learn 
tte 
true 
lesson 
of 
life 
and 
who 
come 
to 
love 
righteousness 
and 
to 
hate 
iniquity. 
We 
would 
be 
inclined 
to 
expect 
this 
great 
trouble 
~o 
break 
out 
very 
soon 
were 
it 
not 
that 
the 
Scriptures 
apparently 
indi- 
[5458] 
(147-148) The Editor is well aware that apparently much has been done to bind these giants; and he well knows that they have apparently submitted and apparently acknowledge themselves the creatures, the servants of the people. But he also takes note that this transformation is merely an appearance. This docility is merely affected. The giants of intellectual and monetary strength have not really surrendered, nor is it in harmony with the laws of human nature to suppose that they would ever capitulate. Instead, they have seemingly acquiesced to the laws and regulations while merely transforming themselves and retaining their power. In several instances they have demonstrated that they are as powerful today as they ever were. And in their behalf it should be acknowledged that much of the legislation enacted against them is mere demagoguery— the work of politicians, intended to curry favor with the people and not for practical use. We have no sympathy with those who make tirades against the courageous and brainy men who have, along purely commercial lines, done so much to help forward the world’s condition—so much to prepare for the Millennium. Instead of being tantalized and hampered, these financial and engineering princes should be appreciated, honored. Then, while honoring them we should insist upon their reasonable control and supervision by the people through their governmental representatives. If these giants are necessary and useful, they can be better ruled by love and justice than by nagging and pinpricking. No doubt it is this very nagging that is producing more and more a spirit of bitterness in the giants—a feeling that they are not appreciated by some, a feeling that they must teach the people a lesson. CONDITIONS AS THEY ARE We are not especially finding fault with anybody. We are merely pointing out conditions as they are, and showing how these are shaping themselves and preparing for a great struggle between the giants and the people—a struggle in which the people will suffer more than will the giants. The fault is not with humanity at all. The fault is with the sin, the selfishness, the meanness, which for centuries has had a firm foothold in humanity—rich and poor. All are selfish, Each according to his opportunity seems disposed to take advantage. The giant corporations, we believe, are much more lenient than they would be if they were in the hands of naturally smaller men of lower class. These giants are realizing that they have opponents on every hand. They have long contended with the labor unions, and more or less have been compelled to submit. Now, in addition to the unions, they are obliged to contend with the people in governmental legislation, and with new ideas in respect to corporation rights and liberties. These giants are saying to themselves, The people do not realize how much good we have done, nor what important factors in their welfare we are. Few of the people realize that the managers and the presidents of our great railroads and large business enterprises are men of powerful mind, any of them well qualified for the highest stations of life, and many of them are earning salaries as great as that of the President of the United States, and solving problems as difficult as those which the President must handle. Few people realize that next to the farming element in importance come the railroads, as respects numbers of employes. And the latter are an increasing army, while the farmers are a decreasing army, because of labor-saving machinery. Whoever supposes that these long-headed business men intend to sit down and quietly submit to every kind of legislation is deluding himself. The giants know their own strength. They prefer to hide it rather than to boast of it; but when it comes to a life-and-death struggle they will use it, and terrible will be the effects. The very fact that the people are seeking to bind them arouses them to a more arbitrary exercise of their power. If legislation, for instance, affects to hinder railroads from monopolizing the anthracite and other coal interests, the coal-owning railroads with a snarl of defiance raise the price of coal, and thus give a hint to the consumers that they will need to be thankful if permitted to purchase at all and to keep from freezing. A SHOW OF GIANT STRENGTH A more or less preconcerted action has begun on the part of the great railroads and affiliated interests. They have determined that unless they are granted permission to raise their freight rates they will make the restrainers of their liberties pay dearly for it by bringing upon the country financial disaster, reaching losses a thousand times greater than the five per cent. which they demand. It would surely in many respects be wise to placate these giants with the increase they ask, merely requiring them to render more prompt and efficient service in return. THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. But will this course of wisdom prevail? Possibly not. If not, we have before us already an illustration and prophecy of what may be expected. Already the railroads have laid off thousands of workmen who have been employed in road construction and repairs. Already they have eanceled orders for rails and equipment, which in turn has rendered idle many of the large mills, throwing other thousands out of employment. Already they are cutting down their office forees. All this is done with a certain amount of justification in the fact that they have not been making as much money as formerly. For instance, a great steel corporation’s recent report showed a ‘‘sad’? falling off of revenue and profit, ‘‘leaving only $18,000,000 of profit for the quarter;’’ whereas they had for some time been accustomed to more. In accord with this policy, there has for some time been a gradual curtailing of train service, which is really a safe and sane policy. We are not complaining, we are not finding fault even; we are merely recording facts, in supporting our contention that these great institutions are really giants which, if they ever become angry and malicious, may accomplish incalculable injury. Their power and dissatisfaction have already been hinted to the government, which is more or less fearful of the industrial suspension threatened. On the other hand we have trades unionism, which ig only beginning to realize its great power at the polls, and also its physical power through strikes. The threat of the railroad managers partially to suspend business until their demands are met may any day be duplicated by the giants of labor with their threat of suspension of labor, stoppage of fuel supply, walk-outs, ete. It may be said that these giants of labor are blind and unwise; but nevertheless it is manifest that they, like the blind Samson of old, are feeling for the pillars which support our present social structure; and that they have in view its wreck and ruin, even though this means also the destruction of their own interests, THE DEATH STRUGGLE NEAR How soon these great giants will enter upon their death struggle, each confident of victory, yet both doomed to destruction, no one can tell. Sure we may be, however, that in the battle of these giants the masses of mankind will suffer with them in the ordeal. Looking from the Bible viewpoint, we perecive that these giants have reached their present size and strength through the light and blessings of the Millennial morning. Had the veil of gross darkness been lifted a thousand years sooner, these giants would have developed that much sooner; and their death struggle would have come that much sooner, with its resultant overthrow of present institutions in anarchy. But God would not permit this. It is no part of his plan to allow human passion utterly to desolate the earth. Hence, he withheld the morning light until the morning time, so that the struggle and its disastrous effeets upon human institutions will oceur just in advance of the time for the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom, for the control of the world by its spiritual, invisible, but all-powerful King, who is so soon to take unto himself his great power and reign.—Revelation 11: 17, 18; 19:6; Psalm 99:1. How soon this great catastrophe will engulf the world none is wise enough to say, yet the trouble is discerned and feared by all persons of intelligence, but more particularly by those whose intelligence is guided by the Word of God. The catastrophe may be put off for months or years, but it is sure to come. And we can see how it might be suddenly precipitated. Even as we write, the newspapers are echoing the mutterings and threats of the labor giants, while the capitalistie giants are admittedly feeling sour, and are half inclined to give the public a pinch as a mere suggestion of what they could do. It is these hints, suggestions and threats which are likely to lead from bad to worse, producing anger, malice, hatred, strife, and various works of the flesh and of the devil. as St. Paul intimated. ‘“‘SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT’”’ Whether this great trouble be very near or further afield, the proper course of God’s consecrated people is the same— ‘*Seek peace and pursue it.’’? And not only so, but we are to be peace-makers and not strife-breeders. When all around men’s souls give way, @ special opportunity comes to the people of God for pointing their distressed fellow-creatures to the grand blessing which God has provided for the near future, and for re-establishing faith in the Creator and in the future life, and for pointing out that it is to be attained only by those who learn the true lesson of life and who come to love righteousness and to hate iniquity. We would be inclined to expect this great trouble vo break out very soon were it not that the Scriptures apparently indi [5458]

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