St. Joseph’s Lithuanian Roman Catholic Association of Labor and the Labor Movement (1915–1922)

Abstract

Abstract. This article aims at revealing the stance of the St. Joseph’s Lithuanian R.-C. Association of Labor (USA) towards the labour movement in 1915–1922. It explores 1) the attitudes towards the economy, workers’ conditions and solutions that were suggested in various publications of the organisation; 2) its strategies and examples of direct participation in the broader labour movement. Being critical towards the contemporary capitalist system in the USA, the organisation promoted the idea of “industrial democracy” that was based on the institution of justly distributed private property as an alternative. The organisation was seen by its leaders as a school to develop (in the light of Christian Democratic ideology) important habits of cooperation between workers. Prepared in this way, members of the association were supposed to join and did join broader movements and actions of American labourers.