Chapter 7 of 19
The Social Ideal
YOUNG Maurice Retour found himself at the head of a textile factory upon the early death of his father. Shortly before his marriage, he wrote to his bride-to-be saying, “To know that more than three hundred persons depend on you for their daily bread and to be certain that with work, intelligence, and patience you can make them earn more, what else would you need to become inspired with the desire to discover all possible improvements.”
He let his fiancée know that he planned to have her share in the furtherance of his enterprise. He added, “To be a Christian, to have the happiness of knowing your wife will one day work hand in hand with you, to feel that you possess this sister-soul to help bring to success the noble and beautiful ideal you dreamed of accomplishing is almost too great a bliss; it’s enough to make you beside yourself with joy.”
The young industrialist, in full agreement with his wife, set himself to the duty of providing the desired improvements: a free Saturday, a cafeteria for the workers, and a benefit fund. Naturally he was criticized by his fellow industrialists who did not have a like Christian sense. But he held his own and went even further. Sometimes before some of his reforms (which had better conditions for the workers as their only purpose) a number of the workers themselves either from force of habit or ill-will evidenced displeasure. He still kept to his plan, tried to win them over, and was patient with them.
In spite of his firm principles, the exactness of his economic and sociological knowledge, his good judgment, his Christian spirit (which guaranteed the usefulness of his efforts) he was still eager to be supported in his labors. He told his wife his difficulties and asked for her opinion and advice. He counted on her either to help him to study and to grow in his understanding of social problems or more often still to have a part in his work.
In the fight against alcoholism, in the care of the workers’ children, in the visitation of the sick, in planning for big celebrations, in organizing vacation camps, what a wide field there was for the wife of an industrialist!
Maurice Retour did not believe in getting himself involved in so many activities that he would neglect his factory; interest in free schools, attendance at Saint Vincent de Paul meetings were all fine, but they should not separate him from his factory.
“We ought to think first of our workers, of their children, of those who are in our direct contact in order not to scatter our efforts in all directions uselessly. Let us try to sow a bit of happiness about us . . . Let us give as much as we can to others . . . We are responsible for the good we do not do . . . All our life spent in this work, hand in hand, united in the same ideal, the same faith, the same great love would not be too much.”
From the Front of World War I, in 1915, he often wrote asking for news. “Tell me about our dear workers of whom I think so often.”
What a god-send when a wife finds in her husband such a magnificent social spirit; when an industrialist finds in his wife someone who understands him and backs him up!