The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-07-26
UNION LABEL LEAGUE
WHAT WOMEN MAY 90 TO ADVANCE
LABoR's CAUSE.

The Purchasing Power Mighty
Force When rnteliigently Used--An
Important Phase OF the workers
Struggle For Justice.
In the latest number Of the Ameri-
can Federationist Miss Frances A.
Williamson appeals to women to lend
their aid to the cause Of labor, point
ing out that d powerful weapon lies
ready to be grasped. She says la part;
1t seems in the order Of Industrial
affairs that whenever reform be-
comes necessary for the common good
it terminates In the mind and con-
science of the few who have the moral
courage to proclaim it, and just in pro-
portion to its merit 1t viii appeal to
the sentiment of that class most vital
ly concerned. Then it becomes their
duty to labor increasingly to make the
reform not only popular, but effective.
With this object in view many trades
have adopted label TO protect their
work from competition with that class
Of laborers who have a low estimate
of d living wage, from competition
with prison labor from the evils OF
the sweat shop system and from the
horrors Of child labor. While the mis-
sion of the union label is manifest to
all fair minded citizens, it is to be re-
GREETED that it is not universally pat
ronized
Labor leaders, thinking men and wo-
men, observing this negligence, studied
the situation and made This suggestion;
'eTun on the current Of the purchasing
power. To win we must enlist the
buyers
But who have the largest per cent Of
this power III handf Those who buy
the chiidren's clothes. the family gro
cerles and other supplies. Who else,
then. but the wives. daughters and SIS
tiers of labor union men should lead
In establishing this reformI II they
lead in downright earnest other wom-
en- philanthropicaIly disposed will fol-
low their example. But how can this
be donef Is the question.
Through organized effort Is the most
definite answer. Nothing can with
stand the power Of fraternal co-opera-
ton toward a common object BY
joining or co cooperating with the Won
ans Union Label league women will
learn what the current OF purchasing
power means to their husbands, their
children and themselves.
This Ii one of many phases In our
industrial system where nsn and wo-
men are equally concerned, and by uni
son of purpose, by concert of action.
held together by fraternal obligation,
they can win.
Thus the woman's Union Label
league il the child OF necessity pledged
from its birth to assist the cause OF
right and justice. Asking for union
made goods is certainly dignifed and
effective way for any class or women
who are the friends Of the labor move
ment OF reproving 'man's humanity
to man. There Ii no need to sermon
lie IN any unusual way. but simply to
ask for and purchase none other
than goods bearing tho workers guar
antee that the right to sanitary condi-
ton and living wages were respected
In the making. Ask to be served by a
union clerk. ask that the goods be de-
livered by union transfers. All these
requests should be made in such way
as will impress those with whom we
deal that labor unlonists and friends
OF labor only ask for Justice simply
the justice that inheres In American
citizenship.