The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-11-01
THE C0NsUMERS' LEAGUE.

THE CONsUMEtS' LEAGUE.
 We find ourselves very much in fa- vor of the fundamental principles Of the Consumers League, which several of the public-spirited women of New Haven are endeavoring to have ac- cepted and enforced in this city. To agree to purchase the necessities of life in a way to increase the content- ment of the producers and in way to uphold the hands of the manufac. turer who desires to manage his fac tory upon sanitary lines, etc, is ad- mirable and should enlist the co-op- eratlon of every thoughtful person.
 Our attention has, however, been drawn to one of the suggestions made at the meeting held in this city We'd nesday in encouragement of the inf1u- ence of the league which deserves tho more mature consideration of the members and supporters. The speaker of tho occasion is reported in the newspapers to have said: "0ne of the greatest aiis to the league is to insist upon garments which have the label of the Cnnsup ers' League. The local league can help by asking for this label and st, ing that tho laws con- corning the lhhor of women s,nd chill dren arc carried out to the letter" There need be no misunderstanding as to the wisdom of enforcing all fac- 1 tory laws. Connecticut has already rec ognized the necessity for this in the case of women by crea:ins depu- ty woman factory inspector. But there is possibility of misurderstandin arising in tho use of the Consumers. League labeL To be effective tho par chaser must insist that goods offered for sale sholl bear the label, ~hich at once excites the query to what an extent Is this proposed Consumers League label rot identical wich the la- bel demanded on union made gncds : The fact cannot be overlooked that tho demand for the use of the union label has been the cause of much disturbance and litigation
 In the second place It is pertinent to inquire what the moral value Is of the label principle as means of moral reform. To insist upon the league la- bel Is to admit that otherwise .t might | be impossible for the league to en- force it's principles, and for the league to contend that 1t is justified in in- sisting upon the label In order that it's members may be sure not to pur- chase other goods offered for their in. specticn is either to impose their views upen the Independent merchant oi lose the opportunity to do the goo( they have in mind. It is seen that tht Ah4ully ASdSlISo ldI lliCi QOWI lillO lilt
 regions of freely operating trade law,
 than perhaps has been thought of , As we have already said. 1t is a Splen did thing to do everything that cal ! legitimately be done to improve tht
 conditions of manufacture and to stiff
 fen the backbone of the self-respectin,
 merchant, but as a question in moral
 it is not so easy to insist upon meth cd of shopping which may interfer with the liberty of other people W do not say it cannot be done. Tha ) is not the point at issue. Can tha 5 method of advancing the principles o 3 the league be defended in sound nor l lals? That is the point at issue and th s Igreat charm of the Consumers leagu l movement is that it has moral pur e pose in view
 t The third is the more serious ques
 ton for this association to consider r How far, in carrying out this method s can the league go without becomin s liable for conspiracy or intlmidatio t under the decisions of the courts a V to the boycott? A merchant Is at pei r feet liberty to label his goods as h d sees fit, but he also has the right | T protect himself if he finds that nun : Der of people are banded together l. shun his shop and get their friend Il to shun his shop because he eithe l. does not use the league label or uses 't only as he may choose. In other word
 the responsibility confronting the Cor
 sumers' league is exactly the respons
 bility which confronts the organization ', of union labor, not to so uso the lab II as to come into conflict with the righ
 of merchants under the common Ia,
 A label and the use to which it is D
 remains label in the eyes of the la
 quite regardless of the principle i n volved
 - -