The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-10-10
TRADES UNION PUBLICITY
BY REL. CHAs. sTElzL1
Tenth Of q Series Of ARTICLES on
B Practical Methods Of Union
Advertising.
Labor Press the Best General Ad-
vertising Medium for the
Labor Union. >z.,ss 1

+ The newspaper is, without any
question, the best general advertising
medium for the labor union, when one
is trying to reach the public. The
labor press. of course. is the best
means for getting at trades unionists
themselves, principally for educational
purposes. But for general publicity,
the newspaper is unexcelled for our
purpose. A magazine may have SUI
rerior advantages for those who en-
gage in q national advertising cam
paign, and this sort of advertising
should be employed by international
organizations, but when the. central
body in a particular city or a local
seeks to attract the attention of the
people in the city In which it is oper-
ating, 1t can best do this through a
i; newspaper which is read by the same
constituency that it is trying to in
fluence. The daily newspaper has the
advantage in that it appears every
. day, and therefore it is always up-to-
date. 1t is read by practically every
man and woman in town. It Is
sought after by the reading public. It
already has the entire into the homes
OF the people. 1t is not looked upon
with suspicion. Indeed, most folks
have the utmost confidence in the
paper which they welcome into their
homes. Therefore it is not necessary
to overcome the prejudice of the
reader, as might be the case with
some other forms of publicity.
The average newspaper will print in
oIS
labor items Of general interest. This
is the best kind of advertising-bet-
ter even than the regular advertising
space which is paid for, although the
latter has a peculiar value in showing
the public that the labor union is
wide awake. Sometimes labor union
officials complain about the inaccura-
cies of the newspaper, but they rarely
give the newspaper the slightest as
sfstance i'm getting the story straight.
The reporter is looked upon as an in
truder and a nuisance. He may
easily be made most valuable friend
by showing him the most common
courtesy. If the secretary, or some
one else appointed by the labor I'M
ion, will write out the news matter
and send it to the office Of the news
paper, it will prevent some mistakes
which the average reporter would be
likely to make in handling matters
concerning which he is not very ia
miliar. Many union officials insist
that the newspaper must come and
get their stories, if they want them,
forgetting that the newspaper can get
along without their stories better than
they can afford to have them do so.
Even though the newspaper actually
needs this material, it cannot always
afford to have a man" spend nearly
the entire evening in. order to get it.
1t woeld sometimes pay a labor
union to use the advertising columns
or to insert paid reading notices which
carry to the public special MESSAGES
concerning trades union interests. In
some cities the newspaper will be glad
to print on one day of the week
usually on Saturday-a column or
more of trades union notes and an
nouncements This material might
better be handled by a trades union
list who is thoroughly familiar with
labor affairs IN the city. In many
cases the newspaper will pay for
such material, If it is we'll written.