Evening journal., 1908-12-14
FEDERATION UPHOIDS
DOUGLAS SHOE co.

DOUGLAS SHOE Gu.
American Federation Of Labor. Office
of First Vice President, quincy,
Mass, Dec s, 1908.
Mr. John Tobn. President Boot &
shoe Workers Union. 2t6 SUM
mer ST., Boston. Mass.
Dear Sir and Brother: At a meeting
Of the Executive Council of the a. +.
Of l.. held last month in Denver, Colo,
submitted a fun report on the sub
iect matter which had been referred
to Vice President Mitchell and my
self, c the September 1908 meeting OF
the Executive Council. held in WASH
ington, in reference to the then, and
now, pending dispute between your
union and the W. l.. Douglas shoe CO..
about continued use OF the Boot and
Shoe Workers Union Stamp by that
company on its product.
All the correspondence which had
passed between your Office and me was
read and considered. and length dis
cussion ensued as to what more could
be done by the A. r. of L. through its
assistive policy, especially as you had
practically ignored our previous over
friendly relations between your union
and a large and strictly union boot and
shoe factory, operated by a man who
had to our personal and ~er~ial knowl-
edge. voluntarily declared in favor OF
a union factory. and the use of your
union stamp on the product Of the
firm. Ordincrily we would have
awaited your solicitation Of our SER
vices. but this does not seem to be an
ordinary occasion, and after due de-
liberation, our Executive Council di-
rected that this letter be sent to you.
and a copy Of it mailed to the w. l..
Douglas Shoe CO.
AS i~a'---'- IN previous correspon-
dence, our Executive Council stands
ready TO be Of any possible assistance
to mutually and satisfactorily adjust
the pending dispute. whereby your
union stamp may again be in use IN
the W. l.. Doupi~- shoe Co.'S factory
on its output. and viii promptly re-
spond when you or your Executive
Board invites our cooperation. The
Douglas Co. has already invited our
friendly assistance, so action on our
part depends on your invitation.
/ It Is impossible that adjustment is
| insum ountnble where so much real
union interest is involved-Viz.. the
development OF your union. the well
! fare of such n large number Of boot
and shoe workers and the great pub
Tic which. very largely through the
course followed by the w. /. Douglas
Co, has been educated to the pur-
chase of union made and union stamp
ed boots and shoes-and the A. T..
or L., second only to your union. has
its responsibility and if Il is not per-
mitted to do whatever may be possible
in the circumstances. the public has
a right to know. and must be inform
ed of what prevents adjustment.
The correspondence submitted to us
by the w. I. Douglas Co. Cali Of which
you had submitted to you) shows that
months before the termination of the
stamp contract, some one was hitting
that company under the belt by
spreading information broadcast that
the firm was about to lose the right
10 use the stamp. The letters bear
date OF July 25 TO August G. 1908, and
the statement was certainly not sent
out by the Douglas Co.. for it resent
/ ed the allegation, and showed it's de-
J sire TO continue TO run a union shop
and 10 use the union stamp. bv ask
ing our Executive Council. under dats
} Of September .. 1908, to make a friend.
ly investigation into the pending dis.
, pute, and TO be helpful in maintaininf
! stamp p-contract relations with voul
5 union, and even now, with the STAN,
Withdrawn, the firm employs in all it.
= operating departments none but mem.
pers or your union. The failure tc
, maintain union stamp Relationship
with the firm under such circumstances
looks 10 use like a mistake the more
so when tie following facts are placef
IN comparison. Your letter on thi,
subject to me OF October 10. 10OS
shows, for instance. that a Shoe co
Of st. Louis operates three non-unior
factories IN that city, and have one fac.
tory In which they use union stamr
NO. 4. Shoes bearing union stamp No
are union-made, and all their otho,
{ shoes, that do not bear the unior
stamp, are non-union. Here then i,
an instance where a firm. emplovine
over two-thirds non-union worker,
has the use of your union stamp 70,
{ less than one-third Of its product
, while in the W. L. Douglas Co.'S fac.
tory with one hundred percent unior
employees, and the average wages sale
to be the highest paid anywhere. ant
the employer so anxious to use thu
stamp that he invites outside assist
ance to that end, yet Is denied the EN-.
Z blem or stamp of the an-union pro
duct he turns out" other instance,
similar to the above could be men.
toned but are unnecessary.
During the sessions OF the Denvei
Convention the leaiet was freely circu.
J lated. which your union has publishe,
about the union stamp not now beinl
on the W. J.. Douglas Shoe. It reached