The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-12-17

1t has long been felt by the editor.
and publishers of the labor press OF
America that an association was need
ed that would help to establish the la.
Dor press on sound financial basis as
well as furnish an interchange of news
items of the labor movement of the
country that should be both authentic
and up-to-date. Every labor editor
knows how hard it is to obtain adver-
tising at a figure at all commensurate
with the value of his space. Leaving
secular advertising out of consideration
for the moment! it has been found I'm
possible to get any but a very few of
the label trades to advertise their labels
in the labor press of the country. I'VE
are not referring to the official jour
nals.) Yet column after column of
space in the labor press has been freely
given to the exploitation of the union
labels of the various label organizations.
Labor papers have been hampered, too,
in giving to the public labor news of the
WHILE IT WAS STILL NEWS. For
instance: If there was an industrial
dispute in any section of the country
we have had to patiently watt for the
labor paper published in that particu-
lar locality to learn the real facts at
issue and it has been weeks before the
facts would make the rounds of the la
Dor press of the country. In the mean
time the capitalist press has been mis-
representing, garbling, suppressing all
the tricks known to create a hostile
public sentiment,
To remedy this condition of affairs
by the organization of a good working
labor press association has long been
desired A few organizations purport
ing to have these aims in view have
been started but have been spasmodic
in character, their work OF doubtful
nature, and have soon come to nought.
There is no more contributing factor
toward the success of the trade union
than the labor press. The
bona fide labor papers of the country
have done and are doing herculean work
in spreading the gospel of unionism and
creating publ csentiment favorable to
the great cause of labor. The labor
editors are giving hand and brain and
in most cases for a compensation that
the average unionist would turn up his
nose at. They are coming to the con
cmsion that the laborer is worthy of
his hire and that if the standard of the
press is to be maintained and made Il
still greater power in the movement,
they have got to practice themselves
what they preach to others. and organ
ize for their own protection.
Fourteen labor editors who were dele
gates to the Toronto convention of the
American Federation of Labor last
month, organized the international La
Dor Press. Charles w. Fear, editor of
the Trades Unionist, of Joplin, Mo-,
was elected president and Will NJ.
Maupin, editor of the Wage Worker of
Lincoln, Neb., was elected secretary. A
and set of bylaws were
drawn up and approved and same will
be sent to every labor paper in the
country. The work of this association
may be slow for time but it is con-
fidently expected that the labor editors
and publishers of the country will be
quick to see the benefits of such an
association and will cooperate to the
extent necessary to make the organiza-
tion a success from a financial stand
point and as a newsgathering medium.
The following proclamation was
drafted and copy of same has been
forwarded to the various bona fide Ia
Dor publications;
Proclamation.
The editors and managers of the Ia
Dor newspapers of the United States
and Canada, recognizing the good intent
of the American Federation of Labor
in its adoption of resolutions commenda-
tory of the newspapers published in the
interests of the wage earners of North
America, hereby return sincere thanks
for the same.
We feel that we have a right to lay
claim, not only to the resolutions and
Communications of the organized labor
movement, but TO the more practical
support that manifests itself through
the business office. The labor news
papers are constantly on the firing line
preaching the doctrines of brotherhood
and no matter where trouble may exist
these labor newspapers are depended
upon more than any other agency to
make the facts of trouble known to the
organized labor movement. The Labor