Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-07-14

LABEL TALKS.
I @#@#****.**@*# :

= = = = = = = = = . = y = . .
To the Officers and Members of Or
Z ganized Labor.
Dear Sirs and Brothers :---Your atten-
tion is called to a bill now pending
before Congress dealing with the SUBJ
ject of Prison Labor. During the
hearings held on Bill H. R. 10000 it
was brought out in the evidence that
while the evils of the Prison Contract
Labor System extended in many direc-
lions that no industry was SO me-
nanced by this system as is the indus
try coming under the jurisdiction of
the United Garment Workers. In the
testimony given. this fact was clearly
brought out, that the manufacturing
of shirts and overalls had, to large
degree, been given over. to the Prison
Labor Contract System
Testimony proved conclusively that
two firms working under different
names, but the officers of both firms
being the same, have contracts in
fourteen different prisons or reforma-
tories employing a large number of
prisoners, and each particular place
engaged in the manufacture of shirts
and overalls. The contract price paid
for the labor Of these prisoners varies
from 35 to so cents per day. Millions
of shirts are produced yearly by this
one combination alone, and there are
number of other individual contrac-
tors who are operating under this
Prison Labor Contract System.
The class of shirts manufactured
are to a large degree known. as work
ing Shirts" and are sold to merchants
all over the country as the product
Of free or flair" labor.
Your attention is called to this mat
er because of the fact that after all
here is but one way for organized
labor and it's friends to remember that
when purchasing shirts. or in fact
any other commodity, the only means
of knowing that the article purchased
was made under clean and healthy
conditions, decent rate of wages
laid, and a short-hour work-day OBJ
4ained in the manufacture of the pro-
duct, is having attached to the pur-
chase that is made the Union Label
issued by the respective organiza-
lions in interest.
To prevent a further extension of
this Prison Labor Contract System in
the manufacture of shirts, overalls,
ETC., it is the bounden duty of mem
bers of Organized Labor and their
friends, when making purchases of
goods of this character, to see that
the Union Label of the United Garment
Workers apears upon the same.
Your Local Union is urgently re-
quested to appoint a committee to wait
upon the dealers in your locality, who
are handling goods of this character,
and urge them to insist that when
placing orders in the future for shirts
that the Union Label of the United
Garment Workers shall appear upon
the same, and you are also requet-
ed to refuse in the future to pur-
chase any article of this or any other
character unless the Union Label of
the organization in interest is attach
ed thereto.
Bear in mind that when insisting
upon being furnished with goods bear
ing the Union Label you are not only
assisting your fellow-workers in that
industry, but you are also assisting
yourself, for it has been truthfully
said that the member of Union who
would purchase a non-union made
article is not doing his full duty to
himself or to his fellow trade unionist.
Insist upon the Union Label at all
times. Give your full patronage to
such places as display Union Store
Cards and handle Union Made COM
modities
Fraterna1ly yours,
THOMAS F. TRACY.
Secretary Treasur