The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-11-18

Character of Products Precluoes the
Adoption Of a Distinctive Sign In
Many Trades-Arsuments Against
the Use of General Sign.
There are three forms In which the
trade union label, using the term In Its
widest sense. is used-frst, mark at
tached to a product; second, shop
card TO distinguish place of business
and. third. button to distinguish a
workman. The majority of trade IN
ions use the label only as mark
placed on an article. and ordinarily
the term union label" indicates this
form of label
In 1905 the membership of the trade
unions using the labels attached To the
product WAS 5;IS.6nO, or Approximately
90 Ter cent of the entire membership
of the American Federation of Labor
Those unions which use cards AMI
buttons embraced approximately Sd,
600. or ISIS per cent of the number of
workme affiliated with the American
I Federation of Labor There are still
other trade unions which use the label
OF the American Federation of Labor
either because of the weakness OF
their organizat ton or because their
products are subsidiary" To COM
plete product.
Some trade unions are precluded
from the adoption of a label because
of the nature of the craft. The gran
ite cutters and stone masUns for eX-
ample cannot use IL label upon the
stone because ii could be readily re-
moved and the employers refuse to
allow any design to be cut in the
stone. The glass bottle blowers have
the same difficulty.
Three factors enter into the determi-
nation of the efficacy of any form OF
trade union label-publicity Of the
label. the nature of the material of
which the label is made and the de-
sires of the purchaser.
The label must be sufficiently prom
lnent to be readily observed. yet the
character Of the product to which the
label is attached influences the meth
cd of attachment to be adopted Cigars
might have the label on the box or
even on the individual cigars. If the
cost were not too great. But hats and
clothing must have an attachment of
the label which preserves reasonable
publicity without giving offense to
sense of propriety.
The form of label adopted by the
hatters illustrates the influence of these
factors very we'll 1t Is attached to the
inside of the hat under the bow Of the
ribbon on the outside band and is
stitched in such a way that the thread
must pass through the bow. The label
is concealed, and at the same time II
may be readily found by any one de-
sirous of having the label on the prod
uct.
The clothing trades are governed by
the same considerations in their choice
Of mode of attaching the label.
Many suggestions have appeared for
a general label of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor to be used by all
affiliated trade unions The hatters.
united SdFilleDI WOTkeTS. SHIT WHIST
and laundry workers. meat cutters and
butcher workmen, iron molders, uphol
sterers. retail clerks. BARRIERS and tai
Tors have taken the lead in advocating
the adoption of one form of label for
all crafts The cigarmakers and the
boot and shoe workers have opposed
any such proposal. Their arguments
are % that the distinctiveness Of the
label of each trade would be lost and.
since the needs of each craft are diff
ferent, the principles upon which any
demand for the label In a particular
trade might be created would thus be
destroyed and % that the American
Federation Of Labor under such a sys
TEN would of necessity control the
label and the propaganda for it. The
policy of the American Federation of
Labor would thus be abandoned and
the industrial form OF organizat ton
would of necessity replace the existing
form Of trade affiliation.-M folders
Journal.