United labor bulletin., 1911-04-06
PRISON. MADE GOODS
SCORED BY TRACY
Prison Labor Scored by American
Federation Official.
(6y Thomas r. Tracy, secretary-Treas-
urer of the Union Label Trades
Department of the A. F. of LIZ

(By Ihomas r. Tracy, Secretary reas-
urer of the Union Label Trades
Department of the A. r. of L.)
The sixty-first congress Of the United
States has adjourned without giving US
any relief in failing to pass the prison
labor bill which has been endorsed by
numerous conventions of the American
Federation of Labor and by this depart
ment as well. Notwithstanding the fact
that the bill was favorabIy reported by
the house committee on labor, no oppor-
tunity was given for its being taken up
and passed by that body. This, of
course, gives encouragement to the prison
labor contractors, and particularly to
what is known as the prison labor trust,
who have contracts in IL penitentiaries
and reformatories for the making Of
shirts, overalls, etc.
Among the brands of shirts that are
made under the prison contract system
in the Maryland state penitentiary Of
Baltimore. and advertised largely, are
those known as the President" and
"Chamois Skin Khaki These brands of
shirts are known as working shirts, and
usually retail for so cents each The
contract price paid for the labor of pris-
oners in making this class Of goods
ranges from 40 to 65 cents per dozen
for the finished product, OF, in other
words, the price paid for the complete
making of a shirt by this prison labor
system averages less than i've cents
each.
Another organization that is con-
fronted with the contract prison labor
evil is the Boot and Shoe Workers In
ternational Union of America. In the
Richmond, Va, penitentiary one firm has
a contract there for the manufacture of
shoes. and over two million pairs of
shoes are produced yearly for this firm.
they paying to the state for the labor of
the convicts engaged in the manufacture
of this commodity 60 cents per day The
firm having this contract is located in
Boston, Mass, and the impression is con-
veyed that instead of these shoes being
made in a penitentiary that they are
manufactured in or around Boston.
There are many other organizations
whose industry is menaced by this prison
contract labor system, and probably the
two organizations herein mentioned are
more seriously affected than any of the
others. The sale of this kind of goods
can be minimized if the members OF or
ganized labor and their friends give the
attention that they should when making
purchases of these or any other commod-
tiles. If when purchasing shirts, over
alls, etc, our members and friends would
insist that the label of the United Gar
ment Workers appeared upon these arti-
cles. and refuse to purchase any unless
the label is attached thereto, 1t viii help
greatly in preventing the extension of
the sale of prison-made commodities
When purchasing shoes, II our men,
bers and friends will insist that the union
stamp of the Boot and Shoe Workers
union appears upon the same and in
such manner as it will be readable by
those who are making the purchase. this
organization will also be benefited. II
our members will refuse to take the
word from any business man or sales
man that goods are unlon-made when
the label does not appear upon the same,
and refuse to make the purchase, they
viii make no mistake.
The only absolute guarantee that
goods of the character herein mentioned.
or of any other character are union
made, is by their having the union label
of the respective organization attached
thereto. Refuse to purchase any article
that does not bear the union label and
you will not only be benefiting the men,
bers of the organization in interest. but
benefit yourself as well.
Local label committees are urgently
requested to bring this matter to the at
tention of their members and friends as
well as to the business men in their To-
cality.