The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-07-21

unionists of this city when they engaged
Mrs. Rose b. Moore for months or
ganization work, was evident last Non
day evening at the first regular meeting
of the Women's Label league since she
began work in the city. At that meet
ing twenty eight new members, womer
relatives of union wage workers, were
initiated. Not at all bad for the first
weeks work.
Mrs. Moore speaks in highest terms
of the women she has come in contact
with during her first weeks work. Al
most without exception she has found
them not only courteous but willing and
eager to talk about the problems that
confront women. She is also outspoker
in praise of the band of women that
have formed the necleus of the league
and have paved the way for a real
earnest campaign of organization. Head
ed by their president, Mrs. Steve Mitch
ell, they have worked hard and consci-
entiously to build up strong organiza-
tion and are working with the same de-
termination today.
| Mrs. Moore has very pronounced ideas
on the relation of women to the labor
movement and it is most interesting to
hear her talk about her beliefs and her
experiences.
Perhaps not in the exact phraseology
but at least with her ideas correctly ex-
pressed, we quote what Mrs. Moore has
to say:
''Since coming to Everett / have Wis
tied the homes of many of your union
men and | have talked to the women
about the problems of labor that direct
the labor movement does not concern
them? | have found the women intelli-
gent and ready to grasp the question
we talked over but in large measure
without any previous conception of
what trades unionism meant to them.
All of them knew that their husbands
drew better wages because of their nm
ions but they considered it mems
movement in which they could or should
have but little active part. For this feel
ing the men are responsible. They
know that women are ever ready to bear
with them all other burdens which arise
| from the marriage relation; they ought
| to teach their wives more of the union
movement and make them feel their re-
sponsibilty and realize their opportun-
ity.
"yVomen as never before in our his
tory are attacking social injustice and
trying by united effort to do away with
the evils that menace the home. The
desire for the ballot came not from any
longing to meddle in the domain so long
monopolized by men but from a desire
for weapon with which to wipe out
conditions that menaced the home circle.
Can anyone feel for the girls and women
condemned to long hours at meagre
wages in the sweatshop and factory as
woman can? Can anyone pity the lit
tie children growing up in the pitiful
environments surrounding the child
worker in industry as mother can?
Fright to the hand of the women of
the homes of this city lies powerful
weapon to use for the freeing of her sex.
The union label which, whenever and
wherever seen, means that the article
bearing it was not produced by women
despoiled of their womanhood nor by
children robbed of their birthright. We
"There is another phase to the union
label movement that we want the women
of Everett to think about. 1t not only
means extending help to their less for
tunate sisters who toll at meagre wages
but it means personal comfort. The
woman in the home treads an industrial
tread mill often no less severe than her
sister in industry because the earning
capacity of the bread winners is small
because of lack of organization. Hers
is privation and want. Can she help to
increase the family income by demanding
the union label ON everything she buysf
Indeed she can. In her hand lies the
purchasing power She is in large de-
gree the spender of the family income
Business is business always with the
merchant. If there went up from the
women of Everett an insistent demand
for union label articles, which side do
you think would receive the support of
your merchants when your men asked
for better wages, shorter hours, or bet
ter working conditions, the employers
of labor who refused the demands OF the
union that made themf
Unions in Everett have a statewide
reputation for aggressiveness. They
have established pretty good conditions
but in this day of organized employers
the strongest union town dare not think
itself impregnable from union stand
point. II is a fine thing to be able to
win an Industrial victory but it is a
wiser thing to be so impregnable that
organized capital dare not attack you.
"Thats why we want to organize the
women-the wives of working men into
the Label league and working girls into
trade unions-so that the strike. the