Evening star., 1912-11-10
NATIONAL CONSUMERS LEAGUE.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

Did YOU ever think of the risk you run
in using articles made in factories or by
people who work and live under insan-
itary conditions, often suffering from
CONTAGIOUS diseases to which you are ex-
posed in the use of the articles? IL is
natural for people to be careless OF the
dangers which they do not see. so the
fashionable youth smokes his gold-tipped
handmade cigarette oblivious of the fact
that IL may have been made by woman
in the last stages of consumption, in a
dirty room foul with the diseased breath
: OF other individuals.
few years ago charitable woman
bought some little woolen dresses and
distributed them among some poorer
neighbors A few weeks later an cpl
demic Of scarlet fever broke out, and 1t
was found that the dresses had been made
by a woman working in her tenement
home where three of her children were
III with scarlet fever. One of them died
during the period when she was at work
upon these little dresses. When the death
occurred the board of health took up the
matter and an investigation was maoe
but the sewing upon winch the woman
depended for her living was smuggied
out and the contagion carried TO the
home of every purchaser and risked by
each sales person who handled them IN
the store.
Because of thousands of incidents SINH
lar to this, by which the health of the
consumer is constantly being risked,
number of men and women some twelve
years ago organized the consumers
League, having for its object the securing
OF adequate investigation of the condl-
1,sr1x rN1C
order to distinguish in favor OF goods
made in a we'll ordered factory. Since
the majority of employers are almost
helpless to maintain a high standard as
TO wages, hours and working conditions
unless sustained by the cooperation OF
consumers, the Consumers League also
proposes to educate public opinion and to
endeavor to direct its force so as to pro-
mote better conditions among the work
ers, thereby securing to the consumer ex-
emption from the dangers attending un-
wholesome conditions. The league also
endeavors to promote legislation tending
to improve industrial conditions, In recog-
milton of the fact that the interests OF
the community demand that all workers
should receive a fair living wage. that
the goods should be produced under san
itary conditions and that the responsible
ity for some Of the worst evils from
consumer who seeks the cheapest mar
kets, regardless of how the cheapness is
brought about.
In this way the Consumers League
stands for the best interests of the pur-
chaser and
League Has Interest the worker,
Of Workers and Buyers. anu no." op
campaign Of education is being carried
on throughout the country. Through the
influence of the league. sweat shops and
home work under improper conditions
are being rapidly diminished each year
and. while the conditions of the workers
are being greatly improved. the con-
sumer also is benefited
One of the first matters to be taken up
was the manufacture of womens under
wear. which had been an especially
sweated and unorganized trade. The
league provided a label to those firms
with their requirements as to
labor conditions. This label indicates
that the factory laws of the state have
been complied with. that the goods have
been made and finished on premises ap
proved by the league, no home work being
permitted. that there has been no over
time work. and that no children under
sixteen have been employed. The label
is known from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific. and each day new demands are be-
ing made for it. Sometimes these de-
mands come all the way across the con-
tinent. For instance, the merchants in
Portland received so many demands for
the labeled goods, that they appealed to
a factory in Worcester, Mass, to use it.
tbs factory asked the Con-
sumers League to inspect its methods
and grant a white label"
The early attempts of the league to Sc
curp recOgnftiOn of the value
label We're most painstaking. As soon
as local branch of the National Con-
sumers League was established in
it's members Immediately set
about educating the merchants TO the
value Of the league label by going to the
stores and asking repeatedly for goods
bearing that label and refusing to look
at any without il. The Bryn Mawr Coz
lege girls We're among the first to take
the matter up, and their example is still
being followed by the students In col
leges and private schools. as well as
women living in their own homes in
towns in every state in the Union.
When the league label was first put
into service the members of the league in
Bryn Mawr College organized into reg
uiar parties to make it's purpose known
to the Philadelphia stores. Two or three
girls would go together into half dozen
different stores asking for clothing bear
ing the white label II was not in
stock at first and they would politely ex-
plain its use and refuse to accept any
other goods. The girls would report the
ground covered and few days later the
same stores would be visited by another
group of well dressed young ladies in
quiring for the same label. Within three
months the leading stores in Philadelphia
were supplying goods bearing the white
label and the credit of the demand was
largely due to the college girls.
The Consumers League has been ac-
tive in enforcing existing laws tending to
protect the
League Also Active workers in all
in Enforcing Laws. ,orias e,rkssS o. well aa
as to secure additional laws. 1t is re-
sponsible for continuous investigations of
many classes of industries, and the i'm
provement of conditions. The legal ef-
forts of the league already have won
some notable victories and have added
much to the strength of the labor unions
Two years ago a great victory was reg
istered In the case of Curt Miller vs. the
..-te of Oregon. The new Oregon labor
law prohibiting the employment of worn-
en- in factories, mercantile establish