The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-07-11
The union LABEL.
Purchasing Power of Labor a
Source of Strength.
ITS METHOD ONE OF PEACE.


Public May Be Won For the Cause.
DisIoyalty of Union Men to the Label
a Serious Obstacle to Success.
We as trade unionists are just be-
ginning to realize the value of an or
ganized and concentrated use of our
purchasing power in support of union
label goods. thus compelling the I'M
iOnizing of industries and enforcing the
rights of the workers therein This
is not only the strongest weapon we
have at our command, but it is also a
method of peace, accomplishing its
purpose of comforting the largest bene-
fits upon the workers with the minim-
mum of labor warfare. AS method
of peaceful evolution it should be espe-
cially acceptable to the public, who in
the near future is likely to be dis
turbed by labor troubles even more
than 1t has been in the past
In building up the power of union
label purchases we need the assistance
of every friend and ally we can gain
among the general public, and this is
the issue, more than any and all 9th
ers, on which we wish to reach the
sympathies of the public mind If
they dislike the quarrelsOme way of
settling labor disputes we must secure
their assistance in support of the
peaceful way-the union label way.
We can reach the public by advertis-
ing methods, continually calling their
attention to the advantages to the com
munity of freedom from industrial dis
putes; by showing the amount of mon
ey paid in wages in union industries
a matter of vital interest to merchants
and professional men-and by circular
literature and newspaper advertising,
in all of which the matter and form of
presentation should be most carefully
prepared.
We can reach the public by constant
agitation work by unions and by COM
mittees, calling upon retail merchants,
obtaining audiences with religious or
fraternal meetings and utilizing news
paper reports of labor meetings to a
greater extent than heretofore. AS the
constant dropping of water will wear
away a stone so will the constant men
ton of union label affairs in the news
paper set merchants to thinking of
handling goods that the people want.
1t is easy to conceive an agitation
can be strong enOugh-that is, with sin
cerity and persistence behind it on the
part of all the members-so that mere
mention in the morning papers that
such a union had Endorsed union label
hats and had appointed a committee to
see what proportion of nonunion hats
was sold in the town would be equiv
alent to serving notice on the retail
hatters to stop handling nonuniOn hats
and to handle union label hats eXcu-
sively. The same would apply to all
other commodities, and after a time
that portion of the public friendly to
us would take such notice as friendly
tip for their cooperation in our behalf
and retailers in all lines would consid-
er that their business safety depended
goods demanded by union members
and by friends of unions among the
general public.
This word picture is not overdrawn
at all. but it may eXaggerate the pres
ent loyalty of many union members to
their own cauSe-tO themselves. If this
is true it is our greatest hindrance to
%, 1,, Of a
public. Nothing can disgust a would
be ally any quicker than the disloyalty
of our own individual members If
man who has taken upon himself the
obligation of membership in a trade
union will not be true to it he cannot
expect nonmembers to uphold it. If
the union member will not be true to
himself he cannot expect nonmember
to support him.
Mere talk about getting others to
help. mere resolutions Of good inten-
tons and the appointment of number
less committees do not count for
single thing unless the members do
their own duty. and do it well. We
can interest the general public by adj
vertisinG and by agitation. but 1t is
only when we demonstrate our SINGER
ity by our own example that we COM
mand their respect and qualify our
selves to receive their support. AS
Josh Billings said. Them as has. gifts"
AS we grow stronger in our own
strength and in the consistent and per-
sistent performance of our own duty
the friendly aid from sympathizers
that we need less will come to us in
ever increasing measure.
We shall succeed in the proportion
that we are worthy to succeed.-Shoe