The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-07-18
TO BOYCOTT THE BOYCOTT.
National Association of Manufacturers
Proposes to Put Pressure on Those
Merchants Who Permit Union Labels
to Be Placed on Their Goods.

Proposes to Put Pressure on Those
Merchants Who Permit Union Labels
to Be Placed on Their Goods.
AT the recent convention at Detrois
of the National Association Of Manu-
facturers much attention was paid to
consideration of measures affecting
its employees in general and the la
Dor unions In particular. We ask our
readers to please note that this conven-
ton of employers spent nearly all of
its time denouncing the labor unions
and giving advice to their employees.
According to press reports, one OF
the speakers said: "If all who labor
were members of the closed shop un-
ions or were even sympathizers with
them one might consider It's political
wisdom for the party in power to man
ifest it's sympathy with closed shop
ideals as 1t has done. However, the
number of people in closed shop organ
izations would not equal 8 per cent Of
all the laboring people In this country.
Yet 1t seems the per cent are being
given special privilege which cannot
help but work injury to the 95 per
cent" This Is the strongest testimony
In favor of the efficiency of labor un-
ions that we have ever heard. Ordi-
narily trust Is presumed to control a
considerable majority Of It's product
before 1t can be considered trust
Monopoly means control, but in the
above quotation we have q new theory
that per cent constitutes control OF
e5 per cent If labor unions so in
crease the efficiency of per cent that
they control the other 95 per cent, then
we repeat that this is the strongest
testimony for the efficiency Of labor
unions that we have ever heard.
AS to working injury to the 95 per
cent, the labor unions are composed
Of working people who desire better
wages and conditions Of labor, who de-
sire to keep their children in the
schools and their wives at home. Ev-
cry new desire of the wage earners Is
for improved conditions of life, which
would benefit not only the per cent,
lied, but also would benefit the 95 per
cent whom the speaker conceded
would be controlled by the per cent.
Just in what way better wages, short
er hours, better living conditions, bet
ter food and clothing, would be an in
jury to the 95 per cent, who are en-
forced beneficiaries of the per cent,
we are not yet informed.
To cap the climax this convention of
manufacturers has committee on un-
ion label, not, of course, for the pur-
pose of promoting the demand for un-
ion label goods, but of trying to bring
force to bear to crush the union label
idea. Therefore this committee on un-
ion label brings in the following re
port: "It is gratifying to note that, like
other union suggestions the indentif-
cation that q label conveys has not
been welcomed by the general public.
In urging that our members discour-
age manufacturers and retailers from
permitting the discriminatory and mis-
leading union label to be placed upon
products for general consumption we
would remind them that the total
membership of the unions that under
take to pass upon the fairness or uH-
fairness of a manufactured article Is
only 100000. q small fraction of the
great working forces in American In
dustry" This folderoI means that the
Manufacturers association, recog..iz-
ing the fact that the union label is an
effective boycott, proposes to use its
influence as far as 1t can to boycott the
boycott.
With this idea In mind it will urge
that It's members shall discourage
manufacturers and retailers from per
mitting the union label to be placed on
products. 1t thinks it is an awful
thing if labor union committee waits
upon a merchant and asks him not to
purchase goods of an employer whom
it considers unfair to it, but still these
same manufacturers will go to a mer-
chant and ask him not to buy goods
bearing a union label.
The most ridiculous feature of this
position of the manufacturers is the
smallness of their numbers as com
pared with the millions Of working
people. We admit that not all the
wageworkers are organized, but we
have just quoted the authority Of the
manufacturers convention to show
that 8 per cent can control the other
G5 per cent It's label committee was
sadly Off in it's figures, however, in CIV
ing 100000 as the membership of
unions committed to the union label
idea. The membership of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor has Just pass
cd the 100000 mark. This does not
include the great railroad brotherhoods
or organizations like the bricklayers,
who are not affiliated with the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, but are still
indorsers OF the union label idea and
Just as loyal to that idea as the manu-
facturers as individuals are loyal to
any alleged principle Of their asso-
ciation
They are welcome to any satisfaction
or encouragement they can get from
their attempt to boycott the boycott.
All that organized labor has to do is
to keep right on building up the de-
-ss~A.A Aes 1nin~ iahaJ 9noda- and Its In.