The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-01-08
SIMPLE BUSINESS MATTER.

The Trade Unionist Works Against
His Own Interest Whenever He Buys
an Article Made In an Unfair Shop.
Points For Labor to Consider.
BY purchasing power" we do not
mean to go out and purchase power
by the corrupt use Of money or any
thing like that That is game we
are not familiar with, and from what
we read In the daily newspapers we
would suppose that certain large capi-
talists and certain politicians would
beat us pretty badly at that game, by
'us" meaning the labor movement.
There Is vast difference between
purchasing power In the sense above
Indicated and the using OF the pur-
chasing power that we now possess in
the interest of ourselves, the move
menr In which we are comprised, the
wages and conditions Of our own en-
ployment and those of our fellow
craftsmen In other trades and the con
ditions OF the future generations who
will logically take our places In the in
dustries and occupations In the indus
trial world
Many Of us have found 1t easy to
criticise the employers; many of us
have felt that the best of them were
poor managers of their business and
that we could handle 1t better than
they can; but, as rule, we must take
M hof 70 hn In, ra
spect-Damely, that In the spending Of
his money he intends to buy for the
interest and advantage of his business.
He does not knowingly or intentional
ly go out and buy an article that is to
the disadvantage either of himself or
Of bis business
OF course the employer may do such
O foolish thing. but be is on guard
against 1t, while wage earners are do
ing just that foolish thing all the time.
They criticise the employers as being
poor managers Of their business, but
when the wage Garner himself as
sumes the position of employer. as he
does when he purchases any commod-
fly With his hard earned wages, then
many of them have no thought what
ever Of doing their purchasing with
due regard for the interest of their
business-namely, the selling of their
labor power
III wage Garner went out and
bought suit of clothes or a pair of
shoes without the union label. and IL
his own wages were reduced 10 per
cent every time be did that, and il he
knew that to be fact, and Ii was ap.
parent to him that he himself suffered
directly and Immediately whenever he
spent his union wages for nonunion
purchase. then very likely he would
have better conception of the infu-
ence that his buying power has upon
his wages and working conditions.
Unfortunately the connection be-
tween the two Is not so obvious to the
mind Of many wage earners, but it is
there just the same. although be can
not see 1t, only the way is a little
more roundabout If the shoemaker in
Brockton buys nonunion suit of
clothes he is depriving some union tail
or of an opportunity to earn a living
and to buy union stamp shoes. On
the other hand, Ii he purchases union
label suit of clothes he has made 1t pos
sible for a union tailor or garment
worker to buy union stamp pair OF
shoes.
The purchase Is more deadly than
the vote, not only because 1t is more
final and certain In its effect, but also
because the opportunities for exercis-
Ing the power are unlimited. Instead
OF voting once year you buy some
thing every day In the year. and usual
ly you buy something several times
every day In the year. 1t is not unrea-
sonable TO say that the wage Garner
who is careful to give his patronage to
union label articles and to fair con-
Germs In trades not having union la.
bells, who In his capacity as employer
and purchaser will employ none but
union labor. is voting for union condi.
tons thousands of times In year
A correct use of the purchasing pow
er means the casting Of ones influence
forever and eternally for conditions Of
unionism, for broader and better lives
to all who labor and to all who are de-
pendent upon those who labor. better
wages and working conditions. better
schools. better clothing. better homes.
better education for our children, more
intelligent and prosperous generations
to come. with peace, progress and pros
perity for all OF humanity. Shoe Work.
ers' Journal.