The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-09-22
BOOST THE UNION LABEL.
II Has Done Much For the Betterment
of Society In General.

It Has Done Much For the Betterment
of Society In General.
The question is often asked. "What
one feature of organized labor stands
out most prominently in its efforts to
benefit the union workers Of the land?'
The answer in some cases depends
largely on the trade or calling of the
one doing the answering. But, on the
whole, boosting the union label is the
outstanding activity if one is to con-
slider the whole mass of organized
labor
The desire on thetrart of organized
labor to giye.the buying public chance
to discriminate between the products
of fair and unfair employers quickened
into life the union label.
When organized labor first started to
educate its own members and those
who sympathized with the aims and
desires of the trade unionists up to the
point of demanding the label when
purchasing goods, very little opposition
to the label was brought forward by
unfair employers. But after this cam
paign of education had taken root and
the members of organized labor were
made aware of the great possibilities
of the label, opposition began to spring
up from many sources. OF course this
protest could be traced to those who
were antagonistic to all that organized
labor had ever proposed
If the union label did not STAND for
anything if any employer could use it
without having to comply with condi-
tons that lie would not otherwise lave
to comply with there would be no OPP
position to the union label
The mere fact that every employer
who believes in low wages and long
hours is opposed to the union label is
conclusive proof that the union label
means better wages and less hours
Anything that has tendency to have
employers treat employees fairly is
worthy of respect; hence the union Ia
bel is respected by every person who
respects the rights of others.
If the union label is a good thing for
organized labor-and all Of us realize
that it is-then it becomes the duty of
every member Of organized labor to
purchase only union made goods.
Money spent in that way comes. right
back into the pockets of organized la
6 union A i7l5 $50 t saegss 49, u, ssE
diately becomes an employer d union
labor.
BY Grating demand for unionmade
goods collective bargaining becomes
easier. If any employer finds that his
goods must bear the union label if he
wants to sell them he is apt to be more
reasonable when it comes to negoti-
ating wage scales and reducing the
hours of labor
The union label is the emblem Of hu-
man progress. The label has done
more for the women and children Of
this land than has any other one thing.
-N'''l W Il A'ti 80 CAtCIlI ~ IGSlJOuSl-
bic for the partial elimination of the
sweat shop it has taken the child
from industry; it has established a
shorter workday; it has been of vast
assistance in maintaining union condi.
tons; il has established the superiority
OF the union workman in every branch
OF industry that it has touched.
Every member Of organized labor
can take part in any activity dealing
with the union label In fact, Il is2the
layman Of the organized Labor move.
ment that must boost the union label
And the way to boost all labels is to |
purchase union labeled goods 10 the
exclusion of others.
Isn't the effort worth while?-C Charles
Il, Scott in Los Angeles (Cal) Citizen.