The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-07-06
UNION LABEL FLAG
OF HONEST TOLL
Consistent Trade UniOnists Will In
sist on the Union Label at
All Times
By Fred G. Hopp
ecretary Chicago Trades Union

secretary CnlcaSO trades union
Label League
The union label of our country
is embodied in the Stars and Strices
1t represents and cover all the peo-
pie claiming allegiance to the United
States. Under it's folds the rich
and the poor, the good and the bad,
the worker and idler, the Jew and
Gentile-in fact all may claim pro-
lection.
While there are many who refuse
to revere the flag because of the
manifold acts of injustice that are
enacted within the range of its
accredited territory, yet no one can
deny that it at least assumes to
symbolic truth, liberty, justice and
humanity, and to the extent that
it does not represent any or all of
these virtues no one will refrain
from doing it homage.
The union label of the toilers, on
! the other hand, is the flag of the
honest workers. 1t really symbol
ICES truth, liberty, justice and hu-
lmanity. 1t tells the truth without
fear or favor as to the kind of
goods that it adorns. 1t does not
engage your interests under the
plea of patriotism to rob you and
then compel silence by fear of be-
ing called traitor to the flag. 1t
assures absolute liberty to the la
borers who have the intelligent fore
thought to place themselves within
the range of its potential possi-
bilities. 1t secures to all even
hand equality and justice, since it
protects all alike-the weak and the
strong, the child and the adult, wo-
men and men-all are under it's pro-
vision placed on the same level. 1t
assures women and men liberty of
action over their own production. 1t
establishes an equitable system of
collective, mutual bargaining that
means justice in the fullest measure
and to the greatest number now OBJ
tainable.
| 1t is the easiest and quickest meth
cd available to abolish child labor in
general. 1t is of immense value in
measuring our loyalty, earnestness
and devotion to, and faith in each
others welfare. The cause of hu-
manity is enriched by the sacrifices
we, as toilers are willing to make
for the betterment of mankind.
We give practical expression to all
our profession-to our real worth,
| to our honest feeling, to our in
depreciation Of what we mean by
Unionism when we make choice be-
tween union and non-union goods.
Humanity stands emblazed in in
delible characters of large dimen-
sions upon him who can and will
devote some of his time and all @
his purchasing power to the cause
that must inevitably aid all the toll
ers. The union label cements the
idea of collective bargaining. We
consider the employer who refuses
to bargain with us as unfair and
rightfully denounce him and boy
colt his products. We refuse to
work with his non-union employees
and unhesitatingly call them "scabs"
and then perhaps cross the street
and buy the product of these scabs
and think we've struck a bargain at
having saved 2 per cent in money
and sacrificed SO per cent in prin-
ciple and assisted the employer in
riveting chains upon our brothers.
The possibility of men perhaps do
ing what is pictured may not ap-
pear overdrawn when we consider
the collar maker. Every member
of organized labor is morally pledged
to wear union made collars. Many
civic and political organizations are
virtually pledged to do likewise
yet go into any crowd of men, at
tend any meeting of the workers,
mingle among the social and political
enthusiasts whose boundless profess
sions of love for the workers stifle
the air with it's frofusion and you
will find obligations quite often but
scraps of memory and pledges as
worthless as campaign buncombe and
union made collars as plentiful as
honest politicians!
Unionism commences with our hon.
est selves. Numbers do not make
real unions. The loyalty to princi-
pies and adherence to the cause of
the organized workers is what counts.
Seventy-five per cent of the organ
lied workers are inactive. They are
interested, no doubt; but by reason
of inability or lack of training do