The Connecticut labor press. (New Haven, Conn.) 191?-1921, 1919-11-01
ORGANIZED LABOR
GIVEN BODY BLOW
BY UNION MEN
Label Committe of New Haven
Cigarmakers Points Out Dam
age Done by the Thoughtless.
HURT The CAUSE GREATLY
Demand for Non-Union Goods
Makes Merchants Skeptical of
Movement s Sincerity.

AS members of Organized Labor we
sometimes feel very bitter toward an
employer who will not hire a union
man or who affiliates with Manufac-
turerS' association for the purpose of
harassing and crushing organized labor.
We have but small regard for the
tradesman who refuses to join his craft
union; we despise the man who is
renegade to our cause and Justly so for
such retards the progress of the labor
movement. But it is doubtful if any or
all of these types injure organized labor
more than the union man" who, when
purchasing merchandise, knowingly and
deliberately accepts a nOn-uniOn pro-
duct instead of demanding and receiv
ing merchandise that bears the union
label.
We believe that the majority of the
members of New Haven's organized
workers buy only union label goods but
we regret to say that there are many
who do not. This.is notably true in the
case of purchasing cigars.
We know this from personal ObserVa-
ton and also from the testimony Of
cigar dealers to whom many trade
unionsts are personally known.
In visiting local cigar dealers recent
1y to urge the sale of only union made
cigars we were informed that union
men in uniform and civilian dress regu-
larly buy Peter Schuyler, Blackstone,
Totem and other nOn-unlOn cigars;
moreover, neighborhood drug store and
cigar store prOprietOrs complained BIT
terly that they have often seen union
men entering the trust cigar stores in
the center of the city, and these mer
chants reasonably ask u.s. why expect
us to push the sale of union made cigars
when members of organized labor are
demanding cigars made by firms that are
notoriouslv unfair to organized labor?
We have found it very difficult to
satisfactorily answer this question. We
assure you hat such indifference on the
part of union men greatly interferes
with the success of our noevrnent.
If New Haven cigars were of in
ferior quality some excuse might be
made for men who buy out of town nom
union cigars, but inasmuch as New Ha-
ven cigars are known and acknowledged
to be unexcelled in Workmanship and in
quality and since practically all cigars
made in New Haven bear the Cigar
makers Blue Label what honest reason
can any New Haven member of organ
lied labor give for buying non-union
cigars?
We wonder if the man who pur-
paused to consider that every time he
makes such a purchase in effect he
endorses the sweat shop, long hours and
low wage system that prevail in fac
tories where non-uniOn cigars are
made?
We ask the union men who patronize
the trust cigar stores because of the
premium coupons given there to re-
member that the cost of these coupons
is not deducted from the stockholders
dividends; it is practically ground out
of the bodies of the unfortunate men,
women and children who make their
products.
The trust cigar stores can afford to
give you premiums only because its
employees are paying for them by toll
ing and suffering long hours for less
than a living wage.
We ask you to consider these facts.
After you have done SO renew and
remember always the obligation you
assumed when you became a member of
organized labor to support not only
YOUR own organization but all affiliated
unions.
BY so doing you will be true to your
union principles; you will be aiding
YOUR fellow unionists you will help to
defeat the enemies of organized labor,
and if, when purchasing cigars you &C
ceDt only chose contained in a box
bearing the Cigarmakers' Blue Label
you will obtain full value for your
money.
MAKERS UNION NO. 39 New
| Haven. Conn.