The Connecticut labor press., 1920-06-26
ANOTHER DRIVE AGAINST UNION
 MADE PRODUCTS
Non Union Cigar Manufacturers Try to Ruin New Ravens g
 Big Industry.
KNOCKING THE LABEL
Greater Vigilance Than Ever Re- quired in Insisting on (,
 the Blue Label.

During the past 25 yearsleountless
 attempts have been made by non-union
 cigar manufacturers to establish their
 brands in the local market. And a1-
 though they have spent thousands of dollars advertising these goods and employed the most expert sa1esr1en to
 visit the trade, New Haven still bears
 the reputation that it has borne for
 many years of being the hardest city in the United States in which to establish non-union brand of cigars.
 This reputation was established and has been maintained by reason of the New Haven cigarmakers 100% organ 1zat1on and its unceasing persistence in advertising the Blue Label of the Cigar makers International Union which is affixed to every box of union made cigars, and also by reason of the sp1en- did cooperation that organized labor and its friends have given by demand ing and accepting only cigars made un- der union conditions. Indeed, were it not. for the invaluable assistance of our sister unions, the task of holding back the flood of non-union cigars constantly arriving at our city gates would be very difficult
 Therefore, members of organized la Dor are advised that certain manufact- uTers of non-union cigars, seemingly urldaunted by previous failures, are now conducting an expensive advertising campaign to popularize their brands with local smokers, and that their suave and similing salesmen, not know ing the size of the job that confronts them, are boasting that their success IS certain. First, because, in their opin- ion, union men are not as persistent in demanding the Blue Label as form erly"; and, second, by reason of their great advertising drive" now in prog ress.
 fThe fact that o09o of the cigars sold in New Haven are made in this city would seem to completely refute their first claim, but if in their great -adver- Using drive" from which they expect such big results, they can make mem bers of organized labor forget certain facts about the cigar industry that they have long known it may succeed.
 However, 1t may be reasonably assumed that when pnrcnasing cigars local union men will remember:
 (a) That certain cigar factories are run upon the non-union plan to avoid paying its employees a living wage.
 (b) That many non-union cigars are machine made and for this reason are inferior to New. Haven's exclusively l handmade product.
 Co That cigars made in New Haven l weigh from two to three pounds per more than most cigars made l elsewhere.
 a (d) That living wages are paid and | that American working conditions are | enjoyed in every New Haven cigar factory.
 Gel That although all cigars made in New Haven are union-nlade and con tain tobacco of the finest quality, they | cost no more than non-union cigars.
 (f) That the purchase of non-union cigars is i'll effect an endorsement of low wage system and the unfair con- ditions under which they are. made.
 Knowing that the New Haven mem 1ers of organized labor are aware of .hese facts and confident that when cigars they will act accord ngly, 1t seems certain, that when theJ -esults of the "great advertising cam ,aign" are checked up it will be found hat union men ARE as persistent as formerly i'll demanding union made ;igars, and that New Haven is still the hardest city in the United States in which to establish non-union brand 1f cigars.