Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-08-26

The above caption may SOUND hath-
eyed but II is as true today as 1t has
always been.
For some ore to declare that they
can't buy a union-labelled hat, shoes.
clothes OF other wearing apparel that
Is satisfactory" to them, Is merely
an alibi that will not pass muster
with the real intensity of. The fight be
ing waged by the organized workers
of the various trades, not for their
selfish interests but for all workers.
the demand for labelled merchandise
becomes second nature.
The same arguments can be ad-
vanced for the union labels that pre
displayed In stores, restaurants, pic
ture shows, etc. and called union
house cards or slides" as the case
may be and all OF which call attention
To the employment of union work IN.
der union conditions.
The union label is a certification
that child or sweat shop labor hid y
part In the production OF the article
designated. II is also eloquent of th'
fact that the article was not the pr"-
duct of prison-labor and was made
under sanitary conditions.
Sunshine and light ~ we'll as amnl"
ventilation were unknown in many o.
equations until the workers had OrgaI
lied and established these as mt
of the working conditions sough'
Sweat shops were the rule rather thar
the exception In the tobec"o nd
needle trades before organization
paved the way to better conditions
Sanitation was a mockery. toiles
facilities being not only insufficient
hut in common use by both sexes. be.
fore organization changed conditions
In the crowded rooms of some indus
tries.
Union labor has been stigmatlzed "a
Selfish" II II Is selfish to make q
fight for cleanliness, for healthfl
surroundings, for more leisure Tine.
for more adequate compensation. fot
better schooling facilities. for laeI
degradation and more humanizing eli .
iization. We can we'll plead guilty to
the charge.
The union label Is the emblem OF
democracy: the insignia OF freedom
of speech, free assemblage and the
freedom of the press because organ.
lied labor Is sponsor for all of these
and the union label Is representative
OF union labor. Can "A worker be tn,
to the obligation taken on entrance H..
to the union mo"oment when he neg
lects or refu .es TO patronize the ui,on
label?
Can any citizen who expresses a dc
sire for the realization OF any of the
high ideals sought by organized labor
be true In their seeking without he t.
equally DESTROYS of purchasing union
labelled goods and patroniZing tho
house cards of organized labor?
IL every one of the over 100000
organized workers were insistent in
their demands for union labelled goods
or union house cards and labels, In
ono year we would double our mem.
bership: in two years. with the same
loyalty on the part OF old and new
members, our struggle would be over
our principles established.
The union label house card and but.
ton are the insignias of the efforts
of organized workers TO establish and
maintain an equitable relationship In
employments.
When you patronize these you are
lending your support to tho efforts OF
sOuT tiu lO safeguard
their organizations and make them eff
fective instruments for good
For one who holds membership i'm
any union to become needless of. on
indifferent to his obligation to pat
ronize these sign posts of organized
effort stamps him as a card man rath
er than a union man.
II is true that there is no law
against any worker spending his
money as he likes: he can even con
tribute financially to efforts to break
down his own union II he so wills
without legal liability. but self.respec,
forbids this form of direct action.
But many a union man who would
raise the roof II. his own immediate
interest is challenged. or the inter
ests of his own organization, wilfully
and knowingly patronizes establish
ments where the employees are forbid
den the right of organization and col
lectiye bargaining.
In doing this they are lending com
fort to the enemy" In a most substan
tial manner and, incidently, weaken
ing their own movement. All labo
unions are interdependent one on tn,
other: when one is weakened all ar,
weakened; when one is destroyed Oh,
chain itself becomes more easil,
broken
Union members who wilfully pur
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