The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-11
BUST open SHOP !.
>W|Th*UN|0N LABEL
No Law That Gan |mprlson Any
Man Or Woman for Refusal to
Buy Non-Union Goods.
By JOHN j. MANNING.

fight on its hands, if it is to success
fully combat the plans made by its
enemies for its disruption. The first
is the attitude of big Business
toward the report of the Interchurch
World Movement on the situation in
the steel industry, and the other the
overwhelming vote of the members
Of the National Chamber of Com
merce against collective bargaining:
The answer to the first PROPOSE
ton, of course, is through organiza-
ton Of the workers in the steel in
dustry, and in the light of past ex-
perience this is no child's' play, but a
real man-sized job. Eventually this
can and will be done. for the seed
of organization planted in the last
strike is bound to bear fruit in abun-
dance if proper care and encourage
ment are given it.
AS to making the National Cham
Der Of Commerce "sit up and take
notice." the problem should be more
simple; but it has complexities which
will need the individual support of
the organized workers and sympa-
thizers before it can be successfully
carried out.
There are approximately 100000
organized workers in the United
States whose individual daily. wage
is at least 81. an aggregate of $751;
100000 per day and for a working
year of 800 days, we find that there
passes through the hands of the
toi1ers who are organized the enor-
nous sum of $5,4O0OOO,00O received
in wages.
The major membership Of the Na-
tional Chamber of Commerce are re-
tail merchants or employers of
minor character in the various cities
OF the country and can easily be made
to see the foolishness of their hos
tllity to a fair deal to the workers
by little economic pressure by those
they seek to deny the rights of every
other citizen.
Practically all of the members of
the Chamber of Commerce in any
city are dependent upon the workers
OF the city to maintain their busi-
ness, and this being true, the first
step to be taken in defense against
them is to withdraw or withhold our
patronage until certain conditions are
met.
There is no law that can imprison
any union man or woman for refusal
10 Duy non-unlon goods, nor can any
injunction be issued denying them the
right to buy union-labeled goods from
clerks who are members of a. trade
union. The same is true of meat mar.
kets, barber shops, restaurants. etc..
where union shop card is DISPLAYED.
Inc 40 international unions in af
11llatlon with the union label trades
department of the American Fedora
tlon of Labor. all have union labels.
SHOP cards and working buttons to
eAplolt' Some one of these labels
can De found on practically all ar
tlcles used in the home in every dav
me- SO that at least 40 per cent Of
the more than 100000 which passee
through the hands Of trades union
'e's each year in the form Of wages
goes right back into the channels of
trade.
IL IS our job, therefore, to see to-
IT, mat none of this money. earned
under union conditions. esta blished nv
me trade union, goes back into trade
channels except for goods made and
so1d by trade unionists, and at all
.lhles and under all circumstances re.
luse TO purchase the commodities
naoe or offered for sale by our enc
mes the "open shoppers"
4hls Capitalization of purcha sing
power by the workers will result in
many beneficial effects, principal
among them being the STRENGTHENING
and upbuilding of the unions whose
14einoers make and distribute so manv
'ne daily necessities of the peo-
ple' because the power of purchase
usually dictates the character of the
article to be sold.
II Will give aid and encouraeenoen+
10 the employer who has nracticed
real industrial democracy bv enter-
ing INTO trade agreements with his
enployes whereby thew have an
equal voice with him in Determining
.ne conditions under which thev
laoor: BY consistent and persste Mt
use or this power Of purchase tho
proaucts of the labor of Immature
cnHoren' of the sweat shop and ~
.ohtract convict labor will he wiz
tuailv driven from the market. ia no
replaced by articles made bv matnrel9
aauis labor. living under American
10 paraphrase gentleman of the
a u.s. generation who said, Let me
o1 transportation, and I care not
who makes your laws" vet tho or
ean1zeo workers realize what s2.5oo:.
VoV OF purchasing power means to-
tnem, and they can practically die.
'a,v tnelr own working conditions.
-, ihose members of the Nationa,
chamber of Commerce who seer -
deny the workers any right to saw
.vAect1vely under what conditions
.ney snail labor. are invariably Of
the type that carry their hearts in
t tne'r oank books. and undoubtedly
1he only way to have red blood cir.
culate through that vital organ 10.
to tear few pages out of their bank
DOCKS and continue this treatment
until the patients become normal.