The Washington times., 1922-10-15
UNION LABOR
| IT0PR0bE USE
OF ITS LABEL
IN Va. PRISON
conyict-made overalls mis-
branded to Deceive Buyers,
Dr. budding Charges.
FACTORY A PEST HOUSE
Former tuberculosis Hospital,
ussd AZ Workshop, Never
Z ..A Dislnfected, He Says. Il

Organized labor is going to take
; hand IN probing certain practices
charged against virgiria's prison
system BY DR.. Earl E. Dud.
ding, president Of the Prisoners
Relief Society, of this city.
Gov. T.. Lee Trinkle, champion OF
the prison board, which has been
under fire for some weeks, will DO
asked BY union labor heads TO ex.
plain q charge that thousands OF
pairs 'of overalls made by convicts
at the Virginia State prison are
sent out monthly labeled a
"union made"
The governor will also be asked
60 explain another charge that con,
yicts are forced to work in the oid
tuberculosis hospital In quarters
that have not been disinfected. :
Asks Federal Probe.
Tbe Department Of Justice has
han asked by DIR. budding to make
Z Thorough investigation OF prison
conditions in Virginia. Similar re.
o,,ests were made on the American
Eederation of Labor and the vn
,inia state Federation. DIR. Duddins
has Assurances that these organiza-
ticus win at once ask for fuii re-
/. mort and II 1t does not prove satis-
factory they are expected TO go 10
richmond and make q tur'her
inquiry. ,1,-.. ~
Roanoke, Va, president OF the VT
ginia State Federation OF LABOR, II:
budding, among other things sass' n
'I am also told tnat eacn .,,,,a.
must make q task OF apous W. W.
xhe amount as made by man Work
~ the outside and that the Lash
uscH n he fails to make the
sronnt set down by the contractor:
81 think that laboring men should
ha interested in this slavery and tnat
thsv' should do something to nave
put an end to It."
Produce 600 Pair Daily.
A ..task' 10 q prescribed amount
NJ work which q prisoner Is required
"a accomplish within d definite time.
IN the Virginia penitentiary.
conyict's task" 10 to make =
number of pairs OF overais per oa !.
IA he accomplishes this TASK, ne -
Lp.rcnsnsation for his effort. Tne
Ssrninss 81 the men average " per
s,,crfh II a said. Il also 70 said
thst the production at the Virginia
nrison ID 500 dozen pairs OF overahs
day. 80. ,v,.r the
ontput of a prison IL used interstate,
the goods must be stamped Prison
Made" The. overalls put out by the
Virginia prison for a large concern
in Fort Worth. Tex. not only ian 10
carry this stamp. but instead use a
label carrying the legend. Union
Made" It Is charged.
budding wrote President Minter,
of the Virginia State Federation Of
Labor, that "the old T. B. Hospital
in the prison has been turned into a
shirt factory. The walls are full of
tuberculosis germs. The shirts get
into the homes Of the working man.
wife and children must come In con.
tact with the garments with q tuber-
culsr germ couched between each
, fold. Ask yourself Ii II fair to So
ciety? That old building is nothing
more or less than a breeding ground
for the loathsome disease.
when our thoughts begin to drift
and we realize the suffering that will
follow the shipping Of these seeds of
tuberculosis 1t makes one nervous"
Letter to Justice Dept.
pudding's letter to the Depart.
ment Of Justice follows:
"I am informed that down at the
Virginia State prison, at Richmond,
tney make mems pants and overalls
and send them out branded and
labeled as Union Made. as per the
inclosed tag. 'r-a'-
"I understand that there is a Fed
erai law that prohibits the sending
out Of prison-made goods unless they
are branded Prison Made I think
that II 10 most Serious that the goods
should be labeled Union Made,