Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-07-03

cause Of il as disatrous effects on
the workers in any industry which il
invaded.
Yet Is spite Of I'll futile objections
the Prison Labor Trust has marched
steddily forward until to-day the pfo4
ductien 81 prisonmadc goods is IS
scientifically organized. and as com l
pletely trustifed and quite as profit
able, # not more So. as any ether
great industry.
The Prison Labor Trust wields is
influence in the invisible Gov6fna
ment." controls politicians, shapes tie
policies 0f political parties, oils tie
wheels Of political machinery. and
"Sweetens" the editorial policies Of
many great Newspapers. It retains
eminent lawyers on its staff, floats Is
stock issues thru reputable brokers,
donates literally to charitable, social
service and prison reform organiza4
tions. Il also maintains highly SKIN
ed publicity bureaus and well paid
Hobbies. In fact it does all the things
other great Trusts do, and in many
instances, does them much better,
Members Of organized labor, whS
have given thoughtful consideration
to the subject. feel that perhaps the
first count against prison labor for
private profit is that it robs the free
and law-abiding workers Of employ-
ment. The exploitation Of convict
labor has been concentrated in : few
Industries, and naturally the workers
IN those trades suffer most, though
the evil effects reach out into every
industry including agriculture. The
greatest concentration in convict la
Dor is in the garment industries, work
garments principally, and it is the
garment workers who are suffering
most from the invasion Of prison
made goods in the market.
One manufacturing and its subsid4
iaries, the Reliance Mfg. Co., makers
Of eBig Yank" shirts, according to its
advertising made more than 16.O00,4
600 work shirts II 1923, most Of them
produced in prison factories and by
convict labor. Other smaller units Of
the Prison Labor Trust possibly pro-
duced more than this number 81
shirts. And, in addition, millions Of
pairs Of overalla, coveralls, work
mems trousers, children's overalls
and playsuits and women's house
dresses and under wear.
These many millions Of garments
made BY convict labor went into the
markets, and the last two years have
been the worst in the garment indus
try in many years. The United Car
ment Workers Of America and the
international Ladies Garment Work
ers have faced greater problems in
short work" than ever before. and
they ara experiencing loss Of member
ship, unemployment and hardships
among their members. Ii the open
shop garment factories "short work
has beaten down wages, brought back
the evils Of the little sweatshop and
forced worse conditions than have
existed for years. The competition
Of prison made goods is sapping the
very life Of the garment industry
and free factories are closing down
in all the centers Of production. Free
garment workers are walking the
streets by the thousands, but there
is no unemployment in the prison
factories. Thousands Of convicts are
busy making we'll known and widely
advertised brands Of prison made
goods, and members of organized la
Dor buy and wear them, with little
or no thought Of the social and eco
monte effects Of their failure to de-
mand the Union Label on the gar
ments they buy.