Montana labor news., 1935-04-11
Tobacco Workers In
~ternationaI Union To
Launch Big Campaign

What promises to be the largest, and
most far reaching union label cam
paign ever attempted by any Inter
national Union, is being launched by
the Tobacco Workers International
| Union.
Some twenty-five able, and capable
| speakers are being located, or assigned
to important points throughout the
country. They will visit all local
unions. spreading the truth Of the dam
nable conditions that prevail in the
non-union tobacco industry, the rob
berry of the farmers, and the ruthless
exploitation of the workers in these
industries.
The following figures and statistics,
taken from the files OF the U. S. Ag-
ricultural Department and the Federal
Trades Commission depicts a picture Of
impoverishment Of the farmers and
ruthless exploitation Of workers, that
have no equal in this country.
These figures likewise tell a vivid
story of the reason for the present
state of affairs, with some eleven mil
lion able-bodied men and women de
MED the right to earn an honest liv-
ing the reason why there are some
twenty million Of our people on the
rolls of charity.
In 1913 the farmers of the country
received for their combined tobacco
crop. a total of 90 million dollars.
Upon this tobacco, the manufacturers
made a net profit of l48 millions Of
dollars. The farmers of the country
it is estimated, have a hundred times
the Investment, OF all OF the COM
panies combined.
Wages Paid Cigarette Workers.
19l9-the average wage paid cigar
cite workers was $S53.0O.
1931-cigarette workers wages de-
clined to $727,00.
l933-wages declined still farther to
$613.00.
Production lncresssd.
In 1919, 24,474 workers produced 81
billion cigarettes.
In 1881, Z0,146 workers produced III
billion cigarettes.
Production increased l20 per cent.
Wages declined 80 per cent.
The total wage bill in 1888 was /,
million dollars, and the workers pro.
duced cigarettes that sold for 637 mil
lion dollars.
Value of products OF average work.
er per year, $6,339OO.
Value of cigarettes produced by aver
age worker, $37, $4,000.
Millions Spent in Cigarette
Advertising.
1t is estimated that the tobacco mo
nopoly, consisting OF the so-called Bis
-Four" manufacturers of Lucky Strike
Camels, Chesterfield, and Old GolC
cigarettes, each spend between ten anC
fifteen millions of dollars advertising
their brands, every year, -Four times a
much spent in heralding the virtues o
these n%on-union cigarettes, than j
paid the workers for producing them.
Modern Robber Barons'
"Take Out"
In 1881, George w. Hill, president o
the American Tobacco Co., makers o
a Lucky Strike cigarettes, took out TO
p himself, in the form Of salary, specia
bonuses, and stock credit, a total 0
$2,220,9lO.OO. Just about thirty time
e the salary Of the President Of TIL
! United States, hauled down by on.
man in the tobacco industry in on.
year. By comparison, AL Capone is
t piker.
Hill, and five of his associates in tn,
American Tobacco Co., in 1881, pulle,
. down for themselves a total Of $6,436,
Il 1900. or more than half the tota
. wages paid the twenty-one thousan,
workers in the entire tobacco industry
What About 1t, Mr.. Union Mani
e The above is only a part of the fact
r dealing with the tobacco industry
they should, however, prove sufficien
to cause every union man, and ever.
e human mortal who believes in fair play
!. believes in social justice,-to refraii
Z from purchasing the products Of tn
e tobacco trust, that has riveted tn
: chains of human misery about the neck
of every worker in their industry. TIL
S union label of the Tobacco Worker.
International Union on every tobacc,
product purchased, is the only assur
ance of the users of tobacco product!
S that they are not placing their STAN.
of approval upon the campaign %
misery of the tobacco trust.