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Editorial
April 2, 1926
Union Labor Bulletin
Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas
What is this article about?
Editorial by Mary M. Wise criticizes union members for excusing non-support of union-labeled goods, which aids non-union and prison labor. Urges discarding these rationalizations to demand and enable union improvements, influencing merchants to stock union products.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
CUSHIONS FOR OUR CONSCIENCES
Sometimes it would appear that our union members actually seem pleased when they can find an excuse for not spending their money as their consciences tell them they should.
I believe the psychologists call this peculiarity of the mind "rationalizing" that is, finding a good reason for doing as one wants to do. These conscience cushions among labor's ranks are legion and would require the wits of the well-known "Philadelphia Lawyer" to combat.
"The union label goods are inferior.
The label article costs too much. I can't get it to fit me. it is too far to go for the label goods. I don't like the taste of union tobacco. I just can't do without that particular magazine.
I can't get the styles I want with the label. I can get this thing so much cheaper at K--'s store. I just can't eat the food in that union restaurant.
They are so obliging and accommodating at that non-union meat market. They never cut my hair to suit me in that union barber shop."
And so the patronage that would enable the organized trades to correct those faults--if indeed they exist, except in the mind of the fault-finder is given to support the "open shop" employer-or mayhap a bloated prison labor contractor.
And the merchants tell us to our faces: "The union man demands the cheapest, regardless of the label. I would not carry that prison-made shirt, but my trade demands it." And there we have the whole problem in a nutshell. The merchant will carry what his trade demands.
Speed the day when he will say, "I have to carry union label goods. or a culinary workers' card, or a meat cutters', or barber's, because my trade demands it." But meantime we will all have to discard some of our comfortable conscience cushions.-- Mary M. Wise, in Shoe Workers' Journal.
Sometimes it would appear that our union members actually seem pleased when they can find an excuse for not spending their money as their consciences tell them they should.
I believe the psychologists call this peculiarity of the mind "rationalizing" that is, finding a good reason for doing as one wants to do. These conscience cushions among labor's ranks are legion and would require the wits of the well-known "Philadelphia Lawyer" to combat.
"The union label goods are inferior.
The label article costs too much. I can't get it to fit me. it is too far to go for the label goods. I don't like the taste of union tobacco. I just can't do without that particular magazine.
I can't get the styles I want with the label. I can get this thing so much cheaper at K--'s store. I just can't eat the food in that union restaurant.
They are so obliging and accommodating at that non-union meat market. They never cut my hair to suit me in that union barber shop."
And so the patronage that would enable the organized trades to correct those faults--if indeed they exist, except in the mind of the fault-finder is given to support the "open shop" employer-or mayhap a bloated prison labor contractor.
And the merchants tell us to our faces: "The union man demands the cheapest, regardless of the label. I would not carry that prison-made shirt, but my trade demands it." And there we have the whole problem in a nutshell. The merchant will carry what his trade demands.
Speed the day when he will say, "I have to carry union label goods. or a culinary workers' card, or a meat cutters', or barber's, because my trade demands it." But meantime we will all have to discard some of our comfortable conscience cushions.-- Mary M. Wise, in Shoe Workers' Journal.
What sub-type of article is it?
Labor
Social Reform
What keywords are associated?
Union Label
Conscience Cushions
Rationalizing
Labor Support
Prison Labor
Open Shop
Shoe Workers Journal
What entities or persons were involved?
Union Members
Merchants
Open Shop Employer
Prison Labor Contractor
Mary M. Wise
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Promoting Support For Union Label Goods
Stance / Tone
Exhortative Urging Union Members To Overcome Excuses
Key Figures
Union Members
Merchants
Open Shop Employer
Prison Labor Contractor
Mary M. Wise
Key Arguments
Union Members Rationalize Not Buying Union Label Goods With Excuses Like Inferiority, Cost, Fit, Taste, Style, And Convenience
Such Patronage Supports Non Union Employers Or Prison Labor Instead Of Helping Organized Trades Improve
Merchants Stock What Customers Demand, Including Prison Made Goods If Cheaper
Union Men Demand Cheapest Regardless Of Label, Perpetuating The Problem
Need To Demand Union Label Goods To Force Merchants To Carry Them
Discard Conscience Cushions To Support Unions