To the Ealtor of the "Nowru-Cutxa Day News"
Sin—The industrial problem is ever ith us, Tu fact it is so much "ever with us" that most of ts fall into the: altitude either of ignoring It, or Gespairing of being able to do anything about it, Nevertheless, there are groups who are thinking, and some who are trying to act. The American Woman's Club fs listening to a series of reports on the situation in Shanghai, The Joint Women's Clubs, through their Civie Affairs Committee, have been considering. the problem from the point of view of apprentices. An} Important experiment looking toward improving the diet of apprentices about to be inaugurated by the Industrial Section of the S.M.C. and, Lester Hospital. Community Church undertaking the employment of ease worker who will work solely. with Industrial eases, Ata recent meeting of the Community Church Midweekly "Fellow. ship. suggestion was made which would seem to be of practical value {o Us all as consumers, namely, the formation "ofan organization "corresponding to the Consumer's Leo America, This organization Terms its members, (1) as to the tr values of advertised products, and (2) 'a8 to the conditions under which such Products are made, Members. then Undertake to patronize those firms} which conform to standards, Now it is true that there are, even in Shanghai, where it Is as yet_impossible to enforce the Chinese Government Factory Act, certain firms which nevertheless, maintain high! standards both as to quality of pro-nct and working conditions for their employees. There is, for instance, 9 manufacturer of electrical supplies Which makes a product of reliable feonstruction, and which gives ils employees working conditions above the average. One of the large cotton, mills is known as paying. higher wages and treating its employees bet {er than other cotton mills. Some companies are willing to pay compensation to injured employees Others employ their own case worker. would seem, therefore, to be a practical step for some organization. (whether already existing or newly formed) to take the responsibility, after careful investigation, of publiciz= ing these firms, They should receive the support of the community, all the more that they are doing from a sense fof moral responsibility that which they cannot be compelled by law to} do, Of course it 4s possible, even probable, that such products will be! [more expensive than those of frm who employ child labour, or appre" tices." But we, the public, "must educate ourselves into asking, not only, "Where can 1 get the cheapest so?" but, "Where can I get the best, and the one which is produced under humanitarian standards?"
Inthe words of the movie magnates, "Box office receipts talk'
all know what has been done in the movie industry in the last few years since the public began to make box olllee receipts "talk." Another example of the power of the consumer was lustrated in Hawaii, when Gems which defaced public highways with unsightly billboards found their ales falling off to such an extent that they hastily removed the billboards.
We must support those firms which are tying to live up to humanitarian standards, But how can we support them if we do not know who they are, Mrs. J.B, Hares, Shanghat, Feb. 24,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.