To Watchmakers Seeking Legislation

From American Horologist magazine, December 1938

To Watchmakers Seeking Legislation:

Receipt of constant inquiries indicates that Associations of Watchmakers and Jewelers in every part of the United States desire protective legislation similar to that enjoyed by Wisconsin Watchmakers, and in most cases they are at a loss to know how to obtain its enactment.

The following suggestions are made for the purpose of helping you get started.

To start with, three committees should be appointed or chosen. Each must be manned by men willing to work hard. Your success depends upon how well these committees do their job. The committees and their jobs are:

1. Legislative committee of not more than three men with chairman of unquestioned ability, loyalty and integrity. The actual work of obtaining the enactment of our legislation is the job of this committee.
2. Legislative Finance committee to raise funds for the expenses of the Legislative committee. Contributions can be solicited from all watchmakers, jewelers, material supply houses, jewelry wholesalers and watch manufacturers. The material supply houses and watch manufacturers were most helpful in the Wisconsin program.
3. Special Membership committee.

Now is the time you need members as you have never before. Ask every watchmaker in your state to join his organization to help NOW. A really active association is necessary to succeed.
The first job of the Legislative committee is to contact every watchmaker in the State, obtaining his sentiment for or against the proposed legislation.

This is an important step and the results will be used constantly later. I suggest that a generous quantity of "pledge" cards be printed so that they can be signed by every watchmaker possible, to indicate his support. Ask salesmen and material supply houses to assist in distributing, obtaining signatures and returning the cards to the committee.

The second step is to find the greatest number of politically influential friends for your cause and especially, friends in the legislature.

After you have done the work outlined, if you will write to me at length, explaining fully the results of your work, I will, without obligation, suggest ways and means of going further.
If you want protective legislation, determine to "go and get it" and start TODAY.

B. W. HEALD, 

339 N. 35th St., Milwaukee, Wis., 

National President, U. H. A. A.