during the past year when it was impossible to find the bond of a secretary or treasurer when it was needed. These incidents occurred among the smaller unions and were due to the fact that the smaller locals have not established headquarters or a suitable place for keeping the local records. A recurrence of these incidents would be prevented and a better record of the bonds of local officers could be had by requiring local unions to file the bonds of their officers at headquarters. This plan would also insure the prompt renewal of all bonds. Other international organizations are following the plan just suggested and find it advantageous. I would strongly advise the amendment of our law on this subject in line with the foregoing.

THE REGISTER SYSTEM.

At the Boston convention several propositions were submitted looking towards the establishment of a complete record of all members at headquar ters. In lieu of these propositions the convention adopted the following resolution:

The secretary-treasurer is directed to formulate a comprehensive plan for gathering and compiling such statistics as may be of value in administering the old age pension law and act as a basis from which to work, should the future conventions desire to enact insurance legislation.

For the purpose of complying with the resolution just quoted, visits have been made to the headquarters of a number of other international organizations, and their systems have been carefully investigated. These investigations have not as yet been completed, but have gone far enough to show that our organization can, if it so desires, establish a record of members at headquarters and what is known as the register system, under which every member of the organization is assigned a number and is known on the records of the parent organization by that number, regardless of where he may be located. Considerable cost would be attached to the installing of the system and it would require some months in which to perfect it, but, once perfected, it would be of incalculable benefit to the union, especially so if additional benefit features are to be adopted. It will be my pleasure to present to the St. Joseph convention in detail my conclusions on this subject.

MEMBERSHIP OF SUBORDINATE

UNIONS.

It is important that each local should know the numerical strength of those about it. This is made possible by the following table, in which is set forth the membership in good standing and in arrears, the total membership of each union and the amount in its treasury. The data presented was compiled from the quarterly reports for the three months ended April 30, 1909. In instances where unions failed to report, the membership given is based upon the last remittances for per capita tax, such unions being designated by a star (*). Recently formed locals have also been added to the list, the membership being based upon the number of charter members or receipts from per capita tax. Such unions are indicated by a dagger (†):

MAIL AND EXPRESS REPORT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER'S DEPARTMENT.

A summary of the daily record of the mail and express matter sent out by the secretary-treasurer during the twelve months covered by this report is

herewith presented:

32, Norfolk.
33, Providence.

35, Evansville
36, Oakland.
37, Honolulu*.

47, New Haven.. 48, Atlanta.. 49, Denver

253

:20

STRIKES.

That we are at peace with an overwhelming majority of the employing printers in our jurisdic tions is evidenced by the fact that only sixteen small strikes and lockouts occurred among our American unions in the fiscal year. One hundred and fourteen members were involved therein. With the successful conclusion of six difficulties, sixtythree men returned to work; twenty-three were displaced in the loss of three disputes, and twentyeight were involved in those a settlement of which had not been reported on May 31, 1909.

A most unfortunate dispute occurred in Kingston, Jamaica, British West Indies, where a union was reorganized under the International Typographical Union in 1907. This local asked for an increase in wages, and, on being refused, appealed to the executive council for authority to order a strike. The council refused to sanction aggressive action because the information furnished did not

seem to augur success. Through its secretary, who was then an International organizer, No. 98 again presented the situation to the council. It was represented that the union had so closely organized the printers of Kingston that a strike could not be lost. Conditions were such that the council finally gave the local authority to call out its members with the understanding that it would not finance the fight for more than one or two weeks. The position of the council was misrepresented to the union by its secretary, and the men came out under the impression that the whole treasury of the International Typographical Union was at their disposal. Being wholly unprepared for a fight and lacking proper organization the movement proved unsuccessful and the 107 men involved therein were compelled to seek employment under former conditions. To make the situa tion worse, the union's secretary defaulted with all local funds and the unexpended balance of the strike benefits held by him. This experience, and the result of efforts to organize the printers of Cuba, as ordered by the last convention, is to me satisfactory proof of the futility of attempting to organize the printers of other races and languages, and that we can best advance our own interests by confining our efforts to the territory comprising the United States and Canada.

Total.......

IN CONCLUSION.

Concluding, I desire to say that, while I have been acting as secretary-treasurer but a few months, the above report is compiled on the business of the entire year. I sincerely congratulate the members of the International Typographical Union upon the magnificent standing of the organization at the present time. It is my belief that the continuation of the old age pension which we are now paying and the adoption of an increased burial benefit to most any sum that may be decided upon by the members will place the organization in an impregnable position and make it so strong that its members will be assured of the highest remuneration for their services and the