32 to 7 cents a week, and these assessments, with other sources of income, such as investments, interest, etc., bring in over $5,000,000 a year. The greater part of this sum is expended in sustaining strikes, agitating their propaganda by trade papers and other means, assisting the sick and invalid, relief to operatives out of work, funeral expenses, etc. The reserve fund is now about $4,000,000.

This sum is very much larger than that of the American Federation of Labor at the present time. At the annual convention of the federation, held last November, the report of Secretary Morrison showed a paid-up membership of 1,586,885-a gain of 47,915 over the previous year-and that of Treasurer Lennon showed total funds of $127,910, a gain of $12,717.87 during the year. In other words, the German federation, while not so strong numerically as the American, is much stronger financially. The significant feature of the organization in both countries is that they are practically identical in their objects and aims, are fraternal and international in spirit, and can easily be brought under a joint direction to the support of common ends.

The Sacramento Way.

At the second annual meeting of stockholders of the Franklin Association of Alameda County (the employing printers' association), held at Oakland, Cal., a few weeks ago, one of the guests of honor was Joseph M. Anderson, president of the Sacramento Printers' Board of Trade. In the course of his remarks he stated that a federation had been formed with all the unions of the printing trades, whose object is to influence buyers of printing to have the Sacramento allied label on all work. He declared further that this is a matter that every association should take up, and is one that will give untold results. If a Sacramento firm does not have the allied label on its work, a committee of employers and employes calls, respectfully stating the conditions-that there are 15,000 people in Sacramento dependent upon Sacramento printing for the means to buy the necessities of life-and asks, with good results, if the firm wishes the trade

of the 15,000. Mr. Anderson also made a plea that all other cities on the coast organize and use similar methods in their business. The Sacramento employing printers are successful in their enterprises, and it is pretty certain that their rank and influence were never gained by cutting prices.

Effective Press Censorship.

Because of the decision of the United States supreme court that trade unions can be sued for damages under the Sherman anti-trust law, the official journal of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of America is to be discontinued. The secretary of the organization said the journal might contain information to the membership which could be construed as the instigation of a conspiracy against the meat packers, and that the latter could bring suit for three times the damages suffered. The attention of Editor Call, of the butchers' official magazine, is directed to the action of the editors of two Servian newspapers which recently were under the ban of the Austrian press

A BILL to establish a national children's bureau was introduced in the United States senate in the winter of 1905-'06 at the request of the National Child Labor Committee, but it did not come to a vote. The need for such a bureau is emphasized because the provisions of the act would compel the investigation of all matters pertaining to the welfare of children and child life in the factory, physical degenerary, dangerous occupations, accidents and diseases of children of the industrial classes. If the bureau is finally established it will not be entirely unique. The same work has been done for years by the central governments of France, Germany and England. The United States stands alone among the great nations in its apparent apathy toward its children. It is almost

the only central government of highly civilized people which has done what seems to be almost nothing to promote the healthy growth and development of children.

English Printers Long Lived.

When the pension bill was being discussed in the English parliament an attempt was made by the opposition newspapers to prove that workingmen rarely lived to be 70 years of age. A member of the London Society of Compositors took the trouble to analyze the ages of the members who drew superannuated benefits from the society, with the result that a large percentage was found to be considerably over that age. A recent issue of the London Typographical Journal states that the combined length of service of four compositors employed by a London firm totaled 165 years. Remarkable as are these figures, they are beaten by two other cases. It has been found that one office has four compositors in its employ whose combined service reaches 185 years, and another has five employes with a combined service of 246 years.

THE right to boycott has been sanctioned by the highest court in Germany, according to the following news item, which was printed in the New York VolksZeitung of January 8, 1909:

LEIPZIG, December 24. In a test case brought by a Mülhausen hotel keeper against Herr Emmel and the executive committee of the Mülhausen Social Democratic party for instituting a boycott against his resort, the decision of the lower court (Colmarer Oberlandesgericht) was sustained by the Reichsgericht (supreme court of the German empire).

The lower court declared the defendants not guilty. The decision, which is final, establishes clearly the right to boycott, and is considered remarkable by those familiar with the bureaucratic institutions of Germany.

THE report of the American Federation of Labor political campaign committee of 1908 shows total receipts, contributed by various national and local labor bodies, to have been $8,531.97 and the expenditures $8,469.98. The expenses were divided as follows: Speakers, $6,361.08; printing, $580.40; postage, $1,024.20; clerk hire, $504.30.

Kansas School Books.

The state printer of Kansas, T. A. McNeal, has been investigating the feasibility of having the state print its own schoolbooks, and in summing up declares that at first he was rather prejudiced against the idea of state publication, but is now convinced that it is the best thing for the state to do. He estimates that the saving would be more than $200,000 a year. When it is considered that nearly all school books are now published under non-union conditions, it is to be hoped that something tangible may come from the recommendations of Mr. McNeal. Kansas owns its printing plant and employs none but members of the typographical union. In speaking of the agents of the school book concerns, the state printer says:

It is probable that there was never seen a finer aggregation of oleaginous prevaricators than the gentlemen sent out to represent the various schoolbook publishing houses of the country. In comparison with them I am satisfied that Ananias and Sapphira would be entitled to rank as paragons of truth. But whether these representatives of the publishing houses are monumental liars or not, of one thing I am certain, and that is, if they can not furnish better books at present prices than they do furnish, the state of Kansas can.

The "Human Element" in the Labor Movement.

The death of Herman Justi, commissioner for the Illinois coal operators, removed one of the best-known and most highly respected men in the coal industry of the United States. He believed that the interests of both miner and operator could be best conserved by a recognition of the rights of both parties, and was always strongly in favor of the industrial agreement that favored peace and harmony in the coal trade. The Chicago Record-Herald, at the time of death, commented thus:

In the sudden death of Herman Justi, the able "coal commissioner" of Illinois and the original organizer of the state's coal operators' association, the cause of industrial peace and the system of "joint trade agreements" have lost an earnest and energetic worker. Mr. Justi was a strong believer in organization among employers and employed, and he was among the first to advocate the formation of trade and federal associations among manufacturers and other employers. But he was an equally strong believer in collective bargaining and

in the trade agreement. He had a profound faith in the virtue of "good will," of fair dealing, and in the efficacy of friendly discussion.

In other words, Mr. Justi felt that most of the misunderstandings that lead to strikes or lockouts are due to distrust and suspicion, to ignorance and failure to appreciate differences in the point of view. In this he, a thoroughly practical man, agreed with certain modern philosophers, and his own experience with operators, labor leaders and workmen confirmed his opinion.

The retiring secretary of the New England branch of the National Civic Federation has just stated as the result of his efforts in the cause of industrial peace that the labor problem is "more than anything else a human problem; that narrowness and prejudice and the ability to blunder are not confined to any one group in the community; that men are more important than the issues that divide them and always will be." The growing recognition of the importance of the "human factor" has found expression in the creation of common meeting grounds for employers and employed, of conferences and negotiations that enable either side to grasp the position of the other and that naturally produce reasonableness and a readiness for recip rocal concessions.

Mr. Justi was a pioneer, in a sense, in a field that is now rapidly being subjected to intensive cultivation. His example, his addresses and pamphlets exerted an influence far beyond the sphere of his activity as coal commissioner. The trade agreement has come to stay; the civic federation is maintaining a special agency to promote it. Ownership of stock by the employes of corporations, profit sharing, welfare work, pension and benefit systems are gradually developing alongside of the trade agreement, and all these factors together make for justice and righteousness in industry.

Union Label on Baseball Printing.

At a conference held in Chicago early in the new year the baseball magnates of the American Association went on record as favoring the union label, and in the future all printing used by the eight clubs of the organization will bear the label. The label proposition was taken up by the American Association at the request of W. H. Watkins, president of the Indianapolis club. That gentleman stated that he had had a conference with the representative of the typographical union in regard to the matter, and thereupon introduced a resolution at the meeting of managers requesting all club owners to use the union label on all printing in the future. There was little discussion on the resolution and it was adopted unanimously. The American Association has had difficulty heretofore in some of the cities in its juris

diction, but at the present time it is stated that all magnates are favorable to union labor, and the adoption of the label resolution at the request of the typographical union will strengthen the friendship between the two organizations.

A Canadian Labor Decision.

The supreme court of British Columbia, sitting at Vancouver, has handed down a decision in an appeal case that is of great interest to organized labor. The plaintiff in the case was a stonecutter from England, who applied for membership in the union, and was given certain work at the trade as a test of competency. He objected to the test on the ground that the work was different to what he was accustomed to, and was refused admission to the union. The men working with him notified the employer that they would not work with him, thus forcing his discharge to avert a strike. The stonecutter then sued the union, through its secretary, for damages for loss of employment, and was successful in the lower court. On appeal the legality of the union's action was upheld and the action was dismissed. The chief justice, in his opinion, said in part:

In no case is there a greater obligation on the court to be alert in maintaining the rights of both parties than in that originating in trade or labor disputes, and in none is it more difficult for the court to satisfy all persons that it has lived up to the time-honored tradition that it holds an even scale. Fortunately the facts in this case are not in dispute.

It might seem that the defendants acted harshly, but that does not necessarily give rise to any legal liability or remedy. It can not be disputed that a body of workmen may, for the protection of their trade and the promotion of their interests, associate themselves together, and prescribe conditions for the admission or rejection of others to the association, and, if any condition appears to work hardship by resulting in the rejection of any applicant, there is no remedy by which that body can be forced to associate themselves with the applicant. It would indeed be futile to attempt any such thing, as this would establish a thing conflicting with the undoubted right of men to choose for themselves their own associates.

Similarly any body of men may decide for themselves the conditions under which they will agree to render service, to whom and with whom, and this involves the proceeding that they may quit an employer's service, having due regard to existing contracts, if the conditions of employment are such as dissatisfy them. It makes no difference in their

legal rights if they complain of such a condition as the employment of another who does not see eye to eye with themselves. They can not be denied the right to settle for themselves whether they shall remain in the same employment, for with one or two apparent exceptions a legal act does not become illegal merely because done with questionable motives.

It will be seen that the judgment on appeal upholds the right of trade unions to place what test they see fit upon applicants for membership, and to refuse to work with those to whom they object, provided they do not violate any contracts by so doing, even though by their action they incidentally cause loss to others.

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Farmers See the Light.

There has been a decided change of sentiment in the farmers' unions of the southwest of late. The first conventions of farmers in that section of the country refused to favor compulsory education, and when convict labor was advocated for manufacture of cotton bagging (a trustmade product) the argument that killed the resolution favoring it was that if the farmers sought this organized labor would withdraw its support-something the farmers said in the beginning they did not desire-they did not covet the friendship of organized labor. But the organized farmers evidently have seen the light, as an extra convention of their union, held in Fort Worth, Texas, the latter part of December, elected a representative to attend the state legislature and instructed him to work for compulsory education and to oppose convict labor. D. J. Neill, president of the Texas State Union, was also selected to attend the sessions of the national congress and co-operate with the representatives of organized labor in securing remedial legislation, and to oppose gambling in futures.

No UNION can afford to violate a contract with an employer. If a mistake has been made and a bad contract signed, it will pay in the long run to abide by it. This is the solid ground on which the International Typographical Union has always stood, and is largely responsible for the exalted position it holds today in the trade union movement,

THE JOURNAL acknowledges New Year's greetings from the chapel of the San Diego (Cal.) Union. Halftone pictures of each member of the chapel were artistically arranged in the form of the printers' union label and printed on heavy enameled paper, altogether having a very pleasing effect.

Nor only has the law failed in its effort to arrest a widespread wrong, but the injury has grown more destructive since the injunction than it was before. Judge Wright's decision.

In this connection it may be said there has not been a Buck's stove sold in Toledo, Ohio, during the last two years. And it is asserted further that no united action was taken against the unfair methods of the St. Louis concern, but that the people of Toledo simply availed themselves of the right to purchase union-made stoves-a right long held sacred and inalienable by all classes of American citizens.

Reading Notices

THE Star Tool Manufacturing Company has been advertising the New Star Composing Stick with us for some time. It is needless to say that the purpose of this ad is to popularize the Star Stick with the printers. THE JOURNAL reaches more practical printers every month than all the other printer publications combined. Special advantages are claimed for the Star Stick, and the fact that the manufacturers advertise in THE JOURNAL certainly entitles them to the favorable consideration of JOURNAL readers.

THE Riebe Self-Locking and Register Quoin is a twentieth century invention in which every printer should be interested. Its use not only saves money for the employer, but it adds to the efficiency and capability of the journeyman by saving his time on lock-up and register work. A half-page ad of the Riebe Quoin appears in this month's issue of THE JOURNAL for the first time. If THE JOURNAL readers will do what they can to help introduce this device in their shops this ad in THE JOURNAL will no doubt be made permanent.