out, but that it was declined unless it was predicted on conditions laid down. by the pressmen themselves.

"This committee cannot too strongly condemn the methods and tactics used in Chicago and your committee believes that, not only should the international officers of our organization be commended for the course they pursued, but that they should be instructed in the future to see to it that every renewal of the attempt to embroil us in needless difficulties made by any other international union, is promptly exposed and combated."

The convention started action more or less, on the text book situation, which has been recently emphasized in the city in which they convened by a labor objection to the adoption of certain text books of Ginn & Co., of Boston, an open shop concern, in the Cleveland schools. As a result, an investigation of the school text book situation in the country in general, and in Cleveland in particular, is to be begun and unions and union men are to be urged to fight for

union labor school board members. The resolution on which the investigation was authorized read in part:

To make a general investigation of the school book situation, as related to the publishing industry.

To secure from experts information as to the relative value and use of various lines of text books.

To employ such assistants as may be necessary in securing information.

To carry on a campaign having for its object the adoption by school boards of text books manufactured by employers of union labor.

To advocate in any other way that the council may devise the object sought by these resolutions.

Resolved that the International Typographical union urges that steps be taken by local unions and organized labor generally to secure the election or appointment to school boards of members of organized labor.

BELIEVES IN IT

Secretary Boudinot Applauds Federation of Employers' Associations Idea

Mr. G. S. Boudinot, the secretary of the National Association of Manufacturers, says there can be no possible doubt that employers should orMr. ganize into one central body. Boudinot approves the position taken. by THE AMERICAN EMPLOYER in its September issue, that there should be employers' associations in every city and a national federation of such associations.

"There are about nine hundred associations," said Mr. Boudinot, "that we reach with our literature and there are about three hundred more that are reached through the National Counsel for Defense, at Washington, which is closely associated with our organization. I realize, however, that these associations form but a small part of what might be, and ought to be, in the way of employers' associations.

"Within a comparatively short time the proposition was made to me to organize the employers nationally, but I declined. I had not time for the task, and the work that I have to do for the National Association of Manufacturers keeps me constantly busy. I think the same objection would be found on the part of secretaries of smaller organizations. The National Association of Manufacturers stands ready to furnish the local employers' associations with a mass of literature, but the local secretaries very often will not take the trouble to circulate it. In the smaller cities those secretaries are often working on small salaries, have small funds at their disposal, and no doubt hesitate to incur the expense.

"I realize perfectly the advantage that would be created if all the em

ployers' associations of the United States, together with other employers' associations still to be formed, could be gathered into one large central body. The problem is to find somebody to undertake the task. If THE AMERICAN EMPLOYER is to be the medium to accomplish this, God speed its work.

"My attention was lately attracted by correspondence to the existence of the American Association of Commercial Executives, the headquarters of which is at 821 Ford building, Detroit, and whose secretary is Milton Carmichael, to be reached at the same address. I am told that this association is for the purpose of affording the opportunity for the secretaries of various organizations of business men to meet and interchange experiences, ideas, and ideals, regarding organization and the like, leaving action to the boards of directors of the organizations themselves. While I do not doubt the advantages to be derived through such an organization, I do not think that this quite covers the central federation of employers' associations advocated in your magazine. I say again, I hope that this can be accomplished, and if, through THE AMERICAN EMPLOYER, all my good wishes go toward that magazine. The employers should present a solid front. Labor does so. Samuel Gompers has but to snap his finger and his organization obeys him."

SENSIBLE IDEAS Telegrapher Objects to His Union's Organ

Booming Socialism

It is refreshing now and then to find a union labor man who thinks for himself. In such are the hope of the country as against the unions running away with themselves altogether.

James R. Kelly, of Medford, Ore., seems qualified to join the ranks of thoughtful union men. In a letter to the Commercial Telegraphers' Journal, Mr. Kelly remonstrates as a member of the Commercial Telegraphers' Union of America against the undue attention that it seems to him the magazine is giving to the doctrines. of Socialism. Mr. Kelly also seems dubious about government ownership. It is to be hoped that the editor takes heed to Mr. Kelly's very sensible remarks. The gist of the letter follows:

The Journal seems to be drifting

away from the purpose for which it was originally intended, to become the mouthpiece of a few Socialists who are members of the C. T. U. A.

I believe that the columns of our official publication should not be used. to further the interests of any political party. A good reason why the membership should not have to read such articles as the two on government ownership, one by Guy Williams and the other by Cert. 108, Div. 32, Medford, Ore., is that we joined the C. T. U. A. with the understanding that it was a non-political organization. I dislike helping with my annual dues, small as the sum may be, to publish such vain boosts of the Socialist party or any other political party, as the article appearing in the July Journal under the heading, "Government Ownership-How to Get It", by Cert. 108. The article, which must be very offensive to members of this union who are in congress and state legislatures as Democrats and Republicans, is entirely out of place in a trades journal and should have been published by the Appeal to Reason, or such political

organ.

Both articles, of course, are perfectly proper as far as they go in reference to government ownership, but the tirades against the other political parties are decidedly obnoxious to one who does not think as much of the Socialist party as does Mr. Williams or Cert. 108.

Government ownership may be all right it is a chance we will have to take-but the experience of the wireless men on this coast, who have already had a touch of government supervision has not been pleasant. We could not work in any country except the one we held citizenship in, and while this would only affect travelers, still it is an argument.

To Mr. Williams, who suggests a Socialist doctor, I would say that I prefer a Democratic doctor, a Republican nurse and a Prohibition undertaker.

"H. L.", under the caption, "A Dozen Raw", says:

", says: "A Socialist telegrapher who is not a member of his union is like a lumber wagon with the wheel on the southwest corner missing". I

I

would like to inform "H. L.", that while the wagon with the wheel off might be an unusual affair, a Socialist telegrapher without a card is no oddity out in this part of the world, and a Socialist telegrapher with the union. label tacked in his clothes and stamped on his shoes is a rare specimen. might also add that while a Socialist button with the "Welcome Soap" sign on it does not cost more than a few cents, very few of the Socialist telegraphers in this district wear one. If they are ashamed of their party, they should quit it, and if they are afraid to wear the emblem, they are not made of the stuff that wins, and when the C. T. U. A. takes such a radical step as advocating either political party, I want it to pick a winner.

Yours respectfully,

JAMES R. KELLY, Cert. 47, United Press Div. 47. Medford, Ore.

Devonport's Views

Lord Devonport, chairman of the London Port Authority, a London dispatch declares, says humanity will soon demand the obliteration of so-called labor leaders who defy the laws of God and man in a mad attempt to restore the despotism of feudalism. He says he will walk alone through the streets of the east end and dare Ben Tillett's hirelings to stop him. This is his reply to threats that his life will pay the forfeit for the part he took in breaking the dockers' strike.

Lord Devonport has been the storm. center of labor abuse for several

months past. He is a plain, rugged business man, who started life without even the proverbial penny, managed to get some schooling while working as a farm laborer, worked for several years on a salary of less than $300, and saved money, founded a tea firm of his own without capital or clerks, made millions as the head of a huge chain of English tea stores, got into the cabinet and was created a peer. As Hudson Kearley, he was a useful member of parliament. As head of the London Port Authority he has

cracked his fingers at the labor unions.

"Labor leadership," he says, "is purely a matter of business. We must settle it in a business-like way. The right kind of workers will want to be led by business men-successful business men and not by duffers and demagogues. I am encouraging labor to see its own follies."

He has no fear and is not unpopular with the more far-seeing labor element.

Charged Extra Ten Cents

The E. K. Wood Co. has notified. its representative at Portland, Ore., that it refuses to send the steamer Olympic to load lumber for San Pedro, because the Longshoremen's union has assessed an additional 10 cents for loading and discharging vessels which go to Gray's Harbor, where open shop conditions prevail.

Charles E. Dant, of Dant & Russel, Portland agents for the E. K. Wood people, was notified that no more steamers of that company would be sent unless the additional charge were abrogated.

The discrimination against vessels. which frequent Gray's Harbor is made by the union because Gray's Harbor now loads all vessels under open shop rules. Previously the unions there kept putting restrictions on vessels loading there, causing delays that were expensive, until the Gray's Harbor Stevedoring Co. was formed by the mill men. Gray's Harbor now is said to be the best loading port on the Pacific coast, as the stevedores hire their men to suit themselves.

A. E. Barnes, business agent of the Longshoremen's union, says that Portland is not the only place on the coast where vessels loading at Gray's Harbor are to be charged the extra 10 cents, as a general order has been issued from the international at Buffalo, N. Y., directing the same thing to be done at all ports on the North Pacific coast, and that the locals at Seattle, Tacoma and other Puget Sound ports, and at San Pedro were ordered to do the same as in Portland.