ARTICLE VI.

Under no circumstances shall work be allowed on Labor Day, or any day after 9.30 P.м., except in case of repairs. ARTICLE VII. It is agreed that 10 hours shall constitute a day's work, and that the factories will close at 4 o'clock P.M. Saturdays, making 58 hours a week's work.

ARTICLE VIII. It is agreed that any workman now receiving more than the above wages shall not be subjected to a reduction by the adoption of this scale.

ARTICLE IX. It is agreed that in case of a dispute arising, a representative from the employer and one from the employees shall endeavor to make a satisfactory settlement. In case no satisfactory settlement can be made by this method, then it is agreed to refer it to the State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, within a reasonable time, their decision to be final. During the time no strike or lockout shall be declared.

ARTICLE X. It is agreed that the union shall try and bring about at once the same scale of wages for all box manufacturers supplying the Boston trade.

ARTICLE XI. This agreement shall be in force from October 6, 1902, until October 7, 1903. If any change shall be desired by either party, the proposed change shall be submitted thirty days before the expiration of this agreement.

Result. No difficulty has since arisen that calls for public

notice.

W. L. DOUGLAS SHOE COMPANY-BROCKTON.

On September 17 a joint application was received from the W. L. Douglas Shoe Company of Brockton and employees in the bottoming department, alleging a difference concerning pay for breasting heels.

A hearing was given on April 14, in which it appeared that the case was such as could best be settled by private agreement. The parties were so advised, whereupon the contention was dropped, and has never been revived.

RAND AVERY SUPPLY COMPANY

BOSTON.

The Board, having been credibly informed that there might be a strike on September 17 in the printing establishment of the Rand Avery Supply Company, communicated with the representatives of the workmen, and secured a promise that no strike should take place without first notifying the Board. On the 18th a committee representing the employees of the company called on the Board and said that a strike had been ordered to take place at 1 o'clock, for the reason that a non-union compositor had been placed over union pressmen as foreman. Having secured the committee's promise to do nothing further until another interview was had with the employer, he was immediately interviewed by the Board and notified of the impending strike. The expediency of a temporary concession, pending further efforts at a settlement, was suggested, but the employer fancied that nothing could be gained thereby. He said he was about to state his attitude in a letter addressed to the representative of the employees, and asked whether the Board would undertake to deliver the letter. Another

interview was had with the workmen's committee, the employer's attitude was explained to them, and at the request of the Board the strike was deferred until the contents of the employer's letter had been carefully noted. In a few minutes the expected letter arrived, with a copy for the use of the Board, which was as follows:

BOSTON, September 18, 1902. JOSEPH W. WHALL, Esq., Printing Pressmen's Union, Boston, Mass. DEAR SIR: I am informed by the secretary of the State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration that it is your intention to call out the employees of our cylinder press-room at 1 o'clock to-day, by reason of the fact that the man now acting as foreman is not a member of your union.

I sincerely regret this seemingly unnecessary and hasty procedure on your part, believing that the facts in the case are misunderstood by you, and that the State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, to whom this matter was referred by the undersigned on the 16th inst., had suggested that no action be taken until its engagements would permit it to investigate your dissatisfaction with the faithful and capable employee now in charge of the room, and I understand that a similar request has been made to you by the secretary of the Board.

Upon investigation, I find that the press-rooms in the majority of the leading printing houses in Boston are managed by neutral foremen, who do not belong to any organization; and I am at a loss to understand why this company should be singled out as an exception to the prevailing custom, and that you should object to a man who is qualified to meet the exacting requirements of our patrons, and to treat all men in his department justly and alike, regardless of their affiliations with other organizations or societies.

Under the circumstances, it seems proper that we should adhere to our informal agreement with the State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, and I trust that you will permit the employees, who are seemingly satisfied in every particular with the present conditions, to remain at their duties until such time as it is possible for the Board to accord us a hearing, and that you will agree with me to cheerfully and promptly abide by its decision.

Respectfully,

N. E. WEEKS, President.

The workmen's committee, having considered the above letter, said that it was evidently the intention of Mr. Weeks to put them in the false position of not seeming to desire a peaceful settlement; wherefore they would advise the workmen in question not to come out on strike at 1 o'clock, as contemplated, and to give him the opportunity he desired to justify himself before the State Board. As 1 o'clock was

near at hand, the workmen's committee thereupon went to the employer's printing house for the purpose of preventing the strike. At about half-past 2 a telephone message was received from Mr. Whall, to the effect that, notwithstanding his firm purpose of preventing the strike when he left the Board's office, he found it impossible to restrain the men, and that 42 pressmen came out on strike at 2 o'clock.

Other workmen were thrown out of employment in consequence, and an extension of the strike was seriously threatened to other departments, to other printing houses that might undertake to execute the company's orders and to related industries. The Board had an interview with the strikers' committee September 24 and found that the situation had not improved.

Two days later both met in the presence of the Board, and conferred on the question of a settlement, Louis D. Brandeis, Esq., appearing for the employer; Martin P. Higgins, president of the International Pressmen's Union, Joseph Whall, president of the Allied Printing Trades Council, William Harber, business agent of the council, and J. Frank O'Hare, president of the Printing Pressmen's Union No. 67, appearing for the employees. The workmen made the following proposition: that a union foreman be appointed to the pressmen's department; that the men on strike be received into their old places; that those hired since the

strike be retained, if competent; that the strikers return to work; and that the executive board of Union No. 67 pass upon the qualifications of those hired since the strike, with a view to receiving them into the union. The proposition was declined. Mr. Brandeis proposed that the strike be declared off, and the company be allowed to decide who should be permitted to return to work.

Members of the Allied Printing Trades Council, Printing Pressmen and Franklin Association were on the next day subpoenaed to appear at court to show cause why injunction should not be issued against them, at the instance of the New England Railway Publishing Company, which claimed to be injured by the strike against the Rand Avery Supply Company. It appeared that there is no connection between the two companies, except that Mr. Weeks is president of both and manages their business, a matter of indifference to the unions, or possibly ignored.

On the 27th also 44 men left the employ of the George H. Ellis Company, for the reason that that company undertook to do the work of the Rand Avery Supply Company.

The object of the injunction proceedings, as specified in the bill, was to restrain the defendants from conspiring, combining or agreeing together to declare or cause or threaten to declare a strike among the employees of the George H. Ellis Company, or any other person, firm or corporation doing work for the plaintiff; from combining in any way to induce, persuade, coerce or compel any person to leave the employ of the George H. Ellis Company, or any employer working for the plaintiff. The plaintiff alleged that it had been unable to have any work done for it by the Rand Avery Supply Company.

On October 1 the union and non-union compositors, 34