ORGANIZER MALONEY.

To the Officers and Members of the International Typographical Union:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-It is with much pleasure that I submit to you my first report covering my work as an International Typographical Union representative during the past seven months.

Shortly after being appointed an International organizer, I received a communication from President Lynch, under date of November 2, in which he said: "You are hereby instructed to arrange for a trip covering all the towns in the New England district wherein we have local unions, and, on your trip, if you find that there are any towns which you can conveniently cover and which offer an opportunity of organization, you can also visit them."

The foregoing instructions were complied with, and, during my short period as organizer, I have visited fifty-two cities and towns in the New England district, divided into the several states as follows: In Maine, 7; New Hampshire, 5; Vermont, 10; Massachusetts, 22; Rhode Island, 3; Connecticut, 5. I will also say that it has been my pleasure to have visited some cities several times on official business.

Unions Organized-New typographical unions were established by me in the following cities: Lewiston and Augusta, Me.; Montpelier, Vt.; Pittsfield and Haverhill, Mass. I also established a local union of pressmen in Montpelier, Vt.

New Scales-During my period as organizer, four of our local unions were successful in putting into effect new scales of wages in the following cities: Manchester, N. H.; Barre, Vt.; Lowell, Mass., and Waterbury, Conn.

Manchester, N. H.-The new scale signed up by No. 152 called for an increase in wages of $1.50 per week for all machine men, admen and floormen on the evening newspapers and for all book and job men. The contract expires Decem

ber 31, 1909.

in

Barre, Vt.-The agreement calls for an increase wages of 50 cents per week from January 1, 1909, to July 1, 1909, and $1 per week from July 1, 1909, to January 1, 1912.

Waterbury, Conn.-The new scale which went into effect January 1, 1909, calls for a flat rate of $17 per week for day work on newspapers and $20 per week for the same work performed on morning papers. The book and job men have been increased from $15 per week to $16.50. All machine operators receive more than the scale calls for.

Lowell, Mass.-The new scale entered into between the Lowell publishers and Typographical Union No. 310 calls for an increase in wages of

$1.50 per week for all linotype operators, admen, stonemen and bankmen on both morning and evening newspapers. The scale shall go into effect on October 4, 1909, and remain in force until January 1, 1913.

The new newspaper agreement was read at a meeting of No. 310 on Sunday, March 7, and was accepted by a unanimous vote. President McPhail, of Boston Typographical Union, attended our conferences with the publishers and greatly assisted us in having the agreement signed.

Our locals at Bridgeport, Conn., and Fitchburg, Mass., were successful in having their old agreements renewed about the first of January, 1909.

Other Instructions-On January 9 I was instructed by President Lynch to get into Montpelier, Vt., as soon as I could and investigate as thoroughly as possible the conditions under which the Cuban census was gotten out, especially as to the hours and wages both for straight work and overtime, employment of apprentices, etc. Soon after my arrival in Montpelier I got in close touch with parties thoroughly conversant with the conditions in that city and especially with the office in which the Cuban census was printed, with the result that within one week after receiving the instructions a complete report on the matters desired by President Lynch was at headquarters and a copy of the report in the hands of President Frank A. Kidd, of Columbia Typographical Union No. 101.

Mailers' Case-On April 9 President Lynch informed me of the suspension of the Boston Mailers' Union No. 1 by the executive council for failure to comply with a decision handed down by the council, and also instructing me to make a visit to Boston and confer with Charles N. Smith, president of the Mailers' Trade District Union, and assist him in his efforts to induce them to comply with the council's decision. I proceeded to Boston, met Mr. Smith, and we informed the officers of Mailers' Union No. I of the object of our visit, and a meeting was called for Monday evening, April 12, at which meeting it was voted, after a lengthy discussion, to refer the entire matter to a committee consisting of President Fouhy and Mr. Spillane, they to confer with Mr. Smith and myself and report back to the local Wednesday evening, April 14. A conference was held between President Fouhy, Mr. Spillane, Mr. Smith and myself, at which conference it was agreed that if the mailers' union would comply with the council's decision the International Typographical Union officers would have no objection to them appealing their case to the St. Joseph convention. This decision was agreed upon after Mr. Smith had received a telegram from President Lynch on the matter. At a meeting of the mailers' union held April 14 it was unanimously voted to abide by the council's decision and appeal the case to the convention. At this meeting the council's decision was complied with and both men in question were elected to membership and obligated. Other details concerning this case, I believe, will be covered in President Smith's report.

The New London Telegraph-On May 11 I was notified that our members working on the Morning Telegraph in New London, Conn., were locked out, no reasons being given by the management for this action. I immediately proceeded to New London, conferred with the officers of the union and then with Mr. Brewster, the new manager of the Telegraph. Last September, No. 159 secured agreements with all the morning newspapers in that city. The agreements signed were for a period of one year, or up to August 31, 1909. This matter I forcibly brought to the attention of Mr. Brewster, but he informed me that So far as he was concerned Our agreement with the Telegraph was dead, and that hereafter the office would be run on an open-shop basis. Mr. Brewster is bitterly opposed to our movement, and intends, if possible, to run a strictly nonunion shop in New London. I reported to the members my talk with Mr. Brewster and immediately an aggressive campaign was instituted against the Morning Telegraph. This campaign will be kept up until such time as the Morning Telegraph places its office under union conditions.

Other Matters-Several other matters were covered by me, concerning offices in the following cities, and a complete report of the same was sent to President Lynch: Libby job shop, Portland, Me.; Cave job print, Barre, Vt.; Standard-Mercury office, New Bedford, Mass.; Courier-Citizen, Lowell, Mass.; Item, Lynn, Mass.; Ginn & Co., publishers, Cambridge, Mass.; George H. Keith, Brockton, Mass.; Transcript, Methuen, Mass.; Post, Hartford, Conn., and the Herald, New Britain, Conn.

It is well to mention here that the city governments in several of the cities and towns in this district that have heretofore had their printing done in non-union offices will have their work done this year under union conditions, and in many cities for the first time the city documents will bear the union label. This, I suppose, is due to the fact that aggressive label campaigns were established in the New England district.

On Tuesday, May 11, I had the pleasure of addressing a convention of the Maine Textile Workers, which was held in the city of Waterville.

On Friday, May 14, the same privilege was accorded me in Portland, at the convention of the International Union of Pulp and Sulphite Workers.

Your representative owes many thanks to the officers of the Vermont Federation of Labor, the Maine State Federation of Labor and to John Byrnes, president of the Maine Textile Workers, for the valuable assistance rendered him during his trips through both states.

In closing, I desire to extend greetings to the officers and delegates to the St. Joseph convention, also to thank the officers of the International and the officers and members of the various locals with whom I have come in contact for past favors and courtesies extended, and, with best wishes and kindest regards to all, I am,

ORGANIZER MITCHELL.

To the Officers and Members of the International Typographical Union:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-It is with pleasure that I report to the membership of our parent organization the fact that in my jurisdiction in California business in the printing line has, on the whole, been very good. Following the monetary depression of last year, this part of the western country revived rapidly, and the consequence has been that our membership in general is now, and will be for some time to come, working quite steadily. It is to be hoped that the business affairs of the nation have righted themselves and that our members will have no cause to regret coming events in the printing line.

In March of this year I organized and installed the officers and members of San Mateo Typographical Union No. 624. A delegation from San Francisco No. 21 attended the installation ceremonies, and remarks were made by several of the visitors. I am pleased to state that the organiza tion is on a firm footing and that the scale of prices is all that can be desired.

During the past year I have had calls from Vallejo, Oakland, San Rafael, San Mateo, San Jose and Palo Alto. In each of these towns the contentions were not of a very serious nature and were settled to the satisfaction of all concerned.

The literature now being distributed from headquarters, headed "What They Think of Trade Unions," "Aims and Objects, Etc.," "Something About the Typographical Union" and "Make the World Better," is bearing good results in this far western country, and, in my opinion, is a very wise move on the part of our International officers in trying to inculcate the principles of unionism in the mind of the printer who is far away from the trade centers. I have had several letters from members of the stick and rule fraternity, desiring further information in these matters, me to give all the details at my command to my interrogators. The supplementary educational course literature sent to subordinate unions is of great benefit to quite a number of our members in this jurisdiction, and it is needless to say that in time to come the advantages to be gained by this method will redound to the good of our organization.

The arbitration case of No. 21 and the newspapers was settled by the national board in April, with an increase of $2 per week to all journeymen, with the provision that the award should date back to December 1, 1908. Ere this is published all the papers will have met their obligations.

The label committee of No. 21, in conjunction with First Vice-President Tracy and myself, addressed the local Royal Arch lodge in May in regard to having that body use their influence with the Model License League in placing their official organ, the Wine and Spirit Bulletin, in a union office. It will be remembered that Louisville Typographical Union has been waging an aggressive campaign in this matter, and the state body of the Royal Arch in California has adopted resolv. tions and given the committee the assurance that

it would do all in its power to grant the request of organized labor.

It was with sincere regret to his California friends that ex-Secretary-Treasurer Bramwood was forced, on account of failing health, to relinquish the office which he had so ably filled. And the International is to be congratulated on the success made by the present secretary-treasurer, who is doing, in conjunction with our other officials, all in his power to build up our organization to the perfection of trade unionism.

Thanking the executive council and the officers of subordinate unions for courtesies during the past year, I remain, fraternally,

During the interval between my appointment and the writing of this report my work has been chiefly of a preparatory nature.

Having practically virgin soil to begin with, it is, first of all, necessary that I get in touch with as many typos as possible in unorganized towns through correspondence. This has been given careful attention and later will be followed by visits where it is deemed necessary and profitable from a trade union standpoint.

Since my appointment I have succeeded in inducing two men who are working in a very hostile office to join Halifax Typographical Union No. 130. I also approached a number of others of the same establishment and have hopes of clasping hands with them in the near future. The Chronicle Publishing Company, of which I speak, has been non-union for the past five or six years, and, as a result of my conferences with the employes, should be in line in the not very distant future.

I hope to record a good year's work in my next report. CHARLES W. NELSON.

Halifax, Canada.

ORGANIZER PARSONS.

To the Officers and Members of the International Typographical Union:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-Following is my report as an organizer of the International Typographical Union:

The Boston convention passed a resolution requesting the International president to send an or ganizer into the southeastern section of the country to see if something could not be done toward bringing about better union conditions than now prevail in this territory, and I was the representative selected for this duty.

At the time I left Washington, D. C., in September several cities in this section were asking for an organizer, and Atlanta was chosen as the

first stopping point. After reaching this city I held conferences with the proprietor of one of the leading non-union establishments, and for a time it appeared as though the conferences would result successfully, but a sudden change in the attitude of the proprietor proved our hopes to be prema

ture.

After putting into effect a better label program in Atlanta I went to Jacksonville, Fla., where, in company with one of the officials of the union, I interviewed the manager of the Times-Union. Notwithstanding previous friendly statements relative to again making his office union, our recep tion on this occasion was very cold and no hope whatever was held out that any change was contemplated in the system in vogue in the office. Arrangements were made for more systematic work on the union's part in the future, and this program is being carried out at the present time.

From Jacksonville I was directed to go to New Orleans to make an investigation of the finances of the union there, which union had asked for an International representative for this purpose. On the way to New Orleans I stopped at Pensacola, Fla., and endeavored to bring into the fold the only non-union job shop in that place. A combination of circumstances surrounding one of the employes of the concern, however, prevented the accomplishment of our desires, and the office is still non-union.

Upon arriving in New Orleans I found the union in a thoroughly demoralized condition as a result of the actions of its former officers-President H. S. Hudspeth and Secretary S. T. Stevenson. The latter was in jail and has since been convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to four years in prison. The former's trial has not been held at this writing. My investigation showed that, of the funds misappropriated and embezzled, $6,216.63 belonged to the International Typographical Union, of which $2,556.43 had previously been remitted to the International, leaving a balance due the International Typographical Union of $3.660.20. The total defalcations, including the amount due the local union, aggregated about $10,000. My report covering this investigation having been printed by the executive council, I deem it unnecessary to go into details concerning

same.

From New Orleans I made a trip to Birmingham, Ala., but finding the object of my visit out of the city, went to Montgomery, in the same state, the home of the original non-union paper in this section. In Montgomery I found union conditions generally to be very bad, with scarcely no trade in a well-organized state. My stay here was brief, as I was called to Washington to participate in a label conference composed of a committee of five representatives from the national and international label organizations throughout the country, which committee was authorized by the Norfolk convention of the American Federation of Labor, the conference taking place in January, and in which capacity I represented the International Typographical Union.

About this time I made a trip to Richmond, Va.,

accompanied by President Lynch, and together we negotiated a four-year contract with the Hermitage Press, one of the important non-union offices of that city, which had been out of the union since the inception of the eight-hour strike in that jurisdiction in September, 1905. The Hermitage Press, among other important publications, prints the textbooks for the B. F. Johnson Publishing Company, of Richmond, leading school book publishers of the south. These books now carry the label, a fact which should be remembered by all our local committees that are pressing for the label on textbooks. The products of this concern are universally used throughout the south and in a great many of the northern and western states, and its books are of such an excellent character as to easily stand on their merits in any part of the country against all competitors.

During the month of February I reorganized the union at Durham, N. C., whose charter had been surrendered about two years. The loss of this charter was caused by the unfortunate actions of a former secretary, but there are several live union men in this town, and with past experiences as a guide the union promises to be one of the most stable of our small locals.

During the same month the union at Charlotte, N. C., which had been in arrears for several months, was rehabilitated, since which time several new members have been added, and the little band in that city hopes to make substantial progress from now on and keep out of the arrears column.

Attempts were made to reorganize the unions at Petersburg, Danville and Lynchburg, Va., but conditions at neither place appeared to make the move desirable at the time of my visits to them. However, all of them bore evidence that they would be productive ground a little later on, as there are a few card men in each place who can be depended upon to assist in bringing about the desired result as soon as possible.

In March I again attended a label conference in Washington, being one of the three representatives of the International Typographical Union. The basis of representation was three delegates for each national or international label organization, and the conference was composed mainly of the executive officers of the respective bodies. Twentyfive organizations were represented by about sixty delegates. This conference decided to establish a label department of the American Federation of Labor, with headquarters in Washington, the officers being a president, secretary-treasurer and five vice-presidents, the secretary-treasurer to be actively in charge of the department. The undersigned was elected second vice-president. The object of the department is to carry on a systematic campaign of education in furtherance of the demand for products bearing the union label. All of which is subject to approval by the various label organizations represented.

Shortly after the above conference I came to Atlanta to engage in general work, where I have been ever since, save for a trip to Augusta to assist in negotiating new agreements with the job proprietors of that city, which was successfully

brought about, the city being union throughout. Conditions in Atlanta have not changed materially within the past year as far as union and nonunion offices are concerned, except that there has been a steady increase in the demand for the label. This demand I have attempted to stimulate, as well as to divert work from the non-union shops, by instituting a label campaign of a personal nature, participated in by every member of the union. Each member has been furnished with a blank which he is expected to fill out and return to local headquarters. This blank contains three columns, the first being headed, "Who Gets Your Money?" with subheads as follows: "For Dry Goods," "For Clothing," "For Shoes," "For Groceries," "For Furniture," "For Coal, Wood, etc.," "For Drugs," "For House Rent," "For Cigars, Tobacco, etc., " "For Miscellaneous." The second column asks the question, "Who Does Their Printing?" which the third asks "What as to the Future?" In spending their money the printers or the women members of the household are requested to find out from those with whom they deal whether their union money is going to support non-union printing establishments, and if they find this to be true to exert the influence that a good customer should have toward remedying this state of affairs. The return of these blanks when filled out not only gives a good record of where the printing of the business men goes, but also furnishes a good line on those of our members who are willing to lend what assistance they can in the union's behalf, as well as a record of those who are content to be drones. The plan has not been in operation here long enough to determine as to results, but its effect should be far-reaching. The scheme should work well in practically all the locals throughout the jurisdiction, especially in towns of 300,000 or less, and I heartily recommend giving it a trial.

Early in the present year arrangements were made whereby I was to prosecute the campaign against the Butterick company more thoroughly in the south, since which time I have appeared before many central bodies and affiliated locals and distributed an abundance of literature against this concern. The towns in which work in this connection was done embrace most of those already mentioned in this report, as well as Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, Va., Raleigh and Asheville, N. C., and Spartanburg, S. C., in all of which we are organized 100 per cent. Merchants who handle the Butterick product have also been visited, and in a great many instances have complied with the request to write letters of protest to the company against the position in which they were placing the handlers of their goods. I have been able to do especially good work in this connection in Atlanta, one of the southern distributing points, and was able to address the national convention of railroad telegraphers, recently in session here, an auxiliary to which body I assisted in organizing. As to a campaign which will finally result in bringing into the fold those newspapers in the southeast territory which are now out, while I have been unable to get into all the localities, I am of the opinion that one of the best means to

accomplish this end is to get into the union the competent printers in the unorganized towns by affiliation with the nearest local. As a general thing I find that in communities where we are weak on the papers organized labor is not in a very healthy state. It will take some time to remedy this condition, and in the meantime the competent country printer can be looked after. Much work along this line can be done by arousing local unions in these localities to the needs of the situation. Respectfully submitted,

ORGANIZER PETTIPIECE.

To the Officers and Members of the International Typographical Union:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-Upon my return west from attending the Halifax convention of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, as a delegate from Vancouver Trades and Labor Council, I adjusted a little difficulty in the Winnipeg Telegram office, and arranged with the executive council for the appointment of J. C. Bleaken to take charge of the situation at Winnipeg. Mr. Bleaken and I then proceeded to Brandon, Man., and made a good start on the unionizing of that town, further results of which will no doubt be reported by Secretary Bleaken.

Stopped off at Medicine Hat and have things there now ready for charter, which would have been applied for ere this had I not been held up at Edmonton endeavoring to secure the first collective closed-shop agreement with the employing printers under the jurisdiction of No. 604.

I hope to secure a settlement without resorting to a strike, the only block now in the way being the Daily Bulletin, of which Frank Oliver, M. P., minister of the interior, is the majority holder. I hope to be able to report very shortly a complete sign-up; something that will prove of inestimable value to our organization in western Canada. It will also complete the list of important offices in this territory and make subsequent sign-ups in rapidly developing offices an easy matter.

The Alberta government departments now demand Our label on all their printing, which amounts to some $40,000 a year, a circumstance which is aiding me very much in my work just

Rico and Mexico for the past five months, ending May 31 1909.

On November 29, 1908, I received a communication from President Lynch informing me of my appointment as organizer to the unknown fields of Cuba, Porto Rico and Mexico, in accordance with a resolution passed by the Boston convention in 1908, also instructing me that on December 16 he would be in New York to confer with me regarding work to be undertaken in organizing the printers of those countries. After a cordial interview with President Lynch regarding the industrial conditions as existing in those countries, he extended his best wishes for the successful carrying out of the new work in organizing the printers of the Latin-American countries.

I left New York January 9, 1908, and arrived in Havana on the 13th. The following day I entered upon the discharge of my duties as organizer. On January 15 I got in direct communication with the printers of Havana. After holding numerous con. ferences with them, in which we exchanged differences of opinion as to the best method in which a union could be formed, I saw the opportunity for establishing a local was indeed most favorable, and consequently, I called a meeting of the printers of Havana for January 31.

Some one hundred printers attended this meeting, and, after explaining the objects of my visit and the benefits to be derived by membership in the International Typographical Union, I secured some fifty-two names to inaugurate the movement of the International Typographical Union into these Spanish-speaking countries.

I held several subsequent meetings, and on February 19 I had made sufficient progress to perfect an organization and send for a charter, with a total membership of ninety-eight to commence business in Havana. Temporary officers were elected and committees were appointed at that meeting to draft a constitution and by-laws, also a scale of prices, which, after considerable wrangling at subsequent meetings, was finally adopted. During my stay in Havana I visited several newspaper offices and succeeded in getting five of the largest dailies organized and under the banner of the International Typographical Union pending the formation of the union in Havana. I found that quite a number were absolutely ignorant of the benefits of unionism, and much of my time was spent in a campaign of education in unionism and our ways and ideas, whereby they could be made to realize that unionism was the thing for them in order to better their deplorable condition.

I stayed in Havana until I initiated the members and installed the officers. Seeing that everything pertaining to the new local was progressing satisfactorily, and that ill feeling and strife, which sometimes appear in the forming of a new local, were entirely eliminated, I proceeded to Camaguey, after feeling assured that no further assistance was needed by Havana Union from me, arriving there on the evening of March 14.

The following day I got in communication with the printers of Camaguey and found conditions. there much worse than in Havana. On the evening