Committee on organization-Evans (Baltimore), Lindsay (Dayton), Longwell (Lafayette), Rosenson (New York Hebrew), Gaspard (Rock Island), Cooke (North Adams), Lawrence (Phoenix). Committee on allied trades relationsHeizer (Charleston, W. Va.), Mulhall (Oakland), Sanders (New Haven), Whites (Atlanta), Morris (Lansing), Stewart (Denison), Donoghue (Chicago Mailers). Committee on publicity-Killian (Milwaukee), Hackett (Newark), Locker (Lincoln, Neb.), Smith (Cincinnati), Bell (Nashville), Howlett (Cleveland), Steep (Toronto). Committee on press-Anderson (Norfolk), Metschen (Leavenworth), Shaffer (Decatur), Yankee (Sedalia), Moody (Enid), Walters (Connellsville), Harris (Salina). Committee on label-Fair (Buffalo), O'Hara (Cincinnati), Rathberger (Dubuque), Dormois (Fort Smith), Simonds (Chicago), Thode (St. Paul), Bangs (San Francisco Mailers). Committee on report of federation delegates-Merwin (Cleveland), Hobin (Boston), Hill (Philadelphia), Harding (Baltimore), MacLean (Waterbury), Welsz (Moberly), Mills (Ottawa, Kan.). Committee on miscellaneous businessMason (St. Louis), McGinnis (Muncie), McNamara (Denver), Deaton (Birmingham), Sweeney (Boston), Woods (Chanute), Gallagher (Toronto Mailers). Committee on thanks-Whitehead (Washington, D. C.), Bishop (Danville), Walters (Cumberland), Straight (Boise), Chambers (Marion), Dobbs (Cleburne), Ralston (Waterloo). lahoma Committee on copyright-Williams (OkCity), Braunhold (St. Louis), Schinnerer (Washington, D. C.), Boyle (Albany), Everett (Memphis), Herbert (Buffalo), Dolan (Denver). Committee on mortuary benefit-Portenar (New York), Jackson (St. Louis), Stoodley (Boston), Coburn (Portland, Ore.), Powell (Ottawa, Ont.), Miles (San Antonio), Winters (New York Mallers). Committee on conservation of natural resources-Smyth (Philadelphia), Carter (Chicago), Cato (St. Louis), Lincoln (Indianapolis), Leighley (Pittsburg), Benson (Minneapolis), Shea (New Orleans). No objection being made, literature relative to the appeal of W. G. Fitzgerald vs. Detroit Typographical Union No. 18, not bearing the label, but having been printed in a union office, was ordered to be placed on the delegates' desks. Chairman Dennett of the committee on laws moved that the time for sessions be from 9:30 a. m. to 12:30 p. m., and from 2 to 5 p. m. The motion was adopted. and Electrotypers, now in session at Kan. sas City, Mo. The motion was adopted. The following is the telegram: St. Joseph, Mo., August 9, 1909. James J. Freel, President International Stereotypers' and Electrotypers' Union, Kansas City, Mo.: International Typographical Union assembled in fifty-fifth session sends greetings and best wishes to the International Stereotypers' and Electrotypers' Union. J. W. HAYS, Secretary-Treasurer. The following communication was ordered made a part of the minutes: Chicago, Ill., August 9, 1909. President Lynch, Officers and Delegates International Typographical Union: Chicago Typo Athletic Association extends a cordial invitation to the brothers in attendance to attend the second annual tournament of the Union Printers' National Baseball League, to be held in this city August 14-18. We promise you a good time. JOHN M. M'GOWAN, President Chicago Typo Athletic Ass'n. Secretary-Treasurer Hays submitted his supplemental report, as follows: SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER HAYS. Indianapolis, Ind., August 7, 1909. To the Officers and Members of the International Typographical Union: Gentlemen-I submit the following as a summary of the financial transactions of the International Typographical Union from June 1 to August 7, 1909, inclusive: June 1, 1909-Balance 88 per report August 7, 1909-Cash receipts to date Total Expenditures Balance Assets. $258,728.47 85,662.85 $344,391.32 78,097.98 $266,293.34 Fletcher National Bank, old age pension, deposit 29,000.00 98,189.77 25,000.00 16,000.00 Chairman Dennett of the committee on laws moved that no propositions be received after 12:30 p. m. on Wednesday, except by unanimous consent. The motion was adopted. President Lynch announced that propositions must be presented in duplicate to the secretary-treasurer. Delegate Gamble (New York) moved that the secretary-treasurer telegram of felicitation to the convention of the International Union of Stereotypers Condition of Funds. prepare a General Fund financial statement is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. EDGAR M. ROSS. Notary Public. My commission expires March 31, 1910. As our laws provide, your secretarytreasurer has with him at this convention certified checks and certificates showing that the bank deposits of the International Union and its assets are as set forth in the foregoing report. That the books of the organization are correct in every particular is certified to by the accountants who have audited them up to and including August 7, 1909. Congratulating the membership of the International Union upon the healthy condition of its finances, I am, Fraternally yours, J. W. HAYS, Secretary-Treasurer. The convention then adjourned to 9:30 a. in. Tuesday. COMMUNICATIONS AND PROPOSITIONS In addition to the propositions included in the report of the committee on laws, now on the desks of the delegates in printed form, the following communications and propositions were introduced and referred to the proper committees: Proposition No. 18-By Mr. Seibold (Columbia, Washington, D. C.): Amend section 6, article v, old age pension fund, to read as follows: Section 6. Any member of the International Typographical Union who has reached the age of 60 years, and who has been a member for twenty years and in continuous good standing for ten years immediately preceding the filing of application, and who finds it impossible to secure sustaining employment, at the trade or otherwise, may receive the sum of $4 per week, subject to the provisions hereinafter set forth. Note The addition of the following words, "at the trade or otherwise," is for the purpose of more clearly defining the rights of members who are not working at the trade but still maintain their connection with the union. Some of these members hold positions paying all the way from $60 per month to $150. They comply with all the requirements of the old age pension law, having been members for over twenty years and being over sixty years of age. It would also be well to define what constitutes "sustaining employment." Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 19-By the Newark delegation: Amend section 6, article v, by-laws, to read: Section 6. Any member of the International Typographical Union who has reached the age of 60 years, and who has been in continuous good standing for a period of twenty years, and who finds it Impossible to secure sustaining employment at the printing trade, may receive the sum of $5 per week, subject to the provisions hereinafter set forth. Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 20-By the Newark del egation: Amend section 8, article v, by-laws, to read: Section 8. Any member earning $5 or over in any one week at the printing trade shall not be entitled to the pension for that week. Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 21-By Mr. Scott (Philadelphia): Amend old age pension law by adding the following: Section. That any member of the International or subordinate union who continues in good standing from the time he joins sald union until he reaches the age of seventy (70) years be entitled to the pension, even though he has not been twenty years a member of said union. Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 22-By Mr. Surguy (Washington, D. C.), to amend the old age pension law: Το the Delegates of the International Typographical Union Convention: On behalf of myself and other aged printers, I ask a kindly consideration in our interest of the question of amending the old age pension law. To show the injustice which has prevailed under it I present my case (which is only a fair sample of others) as an object lesson which will give a clear understanding of our grievance. My record is as follows: Joined Cincinnati Union No. 5, in 1856, and have never been off the membership roll of a local typographical union since, now nearly fifty-three years. Paid the local dues and International Typographical Union tax continuously for thirty-three years prior to 1890, when I went into business and was placed on the honorary roll of Columbus Union No. 8. In 1897 was transferred to the active membership list, which has continued to date in Columbia Union No. 101. Now, notwithstanding my having paid International Typographical Union dues continuously for thirty-three years prior to 1890 and for twelve years since 1897, making now nearly forty-five vears in all, my application for a pension was rejected, on the ground, as published by the executive council, of "insufficient membership," while those who had not been members or paid International Typographical Union dues half that length of time and were nine years younger in age were allowed pensions. The requirement that the twenty-years' membership must be continuous from date of application is responsible for unjustly depriving a number of us veteran printers of the benefit of the pension fund. This, I believe, is contrary to what the framers of the law intended, and as proof of that fact give an extract from the law as originally passed: ical Union dues for fifty-three years; others past three score years and ten I know will have to wait much longer under the present law. With our advanced age and infirmities due to it, most of us cannot hope to live to receive any benefit, but are compelled to pay the assessment each month, the same as young members who have every assurance that they will receive the benefit in time. There has been an effort by several writers in The Journal to impress the idea on the minds of all that length of membership does not carry with it any right to a pension. "The pension is a gratuity," says Mr. Whittemore. If that is so, and its recipients are merely objects of charity, then why not allow it to those who need it most? In other words, if old members have no right to the pension, and it is only a gratuity, then surely a spirit of benevolence should prompt those disbursing the fund to aid the most needy of their fellow members. The present law gives pensions to members who have incomes from property or other sources to support them, and therefore do not need a pension, while it is denied to others with twice the number of years of membership who have no income, are incapacitated from work and sorely in need of money. necessary A person cannot draw the pension if he has sustaining employment, but gets it if he does no work, even if he is in receipt of an income. In such cases it cannot be said to be bestowed in charity. "The old age pension fund shall be preserved for the purpose of maintaining and disbursing pensions among the aged and superannuated members, and all laws in conflict with the constitution are hereby repealed or changed in accordance therewith, and the secretary-treasurer is hereby authorized to make the changes." How different is this from the spirit shown by the laws committee at the last convention, when it turned down all appeals, no matter how just or deserving of support, and had this liberal section of the law repealed? The subject of the continuous membership requirement was well discussed by Mr. Finney and others in the May number of The Journal. and replied to by Mr. Whittemore in an able but I think illogical and unfeeling manner in the June issue. However, I will give some of the reasons, as they occur to me, why the law should be amended, although some of them be repetitions of what has been better said by others. Think of a pension being refused in cases of forty and more years of cumulative membership or service, and given in cases of twenty years of continuous membership or service. Does not the aged applicant under the long membership or service seem to be the most deserving, and is he not likely to be the most needy? He has certainly rendered twice the service to the cause of unionism, and at a time when such service was most needed in building up our organization. The pension should therefore be based on age and service, whether cumulative or continuous. The present law is not only unjust but economically unwise. A member is eligible for admission to the Home after five years, and it costs an average of $30 per month to maintain him there. Would it not be better to allow the aged member a pension of $16 per month, and not compel him to go to the Home? And as the benefits of the Home are extended to aged members on a membership of five years, surely the benefits of a pension should be granted on a membership of forty years, whether continuous or not. Again, aged members are being assessed for a pension fund from which some of them will not live to derive any benefit. Now nearly seventy years old, I will not be eligible for a pension for eight years, when, if living, I shall have been on the rolls as a member sixty-one years and paid local and International Typograph I believe the same spirit of benevolence and brotherly love that brought about the establishment of the Home for the sick and aged printers also inspired the enactment of the old age pension law, and that all but a few of the contributors to the fund are in favor of distributing it in more liberal manner. The large and fast-accumulating surplus will now enable the members of the convention to do this, and lift from the minds and hearts of the veterans the feeling that they have been unjustly treated. a My The Under a liberal construction I believe that I am eligible to the pension under the present law, and should have been placed on the roll by the executive council when my application was filed one year ago, instead of being rejected for the reason, as given, of "insufficient membership." certificate showed that I had been a continuous member for thirty-three years prior to 1890, and for twelve years since 1897-making forty-four years that I had paid local and International Typographical Union dues, and was 69 years old. law requires twenty years' continuous membership, and age 60 years-a condition more than fulfilled in my case. The law does not stipulate that the twentyyears membership must be continuous from date of application. That is a ruling of the executive council, a restriction they had the power to make, and which they no doubt believed at the time to be the best policy, but which time has shown was unnecessary from an economic view. Hoping that this may be the outcome of your deliberations, I am Yours fraternally, tional Typographical Union who has reached the age of 60 years, and who has been in continuous good standing for a period of twenty years, and who finds it impossible to secure sustaining employment, or any member who, from any cause, may become totally disabled, and who has been in continuous good standing for ten years, may receive the sum of $4 (four dollars) per week, subject to the provisions hereinafter set forth. Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 24-By Delegate Baker (Mobile): Amend section 6, article v. by-laws, old age pension law, by the addition of the following words: "The provisions of this section shall apply to members who, prior to the enactment of the law, had been in good standing for a period of twenty years, but because of the advent of typesetting machines or dullness of the printing trade, or from other causes, withdrew honorably In order to obtain other employment, and renewed their membership in the union prior to the enactment of said law, have been continuously in good standing thereafter, and against whom no charge of unfairness has ever been made and tained." sus the Ladies and Gentlemen-Milwaukee Typographical Union No. 23 desires to call your attention to section 8 of the agreement of amalgamation between the International Typographical Union and National German-American Typographia, and to submit a proposition intended to remedy this law, which is absurd, foolish, Impractical and dangerous. The law referred to reads as follows: Section 8. In any city or town affording employment to seven or more printers on German work, those so employed shall organize a German branch. This law is absurd, because there is scarcely a typographical union of any importance in the jurisdiction today which has not seven members employed on German work and who cannot belong to a German branch, whether a German branch is there in existence or not. It is foolish because no attention is paid to it, except when German branches desire to consolidate with English unions in cases where printers could better their condition and the condition of the trade by such consolidation; then it is made use of to hold them down and to destroy their progress. It is impractical because seven so-called English offices, under the jurisdiction of an English union, might each give employment to one man on German work; these seven "must organize a German branch." It is dangerous because proprietors of German offices know that if they can succeed in weakening a German branch, they can continue, through their foremen and "friends." to hold the charter indefinitely under conditions favorable to themselves, and without fear of a consolidation with a stronger body. A clause such as section 8. as above quoted, is detrimental to the interests of so-called English typographical unions for the reason that young men are no longer going into German offices to learn the printing trade, nor are they joining German typographias. The average age at present of the German-American membership is given as over forty years. For this reason it will not progress from a wage standpoint and is prevented from consolidation by section 8. We find that the work of most job printing offices which are under the jurisdiction of German branches is done principally in the English language, and will therefore always come in competition with offices under the jurisdiction of typographical unions. It is well known that printing in the German language in this country is on the wane; consolidations and discontinuations of German publications is the order of the times, and therefore the typographia has no future, but must gradually deteriorate. This question might be gone into to considerable length, but it seems unnecessary to bring out all of the points in addressing this intelligent body, so we will now respectfully submit the following proposition as a measure of self-preservation and as a means of protection to the rank and file of the National German-American Typographia: Resolved, That section 8 of the treaty of amalgamation between the International Typographical Union and the National German-American Typographia be abrogated, and that the former organization Insists upon the adoption of the following section in lieu thereof: Section 8. In cities and towns where branches of the International Typographical Union and of the National GermanAmerican Typographia exist, the latter may at any time consolidate with the former if a majority vote of both unions (taken separately) declares favorably thereto. A vote upon the question of such consolidation must be taken by both unions at any time upon the written request of seven members of each union, respectively; provided, however, that such vote shall not be taken oftener than every six months. MILWAUKEE TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION CHAS. J. BUEHLER, Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 34-By Delegate Dormois (Fort Smith): Amend section 61, general laws, by striking out the word "two" in the seventeenth line of said section, and inserting the word "six" in its place. Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 35-By the Newark del egation: Amend section 61, fifth paragraph, general laws, to read: "This certificate expires in six months from the time the last International due stamp thereon shows dues to have been paid." Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 36-By the Omaha dele gation: Amend section 95, general laws, page 67, lines 13, 14, 15 and 16, relating to giving out of overtime. to read: "Whenever any member's overtime Proposition No. 54-By Delegate Irick (Louisville): Amend article ix, section 1, of the constitution, to read: Section 1. The revenue of the International Typographical Union shall be derived as follows: From dues, which shall be 60 cents per month per member, and an additional one-half of 1 per cent assessment on earnings of members for old age pension fund. (The balance of the section to remain as at present.) Amend section 5, article ix, constitution, by changing the amount of death benefit to read $250. Referred to committee benefit. on mortuary Strike out section 3, article ix, "Revenue and Funds." Strike out all words in section iv, article Ix, "Revenue and Funds," after words "International Typographical Union," making same read: Section 4. The general fund shall be used to defray all expenses of the International Typographical Union. Amend section 5, article ix, as follows: "On the death of a member in good standing a death benefit as provided by sections 14 and 15, by-laws, shall be paid to the legal heirs of deceased. Strike out sections 5, 6 and 7, article ix, constitution. Amend sections 14, 15 and 16, by-laws, "Burial Benefit," as follows: Strike out last line of section 14, "of $75," and substitute the following: "Applicable to his term of membership," towit: Alternative insurance proposition. Amend section 6, article v, by-laws, subhead, "Old Age Pension Fund," by adding: "Payment of pension shall be made to the widow of each pensioner establishing her right as such, continuing until her remarriage or death." Referred to committee on laws. Proposition No. 57-By Mr. Breen (New Orleans): Amend section 1, article ix, to read as follows: Section 1. The revenue of the International Typographical Union shall be derived as follows: From dues, which shall be 55 cents per month per member; from charters for subordinate unions; from necessary supplies, at prices to be fixed by law. (No change in the remaining part of the section.) |