National Board of Arbitration. It is a blanket trade agreement. Prior to the initiation of our great strike for the eight-hour day-a strike which cost the International Typographical Union nearly five million dollars and the employers a much greater sum-we sought to obtain an arbitration agreement with the United Typothetæ of America, the agreement to be similar to the contract that was then in force with the American Newspaper Publishers' Association, but we were unable to do so. In justice to the employers, it should be said that they were willing to enter into an agreement, but the proposition that they made was entirely at variance with the laws of the International Typographical Union, and with well-established and well-settled custom and precedent, and an agree. ment that it was impossible for a trade union to accept.

I have as briefly as possible traced the history of the trade agreement in the International Typographical Union. To my mind, there is no question of the great value of the trade agreement in establishing stable conditions in any industry. I know that it has accomplished this in our branch of the printing industry, and our example in supporting and formulating such agreements has been followed by the other four international unions in the printing industry. But as in all other relations between individuals, associations or combinations, honesty of purpose is the basic requirement. If, after the trade agreement in its verbal or written form is entered into, either party to the compact resorts to technicalities or subterfuges or strained construction of the contract provisions, in order to gain an advantage, then friction, distrust and warfare ensue, and the trade agreement is broken and cast aside. Our experience has demonstrated that machinery must be provided for the adjustment of disputes that arise under the verbal or written agreements, and that when this machinery is put into motion its verdicts must be faithfully adhered to by both parties; both the let ter and the spirit of the written agreement must be abided by in order that the best results may follow. With this idea permeating both parties to the written or verbal contract, industrial peace ensues, and there is gradually built up a feeling of confidence and trust in the union on the part of the employer, and in the employer on the part of the union, which leads to improvement, better development, and more permanent and mutually

beneficial relations in the industrial field.

Copies of our form of local contract and of the arbitration agreement alluded to will be furnished on request to those who may be interested.

In conclusion, let me express the belief that those who are endeavoring to promote the trade agreement are entitled to the encouragement and support of all citizens who are anxious for industrial peace.

BY PRESIDENT RIDDER.

Trade agreements have worked out satisfactory results for newspaper publishers and their mechanical employes for a period of seven years. I make this statement subject to a qualification

which I will discuss later on. Contracts made by particular newspapers or groups of newspapers in various cities with local unions covering wages and hours have been underwritten and guaranteed under a series of agreements between the American Newspaper Publishers' Association and the international unions which include within their membership local unions of compositors, pressmen, stere otypers, mailers and photo-engravers. For that period of seven years, conciliation or arbitration has enabled employer and employed to work along without friction or trouble. Every disagreement has yielded to adjustment. All of us have been spared the wasting effects of industrial warfare. The stability of newspaper investments has improved and the workers have enjoyed all the advantages of uninterrupted employment.

On May 1, 1907, we started upon the third agreement of this character which covers a period of five years. During the past year the newspaper publisher and the newspaper employe have enjoyed freedom from trade disturbance. Twenty-five agreements to increase pay have been made by publishers with trade unions in as many cities. Fifteen agreements have been made in fifteen cities to extend existing wage scales. In one case the rate of pay has been reduced, but an increased price for overtime substantially offsets that reduction. We have closed arrangements in forty cities by conciliation; in one city by local arbitration, and in four cities by national arbitration. Two arbitrations are deadlocked and questions are pending with twenty-one local unions.

I do not recall a single serious interference with newspaper work during the year, though the overzeal of an agitator employed by the International Pressmen's Union has at times tested our patience. Eighteen months ago we undertook to arbitrate all differences with our employes without resorting to the odd man or umpire. We agreed that three representatives of each side would come together and discuss the questions at issue and endeavor to reach a settlement. The system had been tried in England, and was strongly advocated here. It had some merits. It dispensed with the hit-ormiss plan, which depended upon the selection of the odd man, who was usually ignorant of the methods of the business, and who must apply himself diligently to a careful study of all the intricacies of our dealings in order that he might grasp the proposition. The tendency in many such cases is to compromise rather than to follow the question to its merits. Both sides had been extremely fortunate in securing competent umpires, but the plan of dispensing with this odd man was urged with such earnestness and enthusiasm that we consented to put it to a test. We are aware of the difficulties which officers of labor unions encounter in controlling and curbing some of the men who elect them to places of responsibility. While we are not now unmindful of these features of the situation, the results of that experiment of dropping the umpire have not been assuring. The settlement of industrial disputes upon an ideal plane of perfect equality and of full discussion is still in its experimental stage.

At all times we are fortunate in dealing with a class of labor which equals, if it does not exceed, the intelligence of any other organization of workers. We have relied upon that superior intelligence to help us solve difficult labor problems, and we had a right to assume that that type of labor, which had asked us to apportion to it some portion of the prosperity which we had enjoyed, would recognize the corresponding obligation and recip rocate by recognizing our periods of extreme depression. Newspapers had encountered unusual difficulties. The shrinkage of general business had materially diminished our advertising revenues, which constitute a considerable part of our earnings. A combination of papermakers had unjustifiably marked up the cost of our raw material. Newspapers were forced to study retrenchment in every direction, but when they turned to the labor unions for that co-operation and mutual regard which was due, they confronted a stone wall. The unions refused to make any concessions. Some of them were willing to extend the existing high wages for another year, and they were willing to withhold any requests for increases, but against all suggestions for modifications or reductions, or concessions in wages, they were adamant. Arbitrations in two instances ended in deadlocks. We had always assumed that trade agreements between employers and employes had been made. upon the terms of reciprocation, which were supposed to have elements of mutual advantage and not to be one-sided. I regret to say that the experience of the last year has not tended to strengthen such views. The shrunken business of the publishers has been met by a stubborn insistence by the unions upon the maintenance of and recognition of every advantage heretofore conceded to them. Though ready to demand advances upon some theory that they were entitled to share in the gains, they were unwilling to budge an inch when confronted with showings of loss. This was not the spirit nor the intent of the publishers when they entered upon trade agreements, and they are not now willing to deceive themselves with any illusions upon the subject of union demands.

We know that the trade unions are organized primarily for the purpose of increasing wages, and we know that employers who make agreements with them to buy peace and industrial insurance subject themselves to more or less restraint of trade, but those are questions which are not fit for present discussion. Neither is it a present question whether an agreement between an employer and his employe is an economic abnormality. That phase of the proposition was disposed of when we recognized trade unions and closed our shops to non-union men, and when we ceased to recognize the individual and agreed with the unions that they should take the full responsibility for competency and good faith. They gladly ac cepted that obligation, but when we did make trade agreements with these organizations the members of these bodies prided themselves upon their greater efficiency, their higher standing in the community, the value of their assurances and their

ability to carry out their pledges. They did bind themselves to work for us to the best of their abil ity. It is upon this point that I want to dwell, because from many sections complaints are coming to us that with increasing pay there has come an increased inefficiency of labor, and that there has been a subversion of discipline because the unions have attempted to subordinate our foremen in the control of our shops and to substitute for him. a so-called "chairman of the chapel." Unions have not maintained high standards. They have established guilds that excluded competent and deserv ing labor that was entitled to join those unions. They sought greater profit for individuals rather than promotion of their craft. The growth of the trade has not been provided for.

The importance of the obligation assumed by the unions may be appreciated when we state that the newspapers of New York city pay approximately one and one-half million dollars per annum as their tribute to the closed shop and to organized labor. An estimate of the amount of this tribute paid by all the newspapers of the country would be difficult to reach at this time. Complaints come to us that in some cities the pay is so high that members refuse to work more than five days in the week. They quit their places to make way for substitutes that are incompetents or they leave their posts vacant. Such a situation with first-class skilled labor walking the streets in idleness, unable to obtain employment, is a serious indictment against the union that permits it to continue uncorrected. Matters have come to an extraordinary pass when mechanics will not work themselves and will not let others work. Such I understand to be the case in New York pressrooms. There are many conscientious workers who render faithful service and give full value, but the years are rolling around and young men are growing older, and the energy and enthusiasm of their youth begin to slacken, and others are not coming forward to take their places. We do not complain of the unions as such. We believe that these organizations, while deadening effort of members, have brought substantial results to men who are not ambitious to rise above their employment. We do not complain of the high wages we pay, though we pay the highest paid to any class of labor, but we do complain of conditions which operate to decrease the efficiency of that labor and to deprive us of that equivalent in production to which we are entitled and which was part of a solemn pact. The unions do not need specifications. The question of efficiency is one which is agitating the councils of all of them. It is the most serious question that confronts them. They must work it out with due regard for their obligations to their employers, or they will work their own undoing. It is a question of good faith and good morals.

It is impossible to determine how much of Mr. Ridder's prepared address was intended to apply to the International Typographical Union. That portion regarding the chairman of the chapel is especially

other statements will not stand analysis. THE JOURNAL is surprised that Mr. Ridder should express himself in such a manner.

When T. R. Is On the Job.

When President Roosevelt takes his new job on the editorial staff of the Outlook something is likely to happen; at least that is the opinion of the New York World, which "plays up" the following amusing paragraphs on the transition from the presidential to the editorial chair:

The busiest place in town yesterday was the composing room of the Outlook, where Theodore Roosevelt is to serve as special contributing editor after he quits the presidency.

"Hey, Bill," said the foreman to his assistant, as he lifted his nose from the dusty boxes in which the capital letters are kept.

"What's the matter now?" asked the assistant as he tossed a stock cut of the Dove of Peace out of the back window and kicked a "God Bless Our Home" motto under the desk.

"The cap M's; where are the cap M's?" cried the foreman in accents wild. "How can we spell Malefactor with only four cap M's in the shop!" and * and ! ! ! and [ ] [ ] and ??? too," shouted the "sub" in terror, as he balanced himself on his head and squinted under the cases.

"We're shy on

"No double crosses (xx) neither," hoarsely yelled the galley boy.

ex

"Where is that shorter and uglier word?" citedly inquired the foreman. "I saw it in the box a year or so ago, all set up and ready for action. We'll need three bushels o' them, in all styles of type, including italics and roman capi tals."

"Help!" shrieked the assistant, leaping in a frenzy from case to case. "We got but three cap I's. The rest are little iii's to spell 'it' with." "I can see our finish if the Special Contributor hits the shop with that layout on our hands," remarked the foreman darting for the 'phone. He called up a type foundry and gave the following order:

Ten thousand capital I's to spell "I am It" with. Three hundred pounds of exclamation points. Ten quarts of dashes and asterisks. Twenty-three crates of shorter and uglier words, one-half in caps, one-quarter in italics, the rest assorted.

Five hundred stock cuts such as are used by patent medicine men and venders of firearms.

AND now we have it from such eminent authority as the Hon. William Travers Jerome what most of us have realized all along-that the poor man has not an equal show in the courts with the rich man.

THE newspaper publishers of Omaha have agreed to an advance of wages for composing room employes of 25 cents a day the ensuing year and 25 cents a day additional thereafter. The old scale provided for $21 per week for day work and $24 night. The increase, therefore, will make the new wage $24 and $27 per week at the end of a year. The World-Herald signed a contract with No. 190 for two years, the News for three years and the Bee for five years. The new wage schedule took effect December 15, 1908. The World-Herald paid the increase a month in advance of the expiration of the old scale, and the Bee got in line two weeks

prior to the expiration of the old scale, while the News was already paying above the old scale to most of its employes.

CONTRACTS for one year were signed, December 20, with all employers of Independence, Kan., by Typographical Union No. 584. A substantial increase over the old scale was secured, the provisions of the new agreement calling for $13.50 per week for both book and job printers and floor and ad men on evening newspapers, $15 per week for floor and ad men on morning papers, and $18 per week for day machine work and $19 for night machine work. Organizer Brady assisted the local union in securing the contracts.

THE book and job employers of Indianapolis recently made a proposition to Typographical Union No. 1, after that organization had submitted one to the employers, agreeing to pay all hand compositors $19 per week, with price and one-third for all time over eight hours. It was agreed that the newspaper scale on machines should prevail in the book and job branch. The offer of the employers was accepted, which means an increase of $1.60 per week for the hand compositors, there being no change in the machine scale. The new schedule took effect January 1, 1909, and is to continue in force for three years.

wage

PRESIDENT ROSENAUER, of New York HebrewAmerican Union No. 83, reports that Russki Polos, a weekly paper printed in the Russian language, is once more the product of a union concern. Until September last the paper was printed by the Franklin Press, union, but at that time it was decided to go back to the nine-hour day, and the publication was placed with the Lafayette Press, non-union. The activity of No. 83, aided by John E. McLoughlin, International organizer, induced the publishers of Russki Polos to sign an agreement with No. 83 to have the paper in the future printed under strictly union conditions and under control of the Hebrew-American Union.

NATIONAL ARBITRATION BOARD. Pursuant to agreement, the National Board of Arbitration met at the headquarters of the International Typographical Union in Indianapolis, Ind., on Wednesday and Thursday, December 2 and 3, 1908.

The American Newspaper Publishers' Association was represented by Herman Ridder, of New York, Bruce Haldeman, of Louisville, and H. N. Kellogg, of Chicago.

James M. Lynch, J. W. Bramwood and J. W. Hays represented the International Typographical Union.

In the Toronto scale controversy, J. F. MacKay appeared as the representative of the publishers, and Hugh Stevenson represented Toronto Typographical Union No. 91.

Messrs. Jones, Keeley, Rogers and Hussey represented the Chicago publishers in the scale con

troversy between Chicago Typographical Union No. 16 and the Chicago branch of the American Newspaper Publishers' Association. Messrs. Brady, Harding, Rice, Klinger and Young represented the union.

The cases handled by the board are given in the order in which they were considered, the action in each case appearing in full under the proper heading.

DECISION IN THE TORONTO CASE.

The National Board of Arbitration, in considering the contention referred to it by Toronto Typographical Union No. 91 and the daily publishers of Toronto as to whether the bonus for machine-set type, as provided in the Toronto newspaper scale, should be computed on a daily basis or a weekly basis, and after conference with the representatives of the parties at interest and obtaining their views on a tentative proposition as outlined by the board, believing that the most satisfactory results will accrue therefrom, makes the following award:

If an employe works six days or nights, or a lesser number of days or nights (with the exceptions hereafter noted) in any one week, and exceeds the daily bonus lines one-half of the number of nights or days so worked, he shall be entitled to payment for all type set on the nights or days, wherein the amount is over and above the daily bonus line.

Exceptions:

If an employe works three days or nights in any one week and exceeds the daily bonus lines on one or more of these nights or days, he shall be entitled to payment for all type set in excess of the daily bonus line on one or more of these nights or days.

If an employe works five nights or days in any one week and exceeds the daily lines on three or more of these nights or days, he shall be entitled to payment for all type set in excess of the daily bonus line on these days or nights.

If the total amount of type set after five days or five nights, or six days or six nights, are worked, exceeds five times the daily or nightly bonus lines, or six times the daily or nightly bonus lines, the operator shall be entitled to payment for all type set to the amount of such excess.

DECISION IN THE CHICAGO SCALE CONTENTION.

The National Board of Arbitration, in considering the appeal of Chicago Typographical Union No. 16, from the decision of the local arbitrator in the scale contention between the union and the Chicago branch of the American Newspaper Publishers' Association, sustains the decision of the local arbitration board with the following exceptions:

Section 2, paragraph 3-Where employes work part of the week, days, and part of the week, nights, the night scale shall be paid. When the regular working shift falls partly in the day hours and partly in the night hours, employes shall be paid the night scale.

Section 2, paragraph 7, to provide for not more than ten hours on Saturday for regular employes. This provision shall not apply in the case of extra employes who work Saturday. Such employes

shall be paid overtime after they have completed their regular eight hours' work.

Arbitrator's decision as to bonus line to stand, but the rate to be paid for all type in excess of 5,000 ems per hour shall be one and one-twentieth (11-20) cents per hundred ems for day work and one and one-tenth (1 1-10) cents per hundred ems for night work.

System of measurement to remain as at present. Section 5-Extras working three days or less in any one week in any one office shall be compensated at the rate of 50 cents per day in addition to the regular scale for each day or shift. Extras shall not have the right to refuse regular employment when tendered by the office. Four days or more employment as an extra in any one office in one week shall be at the regular scale. When the hours worked by extras, who work three days per week, as above, fall partly in the day schedule and partly in the night schedule, the night scale will apply plus the extra 50-cent rate. Extras working four days or more in one week on split shift as above shall receive the night scale only.

Employment of apprentices to be governed by present rule.

Employes shall not be held responsible for errors or pi lines occurring in railroaded matter.

This decision and the arbitrator's award, together with other scale provisions previously agreed to by the local parties at interest, shall become effective with the week beginning January 4, 1909, and expire with the week ending January 15,

1910.

It is recommended that the Chicago local contract shall be changed or amended to conform to the provisions of the arbitration agreement now effective between the American Newspaper Publishers' Association and the International Typographical Union. This to be taken up locally as soon as convenient to the Chicago publishers and Chicago Typographical Union.

DECISION IN THE PFERDESTELLER (DENVER) CASE.

The National Board of Arbitration, in considering the affidavits furnished in the Pferdesteller case, as requested in its decision of July 23, 1908, this case involving the discharge of a member of Denver Typographical Union No. 49, his reinstatement by the News chapel and subsequent events, desires to reiterate that portion of its conclusions contained in the document alluded to, in which is set forth the method that should be followed when an employe has been discharged in a union composing room and the chapel takes action reinstat ing the discharged employe, and the board places especial emphasis on that portion of the decision reading as follows:

We further agree that the authority of foremen, as set forth in International Typographical Union law, must be sustained, and that the rights of chapels and members must also be sustained; and any attempt to evade the law on the part of a foreman, chapel, or members, is inimical to the peace and good fellowship now existing between the American Newspaper Publishers' Association and the International Typographical Union.

The board finds that the foreman of the News discharged Pferdesteller, and that the chapel took action which, if acceded to, would lead to the re

instatement of the discharged employe; thereupon the foreman, after, as he has testified, protesting against the action of the chapel, turned the affair over to the business manager of the News, and the business manager entered the composing room and discharged the employe; that on the next night the foreman reinstated the discharged employe, and that within a very short time thereafter the business manager entered the composing room, accompanied by a policeman, and removed the previously discharged employe from the composing room. The board is of the opinion that the business manager was in error in this particular case under his contract, which embraces adherence to the laws of the International Typographical Union, on the first and second nights of the dispute, in assuming the prerogatives of the foreman; that the foreman should have reinstated the discharged employe and then appealed to the union, and if necessary from the union to the International Typographical Union, or that he should have followed the other course-refused to reinstate the discharged employe; and that the chapel, if it then desired, should have appealed to the union, and either party feeling aggrieved, from the union to the International Typographical Union.

In the present condition of the Pferdesteller case, the board is of the opinion that it has no jurisdiction, and that the difficulty is one that must first be passed upon through the regular channels provided in the appeal laws of the International Typographical Union. As the board understands it, Pferdesteller is now at work in the News composing room, and if this condition is objectionable to the foreman of the News composing room he has the right to appeal from the action of the chapel to the union, and, if dissatisfied with the action of the union, to the International authorities. Pending the determination of these matters on appeal, if appeal is resorted to, in accordance with the provisions of the laws of the International Typographical Union, the statu quo must be maintained until the matter is determined on appeal by the court of last resort.

J. W. BRAMWOOD,

Secretary National Board of Arbitration.

THE new owner of the London Times, Alfred Harmsworth (Lord Northcliffe), it is reported, is to be approached with a view to having the composing room conducted under the rules of the London Society of Compositors. In the past, under the Walter regime, the printers have been prevented from becoming members of that organization. Having recognized the society on the various other publications owned by the new publisher of the Times, it is not thought likely that Lord Northcliffe will allow any obstacles to be placed in the way of an amicable working agreement with the London printers' union.