have pure red blood in their veins), who regarded these deplorable, damnable conditions as a hindrance to progress and society, and claimed that they had exerted every honorable means by way of requests upon the managements to grant increases in pay for these unfortunate men, that they also, like other department employes, should be encouraged in their work as a reward, but in spite of all common reasoning the requests of foremen in behalf of their men, were ignored in every respect; and as a result the men have at last become to realize that the only solution lies in organization.

At one point in particular (this being a piece work shop), men had actually been employed at some length thirty hours per week, or five hours each day, and their time was so employed and divided each day as to prevent them from engaging in any other outside work where it was possible to do

so, to provide a respectable living for their families, and yet we call this "Free America," and hold ourselves in readiness to protect our Nation's flag from any attack. Well, be that as it may, I want to say that as a whole we are certainly a contented class of people, and whether it be through ignorance or otherwise, adhere strictly to that Biblical quotation, namely, in returning good for evil.

These statements may seem almost increditable, but nevertheless are true and had I not had occasion to make personal investigations in compliance with my duties, I should perhaps not have placed much credence in such a report.

Another noteworthy fact is that on a certain railroad system, at many points, car inspectors, air brake and safety appliance men are being paid a fraction of 18 cents per hour. Just think of the vital importance connected with their duties upon which

depends much the safety of life and property. Men who are actually and directly responsible for any violations of the safety appliance act occurring through an oversight or negligence, in which every single infraction of the law, means many dollars to their employer, and yet, with all this responsibility imposed, they receive the paltry sum of 18 and a fraction cents per hour. Do you wonder that such railroad systems are not put to even greater costthere certainly is no room for argument.

In conclusion I want to say, like the man of "Gripe Nuts" fame, "There's a Reason," and the cause is with you, my unorganized friend. Assert your rights, declare your manhood, protect your family or at least provide them with the necessities of life, because this they are entitled to and it depends with you whether or not they receive this blessing, and since the day of individualism is a thing of the past, you can only receive your share of benefits through organized labor.

Yours fraternally,

GEO. A. NOLTE, Grand Lodge Deputy.

FROM BEECHWOOD LODGE NO. 427. Mounds, Ill., Dec. 15, 1910.

Editor Journal.

I promised if my last letter appeared in the December Journal I would see our lodge was represented regularly in the future, but I have nearly let the time go by, but I hope this will get in in time for the January Journal.

Tuesday, December 13, was our regular meeting night. We met at the I. O. O. F. hall, which has just recently been completed, and I must say it is a very nice place and I consider we carmen are very fortunate in having such a desirable place to chew the rag. But of course we have to be considerate about the rag chewing, as the I. O. O. F.'s have a nice Brussels rug on the floor.

Our attendance is very good and there seems to be quite a little interest aroused at present.

We are now working under a closed shop and not (on) the closed shop proposition.

Here is how we do it. We have all the boys in line at present and when a new man is employed the committee goes to him to find out if he belongs to the B. R. C. of A. If he does not he is informed that this is a union shop and if he is in favor of union labor they demand one of these round things with a "buzzard" stamped on one side (you know what it is), with the understanding that he is to come across with the balance within sixty days from date or forfeit the one dollar to feed Mr. "Wm. Goat."

We would like to hear from all lodges on the J. C. system, especially some of those nearest to us. Carbondale, Centralia, E. St. Louis, Mattoon, Jackson, Tenn., Memphis and others, for I know some of them are doing something to help the cause along.

Keep your eye on No. 427, for if something unforeseen does not happen to us we will

be 100 per cent strong to meet the officials of the I. C. next spring, and I hope we will be able to send Brother Charles Q. Adams of Cairo, Ill., our L. P. B. chairman, once more. If he could talk to the officials as some of the brothers say he did, with our J. P. B. dues four or five months in arrears. and twenty-eight members "on the mat," what could he accomplish with dues paid to date and 200 men behind him and money at his disposal? which was not the case when he went to Chicago to represent us before, as Brother Adams had to use Brother Adams' money.

Hoping we are not too late for the January edition and wishing all a happy and prosperous New Year. As ever,

J. E. MILFORD.

FROM QUEEN OF THE PRAIRIE LODGE NO. 68.

Huron, S. D., Dec. 12, 1910.

Editor Journal.

Having recovered from what I call a good time, will endeavor to send you another line and hope to be forgiven if I shouldn't find any fault.

Not because I have no material on hand. O no, but because I have found a greater knocker than I.

I am at peace with all mankind, and I'll tell you why.

On the 27th of November we had thirteen candidates to elect, and Brothers Long and Coats, who are ever ready for a good time, proposed we give the new members an oyster stew, and the question was not long discussed until committees were appointed to arrange the matter, and the way your correspondent ate oysters was proof that Brothers Herron, Stehle and Anderson neglect d nothing.

We had permission to bring our wives along, and at a given hour we were ready to bring them in for introductions, which were in order, and when we came to Brother Burrington and asked for an introduction he stuttered and said, "I didn't want her to know you." We got the introduction just the same, and I think charges should be preferred against him, but Brother Cass said, "Better leave it to the grievance committee," and I hope they won't let him down easy. By that time the brothers came with cake, coffee and oysters and all forgot the troubles of life for a time at least and all left having spent a jolly good night.

The cost of that supper was more than balanced by the good cheer and social conditions it left. Try it, brothers. The success of such gatherings depends upon the determination to have a good time. They bring the members and their families together, they get acquainted with each other and general good will prevails.

the oldest men in the yards. He was from Missouri, but we could not show him, and if he was going to stay with us any longer would have worn the B. R. C. of A. on his breast.

Next meeting is election of officers, and already discussions are heard upon the qualifications of this or that man for the place they have for him. Be careful, brothers, in your selections of the men to head your lodges, for the success of your organization depends largely upon your officers, who in some instances ruin your lodge for lack of the proper support of its members.

At the supper referred to a couple of brothers talked Loyal Star to all the ladies present. They thought we must have them with us, and in the near future I think Brothers Lang, Burrington and Lawrence will be heard from in that line. We hope so at least.

There is a movement on foot to get our esteemed foreman, B. Boysen, a box of cigars for Christmas. "Go thou and do likewise."

Wishing all carmen a happy and prosperour New Year, I remain,

Fraternally yours,
E. A. MURRAY.

FROM BROTHER "AIR BRAKE BOOMER." Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 15, 1910.

Editor Journal. Please allow me a short space in the columns of our New Year's Journal, for since reading over our December Journal I wish to make a few remarks in behalf of our good and noble order. I notice some good brother says that the E. P. & S. W. and G. H. & S. A. down at El Paso, Tex., will not hire a card man if they can get a nonair. Now, to our good brothers at El Paso I would say, don't let this kind of business discourage you. I have worked at just such places and I worked that much harder to bring about better conditions and I always carried my point. We had a union shop here at the A. B. & A. before we ever had a contract. If you give one inch you may just as well give a mile, so get busy, brothers, and bring about better working conditions. Now the New Year is here at our mits, so let every brother get to business and make the B. R. C. of A. the chief order in railroad history. If every member would get one application during 1911 we would soon double our membership, for the more the merrier. Let's come to the front rank. It is easy to do. Don't wait for the Grand Lodge to come and line up your system. Do it yourselves. That is the way the A. B. A. was lined up, and several other railroads I know of were lined up in the same way. When I see that I have got some one working against me I work the harder to down him. Get up your American blood now and be determined in your actions. have worked for roads where the little 2x4 bosses were against the order, but that did not cut any figure with me. If you always work for the interest of the company while

I

you are at work they will not can you for working for better conditions in our favor. However, you should not use the company's time in box car meetings, for if you do they will can you. I have dealt with all kinds of foremen and officials and some that I had no more respect for than a hog, and you will always find the dirty ones, the smallest pebbles on the beach working to get a feather in their caps. So get busy, brothers, and look forward for better conditions. Do the right thing for both parties and you will come out on top in the long run, and if you get canned on the road you work for, light out and get a place with some other road and keep our good work going. I got canned once because I would not get a withdrawal card from the Brotherhood and turn it into the master mechanic's office and sign up a paper that I would never talk about unions in any way as long as I worked for that company, but I could not swallow that dose, so I raised a little something with them and hit the ball and I would not ride on that road today on a pass, much less pay my way.

Well, brothers, let's all go into our best work for this Brotherhood and stop kicking about home guards and boomers. Pull together-we all belong to the B. R. C. of A. and should work together. A home guard is just as good as a boomer and a boomer is just as good as a home guard, so look at it in the fair way. Will close with best wishes to all and sign as usual,

Yours fraternally,

AIR BRAKE BOOMER.

FROM RAY OF HOPE LODGE NO. 426. Oakland, Cal., Dec. 16, 1910.

Editor Journal.

If you will please give me a space in our worthy Journal I will try to let the boys know how we are getting along in Oakland, Cal.

Well, Ray of Hope Lodge No. 426 has got to be quite a kid now, for in the last three months she has increased to over 100 members and is out looking for more.

What is the matter with the brothers in Sunny California? I don't see any letters or hear anything from them. Does it take cold weather to get any life in them, if so, I would like to advise them to apply for a pass and get back to the snow once more and wake up and become good live ones. I don't mean all of you, for it is not right to say all, but most of you.

Brothers, get busy and let's do something. I for one am getting tired of working for my board and room. I am going to work for my board, room and clothes and a little on the side, and we all will if we get busy, so let's get our shoulders to the wheel and start it rolling, for when we get it started it doesn't take so much to keep it moving, but we must not let it stop, for it then takes that much more energy to set it going again.

It is much more pleasant to work with a B. R. C. of A. bunch of boys, for you get along so much better, with more harmony

and have a better class of workmen, for they are always working to help each other out, no kicking on this or that fellow; they are all bound together, so let's get busy, brothers, and get them together. We can do it if all worthy brothers will only get busy and do a little talking. Don't get down hearted if you butt up against a hard one, but be ready to answer his questions. You can do it by studying your constitution; it tells you what to say and how the B. R. C. of A. is run, that is what they are provided for.

Now, Brothers, we won't get anything if we don't ask for it, so let us be prepared for it when we do. For instance, about a month ago we had a case we won out with here, and I hope it taught a lot a lesson. Brother M. O. Delaney asked for transportation for himself and wife from Oakland, Cal., to Ogden, Utah, and was turned down cold by the master car builder. His wife was very sick and had to be taken away for her health. He had a letter from the doctor stating her condition, but it didn't do any good, so our worthy grievance committee had a job. They went before Mr. Davis, general superintendent of motive poor, and brought back the transportation with them with Mr. Davis' best wishes for the health of our dear sister, and did the M. C. B. hear from it? Well, he got his good and proper for not issuing the passes, and our dear sister and brother are in Ogden, Utah, and are much better and we hope for a speedy return to health for her.

Wishing one and all a happy and prosperous New Year, I remain,

Yours fraternally,

N. M. STEUART.

FROM LOYALTY LODGE NO. 69. Brightwood, Ind.

Editor Journal.

Permit me to use a little space in the Journal to let some of the boys know that there are some real live members around this neck of the woods and for proof of the same I would refer them to anyone who happened to be at the entertainment and supper given in honor of Brother Nolte, our deputy grand organizer. Such a supper as the above is seldom ever seen. I think I am safe in saying it goes with saying that we have some of the right kind of material for one of the best lodges of the Loyal Star in America, for all it needs is a starter. It is a well known fact that if you have the ladies with you in any order it makes success twice as easy to obtain. I wish you could have seen those brothers who played the parts of waiters at the supper, Brothers Stevens, White, Camp and Denny wore the white aprons and saw that everybody got full (this is not a dry town), and they did it to perfection. Brother Miller could be seen going around with a grin on him like a Cheshire cat. Brother Jake Whitinger and Brother T. Laughlin and Miss Whitinger furnished some excellent music, the kind that makes you think of the good days some thirty years ago. Mr. Floyd Duzan, a pro

fessional dancer, happened to be in the city and furnished some very interesting and scientific dances and I believe I am justified in saying that the members of Loyalty Lodge No. 69 wish to thank through the columns of the Journal all who helped to make the affair so great a success. We are very much pleased with Brother Nolte in his initial trip and if he improves in the future as in the past others had better look to their laurels.

Now, Mr. Editor, if we could by some means find out who that Dutchman is with that big long name it would no doubt receive the attention of Brother M. M. Shull. Should you see fit to print this I may try again sometime. Yours fraternally,

W. T. SCREES.

FROM A BOOMER TRIO, WHO ARE O. K. Montello, Nev., Dec. 13, 1910.

Editor Journal.

As we have not seen anything in the Jourral from Ogden lodge, I will write and let the good old members know where we are and how we are getting along.

We are a boomer bunch here at nights, called the three night-hawks, and well we deserve the name. There are twelve carmen her and out of the bunch only four are B. R. C. of A. men. It is not our fault, though, for we have talked them deaf, dumb and blind and all the answer we get from some of them is, "Let the B. R. C. of A. go get something and then we will join them." Don't you think that a very poor principle, boys? We have become crosseyed, tonguetied, and knockkneed trying to explain it to them, but it is of no use. Some are like the Chinks we have around here you can talk to them all day and all you get from them is, "Me no savvy." Some have an excuse that there is no lodge ere, but that is a poor one, as some of our boys traveled 130 miles to be initiated. Some don't know what the word brotherhood means. We took great pleasure in reading Brother Stamps letter. I suppose he remembers the time he worked at Montello, Nev. In regards to the boys at Pocatello, would advise him that all the boys up there are lined up and always have the glad hand for any brother carman who passes through that burg. I also read Grand Lodge Deputy Suthon's letter and think him all O. K. I met Brother Suthons at St. Paul last summer when he and the committee from the Northern Pacific were after a new contract. They had

a hard bunch to go up against, but they showed their mettle by the good contract they obtained. Best wishes and lots of good luck to Brother Suthons. Would like to hear something from Brother Graham at Ellensburg, Wash. I had a job braking out of Pasco, Wash., into Ellensburg, and I want to say that these two towns cannot be beaten for a good loyal bunch of carmen. They are all in the clear and up to date and always have their weather eye skinned for the boomer high sign. Two of the inspectors here are members of Ogden lodge

No. 370 and one from Green River No. 147. With best wishes to all, we remain,

Down on non-airs,

LITTLE SCOTTY, BIG SWEDE, BOOMER IRISH.

FROM KICKAPOO LODGE NO. 29. Shawnee, Okla., Dec. 17, 1910.

Editor Journal.

Just a few words from Kickapoo Lodge No. 29 to let you know the we are alive yet and pushing the wheel up the hill. We have 225 members in Kickapoo Lodge in good standing. We have a large hall and always have a good crowd at every meeting. We have lots of old men with us, up in the sixties, who meet regularly with us every meeting night. We also have some good speakers here. Brother Showers from Decatur, Ala., is with us here at present. He and Brother Sam Adkins have always something good to tell us at every meeting. In fact we have lots of men with us who can shoot big guns and who are always ready to shoot. There are very few who are not lined up here, for we always keep after them good and strong. When a man comes here and is not lined up we go after him the very first thing, and if he doesn't line up there are so many after him that he either fixes his business and comes right in or gets out.

With best wishes to all I remain,
Yours fraternally,

C. C. CHAMPION.

FROM LOOKOUT LODGE NO. 211. Chattanooga, Tenn., Dec. 15, 1910.

Editor Journal.

As I haven't seen anything from Lookout Lodge No. 211 for sometime I thought I would write you a short letter for publication.

I am glad to say that Lookout Lodge No. 211 is a live lodge and most all the men who work for the N. O. & T. P. Ry. belong to the order, and we also have a number of members who work for the other railroads that run into Chattanooga.

Brother I. M. Wallace, our Third General Vice-President, has been here for a few days and has got the N. C. & St. L. boys lined up. Hurrah for the N. C. & St. L. boys. They now have a lodge of their own. Brother Wallace has done some good work at Chattanooga the last few days. He has addressed the boys several times in regard to their lining up. We sure do like to have him visit us. He is always and at all times welcome at Chattanooga.

I certainly like to read the Journal and to read the different letters of the brothers. It makes me feel good. tI reminds me of the old time experience meetings we used to have when some brother tells his experience and some other brother will shout because he has told his experience. The same way with us when we read these good letters, it most makes us shout. We have a good contract this year with the C. N. O. & T. P.

Ry. and the members of Lookout Lodge No. 211 commend our joint protective board for their good work, as we get 32 cents per hour increase for most all the men. I see in the Journal where one brother says they have a man on the promise list and another brother where they have men that make excuses. We have a few like this here, I am sorry to say, but what about a few men that when we are about to go before the officials for a new contract, they are B. R. C. of A. dyed in the wool, but in a short time afterwards they pick up some little thing and go to kicking and they kick out. But they get the raise just the same. I say what about a man that will do this? If I was no more of a man than this I would get me a jackass and a peck of peas and go to the mountains and farm where I could live all to myself alone and not be in the way of some other man that would make a good Brotherhood man. We only have a few here who have never joined, and when you say anything to them and they say, If so and so would join I would join (that “if”). I tell you brothers (if) a buzzard had been a man he would make a better car knocker than a man of this kind.

With best wishes to the Brotherhood and all, I remain, as ever,

Yours fraternally,

HOT SHOT.

FROM SIMPSON'S REST LODGE NO. 20. Trinidad, Col., Dec. 11, 1910.

Editor Journal.

Not seeing anything from Simpson's Rest No. 20 in the columns of our Journal, if you will just move over a little and allow me a small space I will try in as few words as possible to tell you what we are doing out here.

We are, I believe, about 90 per cent strong at this place. Well, we had a called meeting last night, as Brother .J H. Spelts, Fourth General Vice-President, was here. We had between 45 and 50 members present and had a grand meeting, but will state there wasn't very much for Brother Spelts to do here in the way of organizing, as we are already lined up at this place, as the boys are old pillars of the church, so to speak, and I believe are as noble, brave and true as members should be and will be, if they are expecting to get a square deal. Well, I guess I had better ring off for this time, so wishing the B. R. C. of A. members every where a happy and prosperous New Year and success to the Journal and three cheers for Brother Spelts, I remain, Yours fraternally,

J. H. MANNING. FROM BAYOU CITY LODGE NO. 280. Houston, Tex., Dec. 18, 1910.

Editor Journal.

As we have the banner lodge of the B. R. C. of A. and are only eight months old, I consider this going some, and having never seen a letter in the Journal written by any of the boys of this lodge, I will venture