Advocate, edited by Cornelius Guiney, a member of that organization.

The editor of THE JOURNAL, speaking for the International officers, desires to most emphatically assert that the executive council does not intend to rest quietly under the accusation that it at any time, or in any manner, "stabs No. 2 in the back," or "renders aid and succor to the rats in their fight against the union," or that it has taken any action whatever in the case at issue, or in any other case, that is not fully warranted by the laws it has sworn to obey and uphold.

The "open letter" referred to was founded upon the printed statement of the president of Philadelphia Union that "there were thousands of non-unionists in Philadelphia." Copies of this open letter were sent to the officers and members of No. 2, and also furnished all International officers, organizers and members of committees, as well as the presidents and secretaries of our subordinate unions and members of eighthour committees. The circular has also been sent to a number of members requesting it. Attention is directed to the closing sentence of this "open letter," to wit: "The council again expresses itself as willing to aid in the work of organization under the conditions set forth in its letter of November 9, 1904. And for the protection of the members of No. 2, and for the protection of the members of the International Typographical Union in adjacent territory, the council demands that your union act at once."

Attention is also directed to the further decision of the council, published in this number, dealing with Philadelphia Union's request for an endorsement of an appeal to local unions for financial aid.

The council in this last decision, which bears the heading "Further Action of the Executive Council in the Philadelphia Case," again draws attention to the fact that it has not declined to appropriate money for work in Philadelphia, and reiterates its desire to assist in organizing that city, and again announces that it is willing to make such an appropriation as in its opinion is necessary to carry on the work in question. The council does insist, however-and this has not hitherto been

denied by any local union-that the council and not the local union shall from time to time determine the amount of International money necessary to be expended, and that its wishes must prevail as to the conduct of a campaign in which International funds are disbursed. Reference to the proceedings will show that the International conventions of later years have invariably stipulated that the council shall exercise such authority. The International constitution and by-laws are also exceedingly plain on this point.

Inasmuch as the editor of THE JOURNAL has been charged by representatives of No. 2 with assuming dictatorial powers, we concluded to print in this number the letter containing the declination to publish No. 2's circular in the February issue. This letter appears elsewhere. It means what it says, and is self-explanatory. The other misstatements alluded to in this letter can be so proven by the official records, or by affidavit, when necessary.

It is true that the editor declined to permit a discussion of the council's decision in the columns of THE JOURNAL, but there was good reason for this action, and it was not taken because of a desire to throttle debate. At the rate these reviews were being forwarded, the columns of the official paper would have proven inadequate to the demand, even if nothing else were printed, and the majority of the articles received and returned upheld the position of the council, though our detractors appear to think otherwise.

The merits of this deplorable controversy, initiated by Philadelphia Union, may not be thoroughly understood until after the Toronto convention, and hasty judgment should be avoided by local unions and the membership.

The members of the executive council, individually and collectively, fully believe that their acts and decisions in this case are in accordance with the laws of the International Union, enacted for their guidance and that of the members, and also in accord with the universal custom that has obtained. Every step has been carefully considered, and unanimity has prevailed at each meeting of the executive body.

Yet the members of the council are ac

cused of seeking to destroy a union; of rendering "aid and succor to rats in their fight against the union;" of criminally refusing "to obey the plain letter of the law;" of being "in league with the rat employers and rat printers of Philadelphia," etc.

The council is composed as follows: James M. Lynch, president, who has been a member of the union over eighteen years and a member of the council over six years; Hugo Miller, second vice-president, who has been a member of the union thirty-two years, secretary-treasurer of the German Typographia nineteen years, and a member of the council over ten years; John W. Bramwood, secretary-treasurer, who has been a member of the union nearly thirtythree years, and a member of the council over eight years. The interpreting and enforcing of union law has been the daily task of these men since they became International officials. And not one of their decisions has been reversed on appeal to a convention of the organization. The council members are but human, and thus liable to err, but in that case there is a legal and orderly method provided in the law for the review of any act of the council that may be called in question.

The charges against these officials, as published in the Trades Union News and quoted elsewhere in this article, are presumably made by Shelby Smith, a member of the International Typographical Union and editor of the paper mentioned. At different periods during the Philadelphia contest, Mr. Smith and the Trades Union News have been the recipients of a portion of the funds allotted by the executive council for the conduct of organization work in that city. Vouchers on file at this office will verify this statement. At that time the Trades Union News was issued and circulated in the interest of Typographical Union No. 2. Presumably that is the case now, but will the officers of No. 2 admit such to be the fact?

If the charges against the International officers are true, they should not only be impeached, but expelled from membership.

On the other hand, what should be done with those who, directly or indirectly, make

absolutely unfounded charges of this character, or aid or abet in the circulation of such charges?

The members of the council prize their official reputations and union membership very highly, and have endeavored to faithfully execute every duty required of them. Whatever has been said of them otherwise, their fealty to union principles has never before been questioned.

The readers of THE JOURNAL will be kept informed of the steps taken to enforce International law, as requested in this case.

Will the interested unions do their duty in an impartial manner?

If not, a higher court will be appealed to. And the council will, in the meantime, continue its efforts to enforce International law, be the outcome what it may.

And the editor of THE JOURNAL will continue to conduct the magazine in accordance with International law, and pursuant to his conception of the trust reposed in him by the membership, until such time as contrary instructions are given by those legally competent to so instruct.

"I. T. U. JOURNAL A PERSONAL ORGAN.” "The publication in the International Typographical Union JOURNAL of the assault on the officers of the Philadelphia union by the executive council and the refusal to publish the reply of those officers indicates that a danger predicted has come to pass, and our national publication has become a personal organ, managed solely with the object of keeping in power the present executive officers.

"Every member of the International Typographical Union is taxed to pay for the publication of THE JOURNAL, and if it can not be edited impartially it had better be abolished."

The appearance of the above in the New York Unionist, a personal organ, by the way, is a sample of the misrepresentation that is being indulged in by, we are pleased to say, only a few craft-labor papers, and these are really personal organs. It is a special pleading in order to bolster up a particular contention in a certain case. THE JOURNAL is not a personal organ, and does not advocate the personal interests of the International officers. But when members of the International Typographical Union who may have personal grievances against the executive council, or any of its

members, and who also happen to edit or control labor publications, print unfair and misleading statements, based upon an apparent lack of knowledge, or born of a constant nursing of the grievances mentioned, then THE JOURNAL proposes to publish the facts. From the cry that is going up from the very few hostile publications, we are of the opinion that the facts hurt. The letter declining to publish No. 2's reply and giving the reasons therefor appears in another column.

THE Kansas State Society of Labor and Industry, at its last meeting, adopted the following resolutions:

Whereas, The legislature of 1905, having passed a bill providing for the purchase of ground, the erection of a suitable building thereon, and the purchase and installation of a permanent and complete printing and binding plant in such building, the whole to be owned and operated by the state of Kansas for the manufacture of books, reports, blanks and other printing necessary for the state or any of its departments; therefore, be it

Resolved, That this society of labor, composed of representatives of more than 100,000 organized wage-earning citizens of Kansas, in annual convention assembled, does hereby commend, approve and endorse that act of the legislature as wise and practical, and we express the hope that the legislature will, in the enactment of any further law governing said printing and binding plant, specifically provide that its management, in every department, shall at all times be in the hands of practical men selected solely on their merits as skillful craftsmen; and that civil service rules be made to apply, to the end that the experiment of state ownership, in this instance, at least, shall be a success; and, be it further

Resolved, That this state society of labor now go on record as demanding that, upon the expiration of existing contracts, the state of Kansas shall proceed to print, and sell at cost, the school text books necessary for the proper education of our children in the public schools, and thus relieve us of tribute to the great book trust.

Albert Griffin and R. I. Palmer, delegates from Topeka Typographical Union No. 121, were the authors of the resolutions. The book trust-which mainly offers non-union productions can be depended upon to fight this move to the bitter end. But no good reason can be advanced against the plan outlined by the Kansas Society of Labor and Industry.

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Reading Notices

DEATH OF GEORGE A. HOAG.

George A. Hoag, author of "Arithmetical Imposition of Forms," died at his home in Brooklyn, N. Y., Thursday, January 19, of nephritis, aged eighty-four years.

Mr. Hoag was born in Oneida county, New York state, the son of Ezekiel Hoag, who for sixteen years was judge of the county court. He received a liberal education and was a graduate of a Rochester university.

His life, for the most part, was spent in the printing business, as employe, editor and proprietor.

He was a veteran of the civil war, and for the last twenty years a member of Typographical Union No. 6.

His "System of Imposition" is unrivaled in the printing business, and it is destined to become the standard of imposition for the world; it is one that will solve the perplexities of the stoneman and qualify him for all the possibilities that exist in this department of the printer's or the pressman's work. By means of a simple formula, a system of developing and laying all kinds of forms is evolved.

THE Thaler keyboard, advertised elsewhere in this number of THE JOURNAL, is an excellent device for acquiring keyboard manipulation on the Merganthaler. It is endorsed by the Mergenthaler Company. A pamphlet of instructions is given with each board, which enables the pupil to acquire an expert method. It will prove a boon to any printer who wants to become an operator, but who can not afford to attend a school. A thorough familiarity with the keyboard is the great desideration in becoming a successful operator, and this can certainly be acquired by the aid of this ingenious device. It has the advantage of being made of metal, and, the keys being of spring brass, the pupil has a full opportunity of acquiring the proper touch. The great feature of it is that one can learn to operate at home during spare hours. It is sold by the Thaler Keyboard Company, 453 O street, N. W., Washington, D. C.

In the effort to perfect the organization of the International jurisdiction loyal support is being given by local unions. Many unique plans are made effective, and in all the work there is a de⚫ termination to erect defenses that will make our union practically impervious to assault on January 1, 1906. One union reports the appointment of a committee on organization. The committee will make effort to get into the union fold every printer in the city-one of considerable size--and also the apprentices. Continuing, the secretary says that "After this is accomplished, which will take some time, of course, we will devote our efforts to the surrounding country. I have compiled a list of members who have dropped out of our ranks for the past ten years and am now going over the American Newspaper Directory to see how many are running country papers. After this is done it is the intention to address them a letter, asking them to send us the names of every printer in their town. When these names are secured they will be asked to join as provisional members, setting forth in a letter the advantages to be gained by them. In the towns where none of our exmembers is located, it is the intention to secure a list of the printers through fraternal societies. For instance: In one town I can get the name of an officer of a fraternal organization of which I am a member. I will write him and ask him to send me the names of all printers employed there. As a brother member he will grant the request, and if he does not we will ask the same favor of another society member. In this way we will secure a directory of all of the country printers, and can keep in communication with them at all times. Then later on, if we think it advisable, we can organize a printers' labor bureau, which I think will interest every one of them. The typothetæ of this city is straining every effort to bring into its fold the country editor and printer proprietor, and is meeting with some success. The typothetæ is sending out a circular almost every week. It is its intention to send out two organizers later, and to get 'next' to those who do not respond to its circulars." Our unions should understand that the employers' association is not inactive. It is straining after every advantage. On our part, this is no time for senseless bickering, criticism and effort to destroy. Get your shoulder to the wheel and help push. "It takes à live fish to swim up stream; any old dead one can float down." Inelegant, but the truth. Therefore, organize.

ANOTHER PLAN THAT LOOKS GOOD.

Still another local union has appointed a committee on organization, and has listed the towns in the vicinity of its jurisdiction and divided these towns among the members of this organization committee. It is the intention of each member of the committee to visit the towns on his list and interview the printers not as yet in the union. It is believed in this way that many new applica

tions will be received, and in cases where the printers are not desirous of joining the union at this time, the movement we have under way will be explained, and thus, if trouble should occur, knowledge of the object sought will keep the coun try printer away from the strike centers. The organization committee is enthusiastic in its work, and there is a friendly rivalry as to which member of the committee shall secure the best results. The president of an eastern union informs me that eight-hour circulars have been mailed to the local membership, and that a letter has also been prepared which will be sent to the typothetæ and all job shops, "and will also recommend to the membership at our next meeting that a local organizer be appointed to look after non-unionists. This, in my estimation, will be a help to us in bringing in men from surrounding towns and will comply with your request contained in communication recently received." The organization committee of an Ohio union reports a canvass of its jurisdiction and vi cinity as under way, and expresses the belief that all competent printers will be secured. A Colorado union reports its jurisdiction as union in all printing offices, and is going' after six or eight printers in a nearby town. And so the good work goes. Are you a builder, or a demolisher?

URGING HARMONY AND SUPPORT.

Under the caption, "A Wise Suggestion," the Nashville Labor Advocate thus comments on our campaign for the eight-hour day: "President Lynch, of the International Typographical Union, says the eight-hour day can be accomplished without friction, provided we organize; that nearly all competent printers are in the typographical union,

etc.

We agree with Mr. Lynch that the eight-hour day can be accomplished if we organize, and if the 50,000 members stand as a solid phalanx and assist the eight-hour committee in every way pos sible, and not get the membership divided on 'some imaginary grievances' that a few disgruntled members have. Give your International Eight-hour Committee the support you should, and we venture the assertion that they will provide for the eighthour day in book and job offices on January 1, 1906." The Advocate also says that the editor of the Railroad Trainmen's Journal "pens a few pointed paragraphs that should be read carefully by the members of organized labor, especially the last paragraph relative to the eight-hour day movement for book and job printers to be inaugurated by the International Typographical Union on January 1, 1906. We agree with one of the employers who attended the meeting of the Citizens' Industrial Association when he said that the printers were organizing all the small towns. If the local typographical unions will keep harmony in their ranks and give the proper support to the officers of the International Typographical Union, the eight-hour day for book and job printers will be a fact." The paragraph referred to: "A very peculiar and pathetic plea was put up by one of the