and felt too important and would not do what the railroad company wanted them to do.

Now, brothers, you see very plainly that there is something lacking. We have Joint Protective Boards and we all have got something to say in regard to я schedule. Some people say you can't make the companies hire experienced men. We can try, brothers. Think of the large engines the railroads are getting to haul tonnage with and every time they put a larger engine in service that means another brother put on the tramp. What is he going to do? The other roads are doing the same thing, and he has to go out in the world and look for a job and has more or less trouble in securing one, and traveling is not so good in some parts of the country. Some places a man up to date with a pocket full of service letters can get transportation, and in a great many other places he can't. Why? Because the men don't ask for it. Brothers, we must ask for these things and we must make a stand for them. The railroads have increased their questions and answers in their book of rules. They are demanding more and more in the way of technical knowledge from their firemen and constantly increasing their responsibilities.

On another large railroad system in the northwest I found that the firemen were not being furnished ice for their drinking water in the summer time. As a result of my observations while traveling I have come to the conclusion that we haven't nearly as much as we could have and that probably could be easily gotten if asked for.

As to our political interests, let me say that in my opinion it would prove of great benefit to us if we would devote more time to politics and be careful who we vote for to represent us in Congress.

In some States they have laws preventing the railroads from hauling over fifty or sixty cars to a train. If every State had such a law think of the number of our unemployed men for whom work would be thus provided. In some places they haul 85 and 90 cars to a train. I

say, cut them in half and make two trains out of them. Then there would be two crews working where there is now only

one.

We should bear in mind that there is only one fireman to a train and that he is not making very much considering the work he performs and the tons of coal

he shovels. On one road over which I traveled the trainmen are being paid $3.71 per 100 miles while the firemen are getting $3.55 per 100 miles on a large Mikado type engine and $4.00 per 100 miles firing the Mallet type engine which, if it isn't worth $6.00 per 100 miles isn't worth anything, and yet the officials of this road will not hire experienced men unless the road is almost tied up for lack of men.

As to getting 100,000 members by 1913, as Bro. John W. Banser of Lodge 331 advocates in the May issue, let me suggest that it would also be a good thing to adopt a plan whereby jobs could be secured for brothers who are out of employment. A man should not be discharged on his personal record. Brothers who have never had to travel in search of work are fortunate, for there are thousands who have been driven to it. It has never been my desire to travel and be away from home and loved ones, but I have been forced to it because of being discharged on my record. It makes no difference whether a man's record is good or bad, if they wish they will discharge him "on account of disapproval of personal record" regardless of how good his service with them may have been. Congress should enact a law to protect a man against such treatment, and would but that we haven't got working men enough in the National law making body. Brothers, did you ever stop to think that you can be sued for slander in any State, but you can't sue a railroad company for preventing some poor man with a family from securing employment.

Relative to the proposition to provide for our aged members, it seems to me that the majority of the brothers who have expressed their views on this subject in the Magazine are in favor of helping them as far as the financial condition of the Brotherhood will permit, but, brothers, we must protect our grand old Order if we intend to accomplish things that will help us in general. Suppose we adopted some of the plans proposed, and after paying the insurance of all brothers entitled thereunder to receive same and then we should have a strike of any considerable proportions might we not find ourselves considerably embarrassed. It would undoubtedly mean large special assessments every month for the protection as well as the insurance departments. I would be in favor of all paying 50 cents a month for six months or one year

to start a fund with which to make some kind of provision for our aged members. I would like to hear from some other brothers along these lines.

B. A. FORESTER, Lodge 39.

Better Conditions.

I have been a member of the B. of L. F. and E. for seven years and have always been deeply interested in its welfare--many are the benefits we are enjoying from it, but I think there are opportunities for improvement.

We are aware of the sickening strife between capital and labor the world over. We have strikes, revolutions and what not. They bring untold suffering and hardship to the wage-earner only. They are brought about by oppression prompted by greed. The general cry is more money. In size of pay check we have sometimes gained only to be followed by increase in cost of living, responsibilities and more work, which more than balanced the gain. In the end we gained nothing and to some extent caused the public, our best friend, to share the increased costs. We can not afford to lose public opinion and favor. It is a very important factor when we have trouble. We should fight for conditions that will make life worth living. The Almighty did not create the wageearner to sleep and work only. I think by shorter hours, less unjust and undeserved suspensions, better working conditions in general, co-operative buying, and the good will of the public, we will be materially benefited. Therefore I think the organizations should all make a fight for greatly improved conditions.

PRESIDENT Lodge 220.

Eight Hours in Yard Service.

The brother from 444 is a man after my own heart. I am employed as a locomotive fireman in the greatest classification yard in this country, and we put in twelve hours continuously for a day's work, Sunday and every other day, cleaning fire and eating dinner during the meal hour.

The conditions we work under are very bad and they are getting worse. When a man works on an engine twelve hours, keeping the pressure up and the black

smoke down, about all he is fit for is to sleep during the remainder of the twenty-four hours. We get a fresh dispatcher on at 3 o'clock who is an eighthour man, and he makes us jump the balance of the day.

I think it is time the boys who work in yard service do something to better their condition. We are entitled to an eight-hour day at the same wage we get now for twelve hours, and if we get this thing started right it is bound to come. Get together, brothers, and talk this over. It would mean jobs for all the boys and better service for the employer.

MEMBER, Lodge 287.

Report of Wm. L. Best, Canadian Legislative Representative.

OTTAWA, ONT., June 15, 1912. The first session of the twelfth Parliament of Canada opened November 16, 1911, and prorogued on April 1, 1912, during which over fifty public bills were passed, and which received the royal assent at prorogation by His Royal Highness the Governor General of Canada.

Railway legislation and measures directly connected with the transportation question of Canada were given special consideration, such as the granting of subsidies to aid in the construction of

railways; for the purchase of material and supplies for use in the construction of railways, under certain conditions; for the construction of bridges; as well as special acts for the incorporation of several transportation companies. An extension of time was granted for the completion of the western division of the National Transcontinental Railway, also an amendment to the National Transcontinental Railway Act providing for the placing of the Eastern Division under the charge and control of one commissioner during construction.

Labor legislation, however, did not receive much consideration during the session just closed, owing to the large amount of routine work necessary to a new Parliament, as well as the great number of public bills requiring consideration.

The following proposed labor legisla tion was introduced, none of which, however, was enacted:

Bill "E," an act to amend Section 259 of the railway act, was introduced in the Senate on November 24th by the

Hon. Senator Casgrain, which provided for the payment of railway employes every two weeks. On January 30th the bill came up for second reading, but was laid over till February 6th, when the debate was again resumed. After quite an animated discussion on the merits and demerits of the bill, the House divided on the second reading, resulting in its being defeated by 26 to 16.

Bill 17, an act to amend the Dominion Elections Act, was introduced in the House of Commons on December 1st, by Mr. Claud Macdonall, M. P., and had for its object, among other things, the extension of the hours of voting on regular polling day.

A request was made by the railway legislative representatives for a further amendment to the act that would provide for one day previous to regular polling day for the purpose of affording to railway employes an opportunity to vote, who, in the course of their employment, would be absent on the regular polling day. Although our request was not granted, for the reason that it might interfere with the bill as introduced, the bill did not become a law.

The question of the disfranchisement of railway employes is one which, I am sure all will agree, should be given due consideration by the government of the day, and if possible, some legislation enacted whereby the conditions of employment would not necessarily interfere with the employes' privilege of exercising his franchise.

Bill 85, an act to amend the Lord's Day act, was introduced in the House of Commons on January 29th by Mr. Verville, M. P., for Maisonneuve, but did not become law.

Bill 86, an act to amend the railway act, was introduced in the House of Commons on January 29th, by Mr. Claud Macdonall, M. P., for Toronto. This measure was designed to give the Board of Railway Commissioners greater powers in regard to the control of railway sectionmen.

Bill 87, an act to amend the industrial disputes investigation act, 1907, was introduced in the House of Commons on January 29th, by Mr. Macdonall, M. P., for Toronto, the object of which was to make clear the right of a trades union to pay strike benefits to its members even though a strike may not be legally within the act as at present on the statute books.

As above stated, none of these bills became law.

While the session just closed has not been productive of any legislation of direct interest to labor, I have reason to believe that we are justified in anticipating more favorable consideration being given to proposed labor legislation at the next session. WM. L. BEst, Canadian Legislative Representative, B. of L. F. and E.

Freedom, Pa., Joint Union Meeting.

The joint union meeting held at Freedem, Pa., on May 27, 1912, under the auspices of Lodges 574 and 323 and the local divisions of the O. R. C. was well attended and a success in every way. We had with us Bro. Arthur J. Lovell, General Chairman of the Pennsylvania Lines West of Pittsburg, who made a very interesting address. There was much important business transacted at the meeting. C. F. LOREMAN, Recording Secretary, Lodge 574.

Unemployed Members Please Note.

I beg leave to direct the attention of the membership to article No. 28, section No. 9, page 125, of the Grand Lodge Constitution which relates to members out of employment.

As General Chairman of one of the large systems, I am often called upon by our officials to furnish them with firstclass firemen. When I receive such calls, I take it up with the Grand Lodge, but invariably they have very few applications on hand, with the result that I have to wire over the country for men, the Grand Lodge having to do likewise, and it often happens that by the time we hear from our men the places have been filled by men that the company picked up wherever they could get them.

I wish to suggest that if all our unemployed members will comply with the requirements of the section above referred to, also all men who are employed, and wish to change their location, and will furnish all this information to the Grand Lodge, whenever we are in need of men we can call upon the Grand Lodge and get them on short notice. I would further suggest that all men looking for employment or men seeking to change their location would also advise the Grand

H.G.Sissen,370 A.Schmidt, 137 C.A.Schroder,376 B.F.Hoagland,313 E.H.Pepper,489 T B.O'Connell,116 H. Dunn, 277

L. C. Cook. 298 Vice-Chairman

D. E. Williams, 669

L. E. Goodrich, 24 Chairman

H. V. Wiltse, 154 Sec.-Treas.

A. E. Finch, 374

W. A. Richardson, 400

Glen Willett, 359

Tom Roach, 734

H. B. Connell, 205

KANSAS STATE LEGISLATIVE BOARD, ORGANIZED AT TOPEKA, KANSAS, MAY 9, 1912