My first duty after the first of the year was to attend the G. E. B. meeting in January, at the adjournment of which, in company with the other members of the Board, I visited New York City and Brooklyn, where some time was spent in an effort to adjust the existing differences and arrange a plan which we believe will bring results.

My next trip was to Jacksonville, Fla., where Local Unions No. 162 and 164 were on strike. I visited the employers, the locals and the District Council and found that there was a very stubborn fight on hand, both our members and the bosses standing pat. Repeated efforts to secure a settlement have so far resulted in failure, but as all our members were working, we have a good prospect of winning out in the end.

I was next instructed to proceed to Atlanta, Ga., where the members of L. U. No. 193 were preparing to make demands for better conditions. I found that all they were asking was a minimum scale of $2.50 for eight hours. We had a number of meetings with the bosses, but were unable to come to any understanding and were compelled to go on strike April 1. All of our members quit with the exception of three. We stripped all the shops of non-union men, taking from them forty men that had no cards. The committees appointed did excellent work. Men brought in by unfair bosses were taken in charge, some sent back, others given work. We were out only two days when the bosses began to sign up and the men to return to work. There is a good quality of work done in Atlanta and plenty of it. The great hindrance to better conditions is the number of cheap skates calling themselves contractors, who have no capital and depend upon the paint stores for backing. The outcome of the strike was a complete victory, resulting in a gain in membership and an increase in wages of 50c per day. The business men of Atlanta admit that the members of No. 193 rose a hundred per cent. in their estimation by the orderly manner in which they conducted themselves during the trouble. Over forty painters that carried no cards walked off of their jobs and reported every day at the hall until the strike was over. As a mark of appreciation of the fair manner in which they acted, the initiation fees were lowered and they were taken into the Brotherhood.

My next visit was to Tampa, Fla.,

where the members of L. U. No. 88 have been out since the first of the year. The carpenters had struck a few days before I arrived. The boys of 88 are putting up a determined fight. All attempts at a settlement have so far resulted in failure. A plan for arbitration was proposed by the leading business men, but it was not acceptable to either side. Matters were complicated by the securing of an injunction by the Jeton DeKel Lumber Co., against the B. T. C., and each individual trade represented therein. The president of the B. T. C., the president of each L. U. and several hundred members were summoned to appear June 5. Tampa is in serious need of a Structural Building Trades Alliance, as the old B. T. C. is a complete failure. The committees in charge of the strike at the time of my visit were doing excellent work and their plans, if carried out successfully, will bring about a satisfactory settlement.

After spending a few days in Memphis I went to Macon, Ga., where by appointment, I met Brother Lyons, our organizer amongst the railroad painters, and we held a mass meeting that night. Brother Lyons left the next morning for Knoxville, Tenn. After several days' work I succeeded in organizing three locals, the coach, car and railroad equipment painters, a local of white painters and paperhangers and a local of colored painters.

While at Macon, I was called to Atlanta to settle a little disagreement that had arisen between the painters and paperhangers, afterward returning to Macon. I made a trip to Americus, but found that the most of the work done there was done by Macon painters. I next went to Columbus. Things were very quiet at the time and very few men were at work, but a strong local will be established as soon as the fall work opens up. All the trades are poorly organized in Columbus. Hours are long and wages poor, but from the interest shown by the painters I interviewed, they will soon be on the road to better things.

I respectfully submit my first report of my first experiences on the road, and I trust that the membership in general and particularly in my own district, will give me their support in the future as they have in the past; that the organization will continue to grow and prosper in every locality so that each and every man engaged in any branch of the craft will carry a Brotherhood card.

IN MEMORIAM.

Bro. J. F. Kellie, of No. 608, Hammond, La. Bro. Edward J. Burg, of No. 118, Louisville, Ky.

Bro. C. E. Thomas, of No. 575, Winsted, Conn.

Bro. E. J. Reynolds, of No. 981, Kansas City, Mo.

LOOK OUT FOR THEM.

J. W. Cox, from Hamilton, Ont. Height 5 ft. 7 in.; weight, 160 lbs.; blue eyes; dark hair, slightly bald; illiterate and careless workman. Deserted wife and three children.

Chas. Hopkins, of L. U. No. 306, Memphis, Tenn., who deserted wife and children and absconded with funds of local. Notify R. E. McGovern, 169, S. Second st., Memphis, Tenn.

WATCH YOUR BENEFITS.

Local Unions in Arrears.

Any L. U. becoming two months in arrears for per capita tax to the General Office shall at once be notified by the G. S.-T., and failing to settle all arrearages in fifteen days from date of such notice its members shall not be entitled to benefits nor shall they be again entitled to benefits until three months after all arrearages are paid. Section 24 of the Constitution.

Unions two months in arrears on closing monthly accounts August 31, 1906:

131, 140, 276, 327, 382, 384, 394, 402, 421, 443, 468, 486, 544, 562, 591, 593, 604, 647, 657, 670, 677, 754, 828, 839, 853, 869, 883, 888, 920.

PERSONAL TO H. C. LAW.

If H. C. Law shows a disposition to right matters all will be forgotten and dropped. He should write at once to the secretary of L. U. 300, J. A. McGill, Room 14, Labor Temple, Seattle.

CORRECTION.

In the circular issued from headquarters in reference to the attitude of the trimmer manufacturers of Springfield, O., toward organized labor, we made an error, which in justice to the firm concerned we desire to correct. The polishing of the Simplex trimmer, although done in an open shop, is done by a union polisher in accordance with arrangements made between the firm that does the work and The Webster & Perks Tool Co.

EMBEZZLERS.

H. W. Hutchinson, of L. U. No. 401, Hot Springs, Ark.

LOST.

Due book and clearance card of Bro. Bert Glispie. Due book issued by Local No. 24, New Castle, Pa., and clearance card by Local No. 256, Long Beach, Cal.

Due book of Bro. Thomas Oaks, of L. U. No. 61, St. Paul, Minn.

CONFERENCE WITH THE AMALGAMATED SHEET METAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE.

The officials of the Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers' International Alliance having under consideration the submission to their membership of a proposition to affiliate with the National Structural Building Trades Alliance and desiring to be able to place the matter clearly and intelligently before their membership, requested a conference with a committee from the Brotherhood in order, if possible, to arrive at some understanding regarding jurisdiction over the At glazing of metal skylights and sash. the suggestion of the officials of the N. S. B. T. A. the conference was held at the Briggs House, Chicago, on August 20th.

The committee representing the Sheet Metal Workers consisted of President A. O. Sullivan, T. A. Pouchot and T. Redding. The Brotherhood was represented by Brothers Max Hahn, Henry Rower and J. C. Skemp. President Kirby was present on behalf of the Alliance.

The matter was discussed at length and while no final solution of the differences of the two organizations was found, a more thorough understanding of the position of each party to the controversy was arrived at and it was finally decided that the Sheet Metal Workers would request the Board of Governors of the Structural Alliance to pass upon their jurisdiction claims.

Of T. H. Ryan. Last heard from May 14th from St. Louis. Height 5 feet 41⁄2 in.; weight, 140 lbs.; black hair, blue eyes; right thumb disfigured.

Of J. D. Parks, formerly of South Bend, Ind. Notify Mrs. Sadie Parks, No. 482 W. Van Buren st., Chicago, Ill.

Of H. Mills, of Waterbury, Conn. Notify Edw. W. Storz, Waterbury, Conn., box No. 108.

Of Wm. Stryck, member of L. U. No. 89, North Hudson, N. J. Age 39, brown hair and eyes, weight 160 lbs. Tatooed on left arm. Notify Mrs. M. Deetz, 69 Bloomfield St., Hoboken, N. J.

Of relatives of the late Brother Byron Shackelton, of L. U. No. 571, of Gainesville, Fla., formerly of Ludington, Mich.

Of the whereabouts of Geo. W. Barber, ago 51, formerly Fin. Sec. of L. U. No. 538. St. Augustine, Fla. He is charged with forgery, embezzlement of the union's funds and obtaining money under false pretenses. Notify this office and H. T. Rousseliere, Gen. Del., St. Augustine, Fla.

FINED.

J. R. Cheek, of Dallas, Tex.

L. C. Stone, L. C. Rogers, A. A. Parsons, F. W. Schultz and Geo. E. Perkins, of L. U. No. 575, Winsted, Conn.

J. C. Downing, T. Ricker and J. N. Pridgeon, of L. U. No. 368, Washington, D. C.

Sam Phillips, of L. U. No. 174, Passaic, N. J.

ERROR IN DIRECTORY.

In Selma, Ala., are two local unions of the Brotherhood, the members of one are white, of the other, colored. By an error, they were improperly classified in the list of unions published in the August Painter and Decorator. Local Union No. 320 is the white local; Local Union No. 636, the colored local.

President Fallieres, of France, on August 30 signed a decree bringing the compulsory rest-day law into operation on September 1. There is much interest attached to the attitude the restaurant-keepers and cafe proprietors will take, and whether they will carry out their threat to close all their establishments Sunday.

GOOD NEWS.

New Orleans, La.-After a vigorous campaign under the management of General Organizer Sullivan, the painters of New Orleans have obtained the closed shop and an agreement with the employers which provides for a minimum wage of $3.00. This splendid victory will have a marked influence throughout the South. Every painter, employer or journeyman will know of it and be ready to fall in line in the procession.

Wellsville, O.-L. U. No. 651 has secured an increase of twenty cents per day without difficulty, which makes wages in Wellsville $3.00, a splendid record for an Ohio town of its size. Other Ohio towns, should make a note of what can be done by energy and determination where harmony prevails. Fifty-three hours constitute a week's work, but will not do so always.

ORGANIZER HAYBL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

On arrival in Los Angeles I found conditions most deplorable and discouraging. The various unions of the building crafts, with few exceptions, were in a disorganized state, one-half in the Building Trades Council and the others pulling away from it, while open shop prevailed. Painters' Local No. 267 had a membership of about 350, with betwen 500 and 600 non-union painters working in the city, pot and brush contractors (coyotes) cutting prices; no Master Painters' Association to deal with and the big bosses refusing to be interviewed. Worst of all, the wholesale paint houses were figuring on work and turning it over to nonunion men with the proviso that some special brand of dope, sold by them, was to be used on the job and of course, paid for before they could get a draw-down. As the work was figured away down, Mr. Jobber who was looking for work got it, but got very little pay. Believing that the best method of working would be to get the surrounding towns organized and at peace with their employers, I proceeded to Santa Monica, Ocean Park and Venice, three beach towns about a mile apart, and organized Local No. 652, which is now in a healthy condition with about forty-five members.

I next visited San Diego. Local No. 333 has been on strike for over eight months and its membership has dropped from 76 to 40. Open shop prevailed and the Master Painters Association is powerful. The local instructed me to try to get a settlement with the employers, believing that if

a committee went with me, no good would result from the visit, as a bitter feeling existed between the local and the bosses. After hard work I succeeded in getting before the Master Painters' Association and a committee was appointed to meet me for the purpose of drawing up an agreement that would end the strike. The local struck for $3.50 per day and the closed shop. The association insisted on the open shop and a sliding scale. After three meetings I succeeded in reaching an agreement which calls for the closed shop, a conference committee of five from each organization to settle all disputes, arbitration of all differences, no strike or lockout by either party, enforcement of the working card system, all men working in open shops to be taken into the union at charter membership rates without fines and a minimum rate of wages of $3.00 per day, men receiving more than this rate not to be reduced. The local has not as yet seen fit to accept the agreement, objecting to the last two clauses. There are over fifty non-union men in San Diego, and the local is losing ground. The agreement outlined would save the local, securing them the main point-the closed shop.

I next visited San Pedro, where some trouble with a contractor existed. I succeeded in adjusting this matter to the satisfaction of the contending parties and next visited Long Beach, where I found the local in a fairly good condition. They are a fine set of men and thoroughly conservative and I believe they have a fine future.

The best local in these parts is Pasadena, a splendid body of men, well governed and best of all, at peace with themselves— and this is only eight miles from Los Angeles.

I

Having completed this circuit, I turned my attention in downright earnest to Los Angeles. I sent out circular letters to the boss painters, inviting them to a meeting to discuss trade conditions and the formation of a Master Painters' association. There was a slim attendance and at the suggestion of two contractors I left the formation of the proposed association in their hands. next requested the local to reduce its initiation fee of $15.00 to $3.00 and they complied. Business Agent Joe How-who is an untiring worker-and I, called on both the non-union bosses and their men and submitted copies of a proposed agreement to the former and application blanks to the latter. The result of hard work is showing; twenty-eight applications the first week; eight initiated and twelve applica

tions the second week; third week, fourteen initiated and fifteen applications.

The bosses have no confidence in the local, which makes the work much harder, but I believe this feeling is being overcome. Several firms had notices posted, "Union men not wanted," and one firm put a slip in the pay envelope notifying the men that if they joined the union they must quit. These notices are now removed and the latter firm has now ten union men out of eleven or twelve employed.

I have never ceased in my efforts to get the Building Trades Unions to work in harmony; have spent the evenings visiting the various locals and addressing them and getting them to put forth every effort to organize and am rendering every assistance in my power to other crafts in order that the painters may be aided. During the past two weeks almost every union of building mechanics has taken on a new lease of life. The three Carpenters' locals averaged 150 candidates initiated per week and expect 100 more in one local alone tonight. The Building Trades Council has added several new locals to its ranks, a Central Labor Council has been formed and several new locals started. Altogether Los Angeles today is not the Los Angeles of last month and is in a better condition than at any time during the past two or three years, but the work must be kept up and completed. All signs point to the closed shop here this winter, and painters who want to winter here will find the old trick of keeping their C. C. out of sight will not work, so take notice.

Los Angeles is the hardest proposition ever put up to an organizer, but so confident am I of success that I have sent for my clearance card and will place it in No. 267 and until the fight is won or we are hopelessly beaten, this will be my home town.

ORGANIZER STREIFLER IN ALABAMA

AND MISSISSIPPI.

In the last two months I have organized two unions of house painters in the city of Montgomery, Ala., also a local of the National Structural Building Trades Alliance, with which are affiliated nine of the building trades organizations.

Before taking leave of the state I succeeded in placing two charters in the city of Selma, one composed of colored painters, who are there in sufficient numbers. I received valuable assistance from the A. F. of L. organizer, Bro. Bean, a very able and active member of the Colored Carpenters' union.