used for dog or cat urine stains. In all cases the oxalic acid treatment afterwards is required. The methods therefore of removing such stains are simple enough, but great care must be observed in the handling of those chemicals, as all of them are more or less dangerously poisonous. I have not as yet seen a single case where the proper application of the foregoing treatments has failed to produce the results required. In refinishing the wood the following is to be strictly observed to make a perfect job, and particularly if the wood has to be filled or stained to avoid a spotted or After clouded appearance of the finish. thorough cleaning and drying of the bleached surface do not sandpaper, but apply a thin coat of shellac which must be pure, greatly reduced with alcohol, about one-half the strength of the regular article used for finishing. Allow twenty-four hours, or as long as possible, for the shellac to dry; after which sandpaper and only then start your staining, filling or whatever finish is required. I have successfully used this method, but have found a good many wood finishers who could not see the advantage of it; in fact, some of them considered themselves so far advanced in their profession that they laughed about it. I suggest that you do a part of the work by your own method and another part as above given. The result will prove to you the great importance of my method. The shellac, be it ever so much reduced, will harden the raised fibers of the wood and by sandpapering (or using steel wool) you will cut the fibers off short, making a perfectly smooth surface; furthermore, the softer parts of the wood will absorb the shellac to some extent preventing the stain or colored filler to accumulate on those parts more than other sections of the surface, and will give a more uniform finish. This is particularly important and apparent where crosscuts of the wood are intended to show a uniform finish or color with the balance of the job. This treatment with shellac is intended for exterior as well as interior work, and is in no way detrimental for the best exterior work, providing the guaranteed pure shellac is used. on If aniline stains are not intended to be removed, but you wish to prevent them from striking through subsequent coating, particularly enamel or paint, etc., the following method is recommended to set or make such stains permanent. Take one pound of green copperas (ferro sulphide) and dissolve in one to two gallons of hot water. Add to it one-half the quantity of alum and apply one to two coats of this over the surface. CLEANING BRASS SIGN PLATES. An acid is useful for this purpose, oxalic acid being perhaps the best, but whatever acid may be employed it must be cleaned off afterwards with water, then when dry rub with sweet oil and tripoli powder which will preserve the brass from tarnishing for quite a long time. Soft soap and rottenstone are also good cleaners, as also a paste made from oxalic acid and whiting. This latter is to be applied wet, then let it dry, finally rubbing with a brush. CO-OPERATIVE GLASS WORKS IN SPAIN A glass factory run entirely by workmen has been established at La Granja on the site of the old mirror factory founded by King Carlos III. The establishment of these glass works has been carried out by a group of skilled workmen of Belgian, French and Italian nationality who entered the employ of the Reinosa glass works some few years ago. The adaptation of the old mirror factory to the carrying on of a modern industry has been effected by the workmen themselves, who worked as laborers to the bricklayers they employed. The management of the new works, which are capable of a monthly output of 500,000 square feet of pane glass, will be in the hands of the men who will be both employers and employes. NEWS ITEM. S. C. Johnson & Son, of Racine, Wis., have secured as their Pacific coast representative the services of Mr. H. M. Fitch, formerly in charge of the Physical and Technical Laboratory of the W. P. Fuller & Co., of San Francisco, Cal. Mind the paint; mind the paint! No matter whether the bills are settled or they ain't; Mind the paint; mind the paint! A girl is not a sinner just because she ain't a saint; But my heart shall hold you dearer You may come a little nearer If you'll only mind the paint. This expert knows decoration from mansion to cottage; from city skyscraper to country store. He knows goods and can speak from intelligent experience in their use. You know Bahlhorn and that he represents the best element in the Brotherhood, that his opinions are not for sale and cannot be purchased. Read in the December Number what he says. Alabastine The Beautiful Wall Tint has not always met the requirements of Mr. Bahlhorn. While willing to admit the many commendable features always possessed by the goods, he will tell you that in common with many other craftsmen he objected to the workings of Alabastine, particularly to the setting if left standing over night. So Alabastine Book strong had that prejudice become that when his attention was called to the fact that this had been entirely overcome in the modern Alabastine, he "had to be shown." Some practical men today are opposing the use of Alabastine honestly thinking the goods will not work to please them and are in their working qualities the same as they may have used years ago, or that their fathers may have used. Alabastine as now manufactured spreads freely, flows together making a perfect wall and may be kept in good working condition for days. Alabastine is a time saver and a money saver. Your customers know about Alabastine, its advantages, and want it used on their walls. They are willing to pay a good price for good work. Fill out the coupon at the bottom of this page and let us tell you how we can help you get business and why it will pay you to be listed up as an Alabastine Man in your town. Do this to benefit yourself, not us. ALABASTINE COMPANY GRAND RAFIDS, MICHIGAN Alabastine Company Please tell us what you can do to help us get business and how CORRESPONDENCE THE LOST ISLAND. (By E. J. AUSTEN and LOUISE VESCELIUS SHELDON. Published by Fels Fund of America, Cincinnati, Ohio). The Fels Fund of America has a publicity bureau in Cincinnati which is issuing literature on the "single tax." Mr. Joseph Fels, with his usual energy, has created a worldwide fund for the circulation and distribution of all the writings and works of Henry George, pamphlets and other propaganda for the single tax movement. The latest book from this press, beautifully printed and illustrated, is a work of fiction, entitled "The Lost Island." The story is of a ship's party which is wrecked on an island in the sout' ern Pacific, and events divulge the fact that one of their number holds an ancient title to the island. His attempt to enforce his rights among his unfortunate fellow sufferers, and make them pay him rent, and give their services for the use of his island, is used as the motive of the romance, which finally results in the abandonment of the island to the owner, incidentally exposing the injustice of our present day system of land monopoly. In a chapter contributed at the close of the story, by William Lloyd Garrison, the moral is pointed out in fine style. In the same cover appears the treatise by Henry George, "The Single Taxwhat it is and why we urge it," one of his most convincing arguments, which completes the book and makes it one that can confidently be placed in the hands of those who are questioning present economic conditions. BOLTON HALL. INDUSTRIAL UNIONISM, ITS MEANING, AND WHY IT IS NECESSARY. It is somewhat of a surprise to meet a union man who does not understand the meaning of Industrial Unionism, but more so to meet one who is taking an active part in the affairs of his union. It is with the hope that it will reach those individuals as well as those who seek to better their conditions that this article is written. Industrial Unionism, as its name implies, means the formation of all men working in any one industry into one union. For example, let us take the building trades, by the formation of all the crafts in that industry into one union it becomes an industrial union. So much for its meaning. Craft unions we well know did much to better the conditions of the workers and till a few years ago were able to obtain their demands with more or less success according to the strength of their organization, but within the last few years conditions have altered to such an extent that to maintain our conditions it becomes necessary to adopt a more progressive system of or ganization. The two most important factors we have to face under these changed conditions are the evolution of machinery and the trustification of industries. In the former case we find the improvements in machinery are constantly displacing large numbers of men, who, being forced on the labor market make the competition that much keener, the result of which is making the unemployed problem one we can no longer ignore. In the trustification of industries we have the natural result of the commercial system of today. To eliminate competition and to run business more economically trusts have been formed to control the industries, the individual contractor or manufacturer either being absorbed or crushed out of existence. In the building industry is this particularly oticeable, sub-contracting is fast disappearing, the work of each department being in charge of a superintendent or foreman. To keep the unions divided, the trusts will willingly grant an increase in wages to one of the more important crafts, provided they will not enter into a sympathetic strike with some other craft who are making demands also, and it is worthy of note that i the majority of cases under the present system of craft unionism the feeling is "my craft first." A craft prepared to strike to enforce their demands, in spite of the above conditions, find themselves face to face with that ever present weapon of the employing class -an overstocked labor market. Success under such circumstances is well nigh impossible and in consequence we are compelled to look: to more progressive methods to obtain better conditions. To meet combines on anything like an equal footing we, too, must combine, jurisdictional disputes and all others likely to cause friction must be eliminated, and first, last and all the time, we must fight for a shorter workday to enable the large army of unemployed to obtain a livelihood. While industrial unionism is not expected to solve the labor problem, it will go a long way towards bettering our conditions, and whether through indifference or ignorance we delay its coming, it will come just the same. As an economic organization it also has its merits. No one can say that our present system of organization is an economic one, and a large saving can be effected in this direction. In conclusion, the progress of industrializing the building trades in Great Britain is worthy of mention. Led by the Bricklayers, good progress is being made. Barriers are being removed with ease that heretofore were unthought of, and in spite of the opposition of paid officials who fear the loss of their jobs and the employers, its success is an assured fact. In view of these facts, and I challenge anyone to prove they are not authentic, can we afford to ignore the necessity of industrial unionism? Take it up in your Local and get one of its advocates to give you a lecture. With all misrepresentation and misunderstanding removed there can be no doubts as to its adoption by organized labor. E. STAPLES. L. U. 138, Vancouver, B. C. THE BUILDER AND THE SAGE. One day a son of earth resolved Anon great men came at his call Famed far and wide for skill; Designers, sculptors, builders all Prepared to do his will. Beneath the toil of these great hands One wise old man from far Cathay Then one arose more gray and bent, His logic proved beyond dispute, So artists then were sought with zest, The naked walls with paint the best Great cheers arose when it was through The color now applied; "Behold what paint and oil will do," The sage with triumph cried. OKLAHOMA CITY NEWS. I feel I should say a few words in behalf of Local No. 807 and on local conditions in our hopeless city. 807 is getting along nicely now. When I took my card out of L. U. No. 80 and put it in here a few months ago our treasury was about exhausted. There was a factional fight in the local, and what sailing there was was very rough. The organization was attempting to run under "motions" that had revised the local by-laws, no attention being paid as to whether they had been approved or not. If a dispute arose and I would attempt to hold up some law, they would turn to the minutes of such and such meeting, and things were all changed. Really, you were up against it for you didn't know which were the by-laws, the minute book or those in printed form. I was certainly surprised, for when I took my card out two years ago I was one of the trustees. We were in a thriving condition and had in the neighborhood of eight hundred dollars in our treasury. I learned that the good hearted brothers had sloughed it off. The meeting night after I deposited my clearance card I was elected president by unanimous vote. I immediately took up the drafting of new by-laws. A committee was elected, L. U. No. 807 and headquarters ratified and endorsed the new laws and I am proud to say today we are getting along nicely, have cut out all ill feeling and factional fights and got down to real buisness again. We have over two hundred dollars in our treasury, all members take a more active part and we are gradually gaining in attendance. In the near future we will be called as we used to be, "The foremost union in Oklahoma City." Now a few words on local conditions. They are not what they should be, though most of our members are working most of the time. When the Chamber of Commerce, about a year ago, declared for an open shop it put some locals of other crafts out of business and split organized labor. I believe if we can keep a few hot heads quiet, in the near future we will get the Chamber of Commerce to rescind its action, come out for a closed shop and stand for organized labor. As a great percentage of unions and their friends over this state fought Oklahoma City and supported Guthrie in the capital fight in the election just past, on the grounds that Oklahoma is an open shop city, the union men of our city decided the best thing for us to do was to show to the Chamber of Commerce and the labor haters |