Toys worth more than $300,000,000 went to American children last year, and 90 per cent of them were made in America! Twenty years ago 90 per cent of them were made in foreign countries. Jim Crow says: Intense cold never causes the coal dealer to worry about frozen assets. Although disease germs cannot stand intense heat, the germs of lockjaw can survive for ninety days. Another sign of the times is that $15 silk shirts are now featured only at Christmas season. Listen, girls! The boyish bob is doomed. So comes word from the Millinery Association of America. In anticipation of the spring trade, the milliners are making the hats an inch larger in headsize to allow for the curls and waves of the bobbed head, which will cover the ears. The country has more than 40,000,000 savings bank depositors and 62,000,000 life insurance policies. Could there possibly be any better argument than a SAVING WAGE? A Scotchman wished a Happy New Year for 1928, 1929 and 1930 on one card to a favorite radio entertainer. Get these New Helps for Painters and Decorators The man who does the finest up-to-date work is the man who gets the best business. These books will show you how to product the finest effects. Practical methods fully explained and illustrated. WOOD FINISHING, PLAIN AND DECORATIVE. By Vanderwalker. Materials, formulas, methods fully explained, 360 pp., $2.00. MIXING OF COLORS AND PAINTS.-The science and art of color blending. Color chart and many illustrations. 296 pp., $2.00. NEW STENCILS AND THEIR USE.-By Vanderwalker. 148 pp., $1.25. FURNITURE, FURNITURE FINISHING, DECORATION AND PATCHING.-Complete treatise on period and modern furniture. 543 pp., fully illustrated, $5.00. THE ROSS CRANE BOOK OF HOME FURNISHING AND DECORATION.-A great help and a great hit. Will make you a real expert in home decoration. 6 color plates, 115 other illustrations. 275 PP., $3.00. HOUSE PAINTING METHODS.-Color chart, 141 illustrations, 386 pp., $2.00. MODERN PAINTER'S CYCLOPEDIA.-"Most useful book ever written for painters." 8 plates, 106 illustrations, 464 pp., $2.00. STUDIO HANDBOOK.-Letter and Design, $3.00. AUTOMOBILE PAINTING.-By Vanderwalker.Complete treatise for painter or garage repair man. 200 pp., illustrated, $1.50. SCENE PAINTING AND BULLETIN ART.Large size, fully illustrated, $4.00. ESTIMATES, COSTS AND PROFITS.-The business side of painting and contracting. 133 pp., $1.50. THE ART OF SIGN PAINTING.-Large quarto size, 264 pp., fully illustrated, 75 alphabets, $4.00. STRONG'S BOOK OF DESIGNS.-Large quarto size, 200 pp., over 300 designs. Finest ever published, printed in colors, $4.00. ART OF SHOW CARD WRITING.-Large quarto size, 240 pp., fully illustrated. A fine work, $4.00. "A SHOW AT" SHO' CARDS.-Large size, 300 Pp., $4.00. THE SIGNIST'S MODERN BOOK OF ALPHABETS.-200 pp., $1.50. THE AMATEUR ARTIST.-160 pp., $1.50. Every book guaranteed; money back if not satisfied. Order from this page. Send for FREE circular on books for painters and FREE catalog of our 200 other practical mechanical books. FREDERICK J. DRAKE COMPANY, Publishers 1002 South Michigan Avenue, CHICAGO The Union Did It-Of Course! In the December issue of the Master Painter and Decorator, John Boyd, a regular monthly contributor to that very well edited and sprightly trade magazine, writes on the subject of "The Good NEW Times", and in his story relates the advancement of the journeymen into conditions which are in strong contrast to the former harrowing and as we now view it, inhuman treatment of the men working at the trade. Mr. Boyd contrasts the present day conditions with those existing as far back as 1880, and relates how the men had to take their own materials to work in a two-wheel push-cart (or as he terms it, "a contraption with a handle bar on either end, and a box below the axle for holding paint pots, brushes and other small stuff), thus as the old-timers in the industry who can look back and note that the painter in those days will recall that they were just a degree removed from the draft horse or tough-hided mule. In connection with the story which Mr. Boyd wrote, he expressed this very true statement: "After that time the unions became strong enough to demand the eight-hour day, and gradually boosted the rate until they have reached their present elevation . . . along with the FIVE-DAY WEEK." Continuing, Mr. Boyd remarks that: "Yes, indeed, there has been a wonderful change in the painting trade during the past half century, mainly for the betterment of both master painter and journeyman!" It is strange that many men who have been so vastly benefitted by the conditions which our International Union have obtained for ALL men in the painting and affiliated trades, and who are yet not members of the Brotherhood wouldn't show a degree of reciprocity,, by becoming members of the organization, which redblooded human being should show in appreciation of efforts made in their behalf and UNHESITATINGLY JOIN IN THE GREAT WORK OF FURTHER IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF THE MEN WHO WORK AT THE TRADE. any "T FROM OUR UNION PRINTER PAINTER FRIENDS IS a wondrous age we live in, we're living awful fast; the ocean's full of airplanes and the air is full of gas. Our banks and filling stations are robbed by robbers bold, and bootleg booze is bootlegged in exchange for our good gold. We are urged to live the simple life to all mankind be fair; we hear our preachers preach it both in church and through the air. Our women wear their dresses short their knees just at the edge; but never did I know before so much of them were legs. But why be pessimistic? Let's all be of good cheer; so I wish each Union worker a happy, prosperous year.-F. E. HEILAND, STAY AWAY FROM THE CITIES LISTED ON PAGE 41.. THERE'S A REASON! A Union School for Union Painters ILLINOIS COLLEGE of PAINTING and DECORATING, Inc. Indorsed by Painters Council No. 14 Special courses in the following: New methods of decorating by the Resident School Olny For further information, call or write to 539 South State Street, TH Workmen on Union Job Get Credit HE Kansas City Star is the leading newspaper in that section of the country, and as such publishes in their columns the constructive opinions of its large clientele of readers. This magazine is favored with a clipping from the KCS, written by Mrs. Frank H. Allen of Kansas City, and as it speaks so well for organized labor, in connection with the construction of Loew's Midland Palace of Amusement that it is well worth printing. Credit to the Workmen Who Built Loew's Midland To The Star: Several times since the recent opening of the new Loew's Midland theater there have been articles in The Star, editorial and otherwise, expressing appreciation and commendation of the efforts of individuals who made this wonderful building possible. I agree with every word that has been said. to the However, I wish to call attention great army of workmen who actually executed the specifications of the architect, each one an artist in his particular line. Each individual, however menial his task, was necessary to make the pattern complete in the end. Day after day these men risked life and limb to put each brick and stone and giant beam in its proper place. Years ago our forefathers founded our great nation on the belief that "in union alone there is strength," and in building this wonderful structure these men have built a monument to themselves and their ideals-because the work which each man performed with such diligence and care became so interwoven and intermingled with that of his fellow workmen that at last it was lost in the magnificence and splendor of the whole. Every man who helped in constructing this building was affiliated with some department of the American Federation of Labor, a nationwide organization of intelligent working people, who are striving for better conditions, not only for themselves but for their fellowmen who are unorganized for the unorganized have, indirectly, benefited by every battle which organized labor has fought and won. So let us remember the men who furnished the muscle and skill for this masterpiece, as well as those who furnished the money, for either would have been, useless without the other. MRS. FRANK H. ALLEN. 2111 West Forty-seventh terrace. There are many opportunities open to friends of organized labor to express sentiments similar to those expressed in the foregoing and would serve such a great and useful end, that we hope that others who feel as does Mrs. Allen will use space in their local newspapers to aid the cause of organized workers for the establishment and maintenance of favorable working conditions, such as members of organized labor are constantly striving to secure. RABBIT-PROOF PAINT FOR TREES Joseph S. Storey, a horticulturist of North Ogden, Utah, has found by using a paint composed of two pounds of sulphur, two pounds of yellow ochre, one ounce of asafoetida, one gill of turpentine, one gill of linseed oil, six eggs and one-half pint of wheat flour, to which is added a sufficient quantity of milk to make ten quarts of the mixture, that rabbits will not eat the bark of trees. The asafoetida, it is reported, should be dissolved in hot water before being placed in the mixture. The total cost of the paint is only $1.50 and the quantity obtained will enable the painting of five hundred trees. As a matter of fact, if asafoetida is added to any kind of paint applied to trees neither rabbits nor hungry man will try to digest the bark. There are 30,000 crippled children in New York State, the chief cause being infantile paralysis. S this page is being prepared for the A printer, we are looking into the New Year with a feeling of accomplishments worth while to men who have been far-seeing enough to cast their lot with the great altruistic movement in which our International Brotherhood has so splendidly functioned. In one of Bill Nye's books of humor, the following discourse of a farmer may strongly punctuate the necessity for greater co-operation between all members of this big Building Trades Organization: "I've put in 50 years farmin'. I've worked from 10 to 18 hours a day; raised a family and learned upwards of 200 calves to drink without blowing their vittles up my sleeve. My wife worked alongside o' me sewin' new seats on the boys' pants, skimmin' milk and even helpin' me load hay. For 40 years we toiled along together and hardly dared to stop and get acquainted. Then her health failed. And one day she took a long breath and she says to me, 'Henry,' says she, 'I've got a chance to rest,' and she puts one tired woreout hand on top the other, and I knew she'd gone where they don't work all day and do chores all night. I took time to kiss her then. I'd been too busy for a good while previous, and then I called in the boys. They're all gone now, and the snow is four feet deep up there on mother's grave." So Forth have his place in the sun and a fair show so long as he lives up to the rules of the game." What better brief could be written for the journeymen who are organized into a trade union than the one coming from the head of the industry? And yet, it occurs that so many men Fire! Do You Know ThatOne-half billion dollars' worth of homes is destroyed by fire each year? Sixty per cent of all fires occur in homes? Twelve thousand lives are lost by fire each year? The per capita loss from fire in this country is eleven times as great as in Europe? It is stated that ninety per cent of the fires in this country are preventable? The foregoing is offered as a picture of the trials of the men in bygone days who brought into life our organization, and as a result, with a decent living and saving wage, when obtained, we can continue our great helpfulness, one to the other, and while doing so, rear a happier family in the atmosphere of true and practical loving kindness. James B. Keister, recently elected President of the National Paint, Oil and Varnish Association, has according to Paint, Oil and Chemical Review, given expression to these words in a message: "I have a profound conviction that the time is here, right now, when every business man, whether in our industry or some other, must be made to see that the present system of cut-throat competition, in evidence in practically every line of commercial enterprise, is deliberate suicide, and must be replaced by a kindlier collective policy, with every man willing that his competitor shall in big business howl their heads off when in the interest of collective bargaining, union workers seek to get their fellow craftsmen into this collective organization in order that unfair and "cut-throat" competition may be eliminated. As long as journeymen are outside of the ranks of organized labor, there will be "cutthroat" competition, and if the remedy as suggested by President Keister is applicable to the interests who make and sell the products which are appied by the journeymen, then also it is as vital for the same interests to FOSTER and ENCOURAGE organization of the workers into the unions of their crafts and thus go a long way toward eliminating "cutthroat" competition, so vehemently referred to by Mr. Keister as being unnecessarily in existence in commerce, which by the same token applies to man-power. The new Ford is out and thus "the cat is out of the bag" as to specifications, mechanically, looks, etc., and now 118,000,000 people in this country can go about in the even tenor of their way. Ford made the statement to the public press that he expected to market $800,000,000 worth of the new "Henrys" this year and this brings us to the thought that his close corporation will take in, in cash (for Ford makes the dealers put up the cash before they get their allotment of cars), more than twice as much as smokers contribute to the United States Treasury for taxes on their favorite enjoyment, since the amount of taxes in figures at hand show that the tax amounts to $376,170,205.04, which amount of taxes, is not a "pipe dream" either. Lafayette, our General Headquarters' city, has |