beautiful display of dahlias and other flowers shown in the picture was blooming in great profusion, as would be the case in midsummer in the most favored section of the east. The people of California and of San Francisco particularly rightfully contend that the Panama Pacific exposition from an artistic point of view was the most beautiful undertaking of its kind ever erected. We are confident that no one who had the privilege of visiting the exposition will deny their right to this distinction.

From a trade union point of view no other exposition ever held in the world

compared with it, as every man employed in the construction of the splendid buildings and in laying out the grounds was a member of his trade union in good standing. This is a distinction which should make the trades unionists of California and the entire country very proud. That the union workmen of this country appreciated the fact that it was a union exposition from beginning to end is best attested. by the hundreds of thousands of men that patronized the fair during the time of its existence and helped materially to make a grand financial success.

One fact about our mineral resources that is pretty generally known is that our coal reserves are immense hundreds of millions of tons-and that the high-grade coal is in the East and the low-grade coal is chiefly in the West. Although we are the largest consumers of coal in the world, using nearly 40 per cent of the total world's production, we have as yet consumed but onehalf of 1 per cent of the total quantity the geologists estimate as present in the United States.

If need be, the United States can supply the world with coal. The supply of coal is here, and undoubtedly the capital, labor, and transportation facilities will be forthcoming if the price of coal rises sufficiently to warrant their use for this purpose. But it is to be hoped that the great bulk of our coal will be utilized at home in the upholding of our industries.

In the past there has been great waste in the mining, transportation, and use of coal in the United States. Much of the mining in the past 50 years was carelessly done, and a large quantity of coal was left in the ground in such a manner that the possibility of its future recovery is problematical. Unscientific mining is not entirely to blame, for under the press of wide

spread and unregulated competition mine operators have been under the necessity of getting the coal out of the ground at the least cost and without proper regard to high recovery and conservation. The apparent limitless extent of our coal reserves has made us prodigal in our waste of them.

Coal

is cheap in this country, and not until we put a higher value on it will proper attention be paid to its conservation in the ground.

Nearly three-fourths of our coke is made by the wasteful beehive process. Slightly over one-fourth is manufactured in ovens of the by-product type that permits recovery of gas, tar, ammonia, benzol and other products.

Many of the by-product coke establishments that in recent years were not equipped to recover benol and other chemicals are now equipping their plants to save these valuable sub

stances.

In the supply of anthracite coal, the United States stands alone. The supply of this valuable fuel, valued because of its cleanliness both in handling and use, is limited. At the present rate of consumption, the amount of anthracite yet unmined is not expected to suffice. for our needs for more than 75 years. Anthracite is a luxury.

The San Francisco Convention of the American Federation of Labor had before it perhaps a larger number of important questions than any preceding gathering of that body. As usual, the jurisdiction disputes between the several organizations took a large portion of the time of the convention. However, many questions of the greatest interest to the labor movement as a whole were given consideration.

In a short article, such as this, it is impossible to give even a brief outline of the questions before the convention. Our organization had several matters. considered, and perhaps the question of greatest importance at this time was the dispute between our organization and the International Brotherhood of Steamshovel and Dredgemen. The delegates representing the engineers introduced the following resolution:

Resolution No. 116-By Delegates Matt Comerford, J. G. Hannahan, R. G. Moser, John Glass:

Whereas, The International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers has made every honorable effort to bring about an amalgamation between the International Brotherhood of Steamshovel and Dredgemen and the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers; and

Whereas, The officers of the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers have met in a conference with the officers of the International Brotherhood of Steamshovel and Dredgemen, at which Mr. Samuel Gompers presided, and where the following agreement was reached, to wit:

"With the purpose of removing conflict between the membership of the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers and of the International Brotherhood of Steamshovel and Dredgemen, and to protect and promote the rights, interests and welfare of the membership of both these organizations, we, the undersigned representatives of the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers and International

and

Brotherhood of Steamshovel Dredgeman, hereby enter into an agreement by which these desirable purposes may be accomplished.

"Therefore, we agree―

"First. That all hostilities shall cease, and the undersigned pledge themselves for their organizations to prevent any discrimination against the members. of the other organization.

"Second. That a committee consisting of four members of each organization shall be selected for the purpose of drafting a plan whereby the International Brotherhood of Steamshovel and Dredgemen and the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers shall become amalgamated into one comprehensive organization.

"Third. That it shall be the duty of the committee herein provided to agree on the details of amalgamating both organizations.

"Fourth, That if there shall arise any point upon which the committee, herein provided, cannot agree, it shall be the duty of the committee to select a member in good standing of the trade union movement to act as a conciliator or arbitrator. Should the committee be unable to agree upon the selection of a conciliator or arbitrator, then the President of the American Federation of Labor shall act as, or appoint a representative of the American Federation of Labor to act as conciliator or arbitrator, and his decision on any disputed questions shall be final and binding upon the committees of both organizations, and the committees and the officers of both organizations shall earnestly recommend to their respective memberships the ratification of the entire agreement.

"Fifth. That when amalgamation of the two organizations shall have been accomplished, the amalgamated organization shall issue local charters to the local unions now part of the International Brotherhood of Steamshovel and Dredgemen without cost, and that local unions of steamshovelmen and dredgemen, part of the amalgamated interna

tional union, shall have the right to make their own by-laws and rules provided they do not conflict with the constitution and general laws of the amalgamated international.

"Sixth. The local unions of steamshovel and dredgemen shall have complete jurisdiction over all steamshovel and dredge work.

"Seventh. As assurance of good will for united action, it is declared by the parties of this agreement that the district plan of organization among the steamshovel and dredgemen shall remain in effect in case amalgamation is consummated.

"Eighth. The Amalgamated International Union shall apply to the Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor for a new charter under such title as may be agreed upon by the committee herein provided, and shall set forth the jurisdiction claimed by the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers and of the International Brotherhood of Steamshovel and Dredgemen as now recognized by the American Federation of Labor.

"Ninth. On the 23d day of August, 1915, at 10 o'clock in the morning, the committee of four from each of the organizations party to this agreement shall meet at the New Morrison hotel for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this agreement, and to devise the plan for the amalgamation as herein set forth.

"Tenth. This agreement shall be submitted to the general executive board of each organization for ratification and the full authority to act in accordance. with the terms of this agreement.

"Eleventh. The committee of four from each organization shall apply itself assiduously day by day to devise the plan for amalgamation and complete their work at the earliest possible day.

"Twelfth. When the plan of amalgamation has been formed and agreed to by the committee of four from each organization it shall be submitted to the membership of the International Brotherhood of Steamshovel and Dredgemen for ratification and submitted to the executive board of the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers for ratification. (The executive board of the latter or

The resolution, together with that portion of the report of the Executive Council dealing with the Steamshovel question, and the resolution introduced by Delegate Dolan of the Steam Shovelmen, was referred to the Committee on Adjustment.

The Committee recommended to the Convention that the Executive Council be instructed to continue its efforts to bring about an amalgamation of the Brotherhood of Steam Shovelmen with our International Union.

The dispute between the Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen and our organization came before the convention on resolution introduced by the firemens' delegates. The matter was referred to the Committee on Executive Councils' report.

The resolutions are as follows:

Resolution No. 150-By Delegates Timothy Healy, C. L. Shank, J. W. Morton and Wm. Brennan of the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen :

Whereas, By order of the St. Louis convention of the American Federation of Labor, held November 14-26, 1910, the following agreement was made and ratified, John R. Alpine representing the American Federation of Labor (as taken from page 306 of those proceedings):

AGREEMENT.

"Agreement entered into this 25th day of November, 1910, between the International Union of Steam Engineers and the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen, to the end that in the creation of agreements between the organizations herein mentioned and the respective employers thereof, better understandings may prevail and the best interests of all be more generally protected. It is mutually agreed by the subscribers hereto that. if the following plan is faithfully adhered to by the organizations at interest it will serve to effectually remove any and all disputes that have heretofore existed or that may arise in the future, and we guarantee to carry into effect the full spirit and intent of this agreement mutually entered into.

"Section 1. The International Union. of Steam Engineers and International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen

shall, through the directions of their respective international officers, cause to be created where local unions of both organizations exist joint local conference boards of equal representation, which shall meet from time to time as the occasion may require, with the object in view of mutually protecting each other's interests and promoting the creation of joint agreements with their employers. This action shall be taken as soon as possible and not later than January 1, 1911.

"Section 2. It shall be the duty of these joint conference boards to assist the international officers of the organization herein mentioned with regard to the creation of agreements between employer and employe, as well as assisting in the settlement of disputes of any nature that may arise.

"Section 3. In the event of disagreement between the conference boards already referred to, the international representatives of both organizations in dispute shall proceed to the scene of such dispute and endeavor to properly. dispose of the same. In the event of failure with regard to settlement, the president of the American Federation of Labor shall appoint some member of the Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor to act as referee, and the latter's decision shall be final and binding on all parties to this agreement.

"Section 4. Since it is mutually agreed by both parties to this agreement that the question of agreements. between the organizations herein mentioned and the employers thereof, as concerns the date of commencement and expiration of such agreements is primarily the cause for existing differences, it is therefore unanimously decided by the subscribers of this agreement that in the future, when creating new agreements with their employers, the International Union of Steam Engineers and the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen shall make such agreements jointly, and these agreements shall be identical with regard to date of commencement and expiration.

"Section 5. It is also further agreed that both organizations shall assist each other in organizing steam plants,

and members of the International Union of Steam Engineers who have the hiring of firemen, water tenders, oilers or helpers shall hire members of the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen wherever possible.

"MATT COMERFORD, "JOHN L. M'NAMARA, "JOHN J. GLASS, "JAMES G. HANNAHAN, "International Union Steam Engineers. "TIMOTHY HEALY, "C. L. SHAMP,

"JOSEPH W. MORTON, "International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen.

"JOHN R. ALPINE, "Representing American Federation of Labor.

"Vice-President Alpine: I move the adoption of the report of the committee and the ratification of the agreement. (Seconded and carried.)"

Whereas, At the St. Paul convention of the International Union of Steam Engineers, held in September, 1912, that organization changed its laws to take in firemen, water-tenders, boiler-washers, oilers and helpers, which class of men rightfully come under the jurisdiction of the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen, and by so doing violated the above agreement with the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen, made at the St. Louis convention; and,

Whereas, The Rochester convention of the American Federation of Labor, held November 11-23, 1912, passed the following resolution, and the committee reported on this case as follows (as taken from pages 337 and 338 of those proceedings):

"Resolution 120: Whereas, The proceedings of the bi-annual convention of the International Union of Steam Engineers held at St. Paul, Minn., in September, 1912, shows that the aforesaid organization extended a claim for jurisdiction by change of title and also by amending Article XIX, Section 1, to read as follows:

"A candidate for membership in a local of the International Union of Steam Engineers must be a competent. engineer or apprentice engineer. He shall possess a license in localities where such is required. When a can

didate presents himself for membership and is out of employment, the local union shall be judge as to the wisdom of admitting him to membership; and

"Whereas, From many localities. complaints have been received from local unions of the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen against the actions of the International Union of Steam Engineers for their infringements on the charter rights of the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen as granted by the American Federation of Labor in violation of Section 2 of Article II, and Section 11 of Article IX of the Constitution of the American Federation of Labor; therefore, be it

"Resolved, By the thirty-second annual convention of the American Federation of Labor that the said action of the International Union of Steam Engineers was in direct violation of the constitution of the American Federation of Labor and in conflict with the charter rights of the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen as granted by the American Federation of Labor; and be it further

"Resolved, That the International Union of Steam Engineers be, and is hereby, instructed to refrain from admitting to membership firemen, oilers, water-tenders, boiler-washers and firemen's helpers under the guise of apprentices, or any other term which may be applied to them, while employed at any of the above.

"The committee reported as follows: Section 2, Article IX of the Constitution of the American Federation of Labor provides that:

"No affiliated international, national, or local union shall be permitted. to change its title or name if any trespass is made thereby on the jurisdiction of an affiliated organization without having first obtained the consent and approval of a convention of the American Federation of Labor.'

"While the representatives of the Steam Engineers have assured your committee that it is not their intention to admit to membership anyone coming under the jurisdiction of the International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen without first having complied