and promoters of this order, and wishing her many Happy returns of the Day. I remain,

Sincerely and fraternally,

J. B. INNERARITY.

HOUSTON NO. 28.

Houston Lodge No. 28 was organized February 28, 1902, being one of the first lodges of the old O. R. Clerks. Excuse this flattery, but No. 28 had the honor of being the banner lodge of the South until the 1904 convention in St. Louis, having seven delegates in attendance. Then fate began to take a part in its existence. Lodge No. 28 secured the 1904 convention for "Heavenly" Houston, Texas, (as it is known), but nevertheless the 1904 convention was transferred to St. Louis on account of the World's Fair being held in the Mound City. Then it was ordained that No. 28 could have the 1905 convention. But alas, Kansas City, Mo., secured it with a little wire pulling. Finally No. 28 was honored with the 1906 convention regardless of the opposition of many. Ask any one who attended the Houston convention and they will truthfully say it was one of the grandest conventions ever attended; and one they will ever remember.

No. 28 has had its knocks, but it never has fallen. While you will hear some of the knockers say: "We had a local here once, but it went by the board." Arise! you envious knockers and take notice, for its still on the way! and you are reaping some of the benefits it has fought for as well as paid for; and it will ever stand, just as the Historical Alamo.

Has it ever done any good for its members? Yes! It has helped many unfortunate member of No. 28, as well as other lodges, who were in need. To quote the many instances would take too many pages of The Clerk and we want to give other lodges a chance to tell you what they have done, as the writer knows they have done likewise. Anyway it has fed the hungry, clothed the ragged, administered to the sick, housed the homeless and buried the dead, having its own lots in a cemetery in this city. It is now trying to establish a home for superannuated clerks, a 40-acre track of fertile land being offered to us as a bonus. It secured the 1 o'clock Saturday closing in Texas, being the author of the movement that led to a general understanding which

obviates the necessity for a petition as at first, and instrumental in securing some increases in pay as well as maintaining the present salaries of clerks in this vicinity. Now! If you don't think it pays to be a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks all I have to say is that you are very dull of comprehension and do not know a good thing when you see it.

A membership card in Houston Lodge No. 28 is the only recommendation you need in business in the city of Houston, as its members have kept up the highest standard of manhood and never permitted a member to be other than a gentleman. What more would you ask? Yours fraternally,

BRUNSWICK No. 201.

I know it has been quite a long time since any one of our lodge has written The Clerk, therefore would ask that if you are not over crowded that you spare me a brief space in your December issue.

Our little lodge, No. 201, is doing fairly well, but we have about the toughest lot of "non" in this town that an organization was ever up against; but what men we have here are also just as staunch as possible and do all in their power to advance the welfare of the brotherhood. And I intend, if you will furnish me with some good reading matter on organization, to go after the nons and not let up until they are brought into our ranks; and I know that all our members feel as I do on this subject. We had one visit from Brother McLeod and also one from Brother Riley, but owing to the briefness of their stay here they could accomplish very little. Therefore I wish to put this matter squarely before our lodge here and let us all get busy and work on the non-members on every occasion, and I believe we will soon have some good news for the next writer to report to the "Clerk."

Good luck to the boys on the N. Y., N. H. & H., they have made a noble stand and deserve success.

Yours sincerely,

LAWRENCE NO. 85.

It has been a long time since Lawrence Lodge No. 85 has been heard from through the columns of the Clerk and it behooves yours truly to get a hustle on and make a big noise or he will lose his job, as this crowd of hustlers in Lawrence are and have been making things lively now for some time. Maybe there has not been something doing here in the Queen City of the Merrimac Valley since I wrote last? Well, I guess yes.

To begin with the Inward and Outward Freight departments have been separated, the inward freight now being received over in South Lawrence in a handsome new freight house, six hundred feel long and sixty feet wide, with seventeen receiving doors and the same number for discharging and a very commodious office building. The outward freight department has not been changed a great deal, the clerical force, etc., remaining at the old stand on Essex street.

On November 1 Mr. M. P. Barber, Jr., formerly agent at Dover, N. H., succeeded Mr. C. A. Haseltine, who resigned on account of ill-health, as general agent at Lawrence, Mass.

I regret to state that Secretary-Treasurer Marier has resigned, to take effect as soon as possible, urging that he is unable to give his best efforts to the interests of the order, owing to his many and increased duties.

Since my last letter Brother A. E. Marier has joined the vast army of benedicts by taking unto himself a wife. May a long life filled with joy and happiness be the lot of this popular couple, is the wish of all the members of Lawrence Lodge.

Although we dislike the idea of losing the valuable services of our secretary, stit would be unfair not to relieve him of this part of his duties, knowing that at any time he would be glad to give any and all assistance in his power, to help his brother along, and put these duties on one of our many bachelor members.

The great amount of work on hand, besides the installation of a new lodge at Bridgeport, Conn., on the 27th inst., prevented Brother J. J. Forester being with us. But we prepared two candidates for the next meeting which, by the way, will prove a red hot one owing to the fact that at that meeting the election of officers for the coming year will be held, also the report of Brother J. J. Johnson of the board of adjustment, relative to the meeting with the officials in Boston, on the schedule matter, will be made; and last, but by no means least, the report of the dance committees will be submitted.

Our regular monthly meeting held on the 27th, brought out a fairly good attendance, yet we cannot feel satisfied, a lack of interest manifests itself on meeting Sundays, which at this time proves most harmful to our existence, as such very important work is being carried on by our committees that they should have the assistance which might be rendered by a full attendance, the benefits from which would not be shared in by a select few that attend the meetings regularly, but by all; and why the committees do not have the needed assistance of our absent members is surely up to the absentees to answer. The date and importance of our meetings are certainly posted in time

to prevent any clash in engagements for the fourth Sunday of every month.

Much interest was manifested at the nomination of officers and judging from the list of names now on the slate, when the new administration starts in they will make Lodge No. 85 one of the best in New England, if not the very best.

The dance committee held a meeting before the regular one and shaped plans for our coming annual event, which, with any kind of weather different from the brand served up on the occasion of our last annual, is bound to prove a success, judging from the enthusiasm shown by the members.

On account of the steady increase in business our office force has been increased by the addition of eight new clerks, each one of them a prize in himself, and in due time they will grace our meetings by their presence and helpful suggestions.

In closing let me ask the clerks of Lawrence Lodge to get together and assist in every possible way the different committees formed to advance the interests of the Brotherhood. Remember that by doing so you are helping yourself to gain that which we are striving for and which is much wanted.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year, Sincerely and Fraternally,

CARD 25.

CHARLESTON, W. VA.

It has been a long time since I noticed anything from any of the C. & O. clerks, as all of the C. & O. lodges seem to have fallen from grace; however, I was very glad to notice from the November Clerk that Thurmond Lodge No. 42 has been reclaimed and hope the good work will continue until we have the entire system thoroughly organized from Cincinnati to Fort Monroe. We have no lodge here, but I hope that we will soon have this one reclaimed.

I have never realized the necessity of organization as fully as I do now; being in the heart of the coal fields of the Kanawha and New River Districts, I come in daily contact with a number of the coal operators and mine workers. Until about four years ago this district was thoroughly organized and non-union men were very scarce, but the coal operators got together and sprung

a surprise on the mine workers by notifying them that they would no longer do business with the union, and they did not feel strong enough to strike, so they were put out of their houses, and forced to leave if they did not give up the union. On April the 1st, 1909, the operators notified them that effective that date working hours would be from 7 a. m. to 12 m. and from 12:30 to 5:30 p. m. instead of from 7:30 a. m. to 12 m. and from 12:30 p. m. to 5 p. m. theretofore that is, ten hours to constitute a day's work instead of nine, as before, and they would pay once a month instead of twice. The miners not being organized had to submit to this and there seemed to be few, if any complaints as to the change.

Brothers, let us stick together and advance the cause all that it is possible for us to do, and impress upon the nons the importance of joining the union; and what is of still more importance, impress upon the members who do not take interest in the work that they should do so.

Yours sincerely and fraternally,

F. S. R.

NEW YORK CITY LODGE NO. 70. Regarding the "Rules and Regulations for clerks, or the so-called schedule or agreement, for it is practically that, the rules being our rules, modified or amended before being agreed to between our committee and the management, we feel that a few remarks are in order.

These rules, promulgated over the signature of the general superintendent and the general manager, became effective November 15 last, and promptly became the subject of attack and adverse criticism by those who fancied that their own personal interests were interfered with, or whose special privileges had been sacrificed to the general good.

Perhaps that is not to be wondered at, since selfishness is inherent in human nature. But those who have joined the Brotherhood should be willing to make some sacrifice and loyally support their committee.

In framing a standard set of rules which are designed to govern a considerable body of men it is inevitable that if special privi leges or concessions exist anywhere, they must be sacrificed, since it is impossible to expect at once to elevate the whole mass to the highest level; so much is self evident, and if the principle of the greatest

good to the greatest number is applied, the object sought has, in our opinion, been attained.

Be this as it may, the schedule is not a week in force before we find a movement on foot to annul it; this movement is set on foot and fostered by interested parties playing upon the selfishness of their fellows and endeavoring to commit them to the policy of being willing to sacrifice all that might benefit the many, so that they themselves might not lose some petty concession which is, at best, only a favor, granted under certain conditions, and which may and can be abrogated at any time.

To be specific, we refer to the vacations with pay which have hitherto been enjoyed by a few but by no means all clerks, and which under the schedule may be abolished, a leave of absence, on request, without pay, being substituted.

Now, we submit, is not all this agitation premature? Quite a few months will come and go before the next vacation period, and if the majority of the clerks, after living under the agreement for six months, would rather have it annulled, why then let them so state.

To our mind it is puerile to sacrifice such good, substantial rights as are guaranteed under the agreement for a few trivial privileges which cannot any way be participated in by more than a part of the men employed. Esau was condemned for sacrificing his birthright for a mess of pottage, and this is the position, to our mind, that a number of our fellow clerks are taking, without the good, valid excuse that Esau had, namely, that he was hungry. Avoid hysterics, brothers and fellow clerks, review the situation calmly and without bias, and decide the thing on its merits, and we might add that it is not necessary before doing so to ask the opinion of the chief clerk or agent, since you are, or ought to be, able to do your own thinking. W. H. S.

MERIDIAN NO. 80.

If you will kindly again grant us a little space in the Clerk we will contribute a few sentences hoping thereby to awaken a little interest in the brotherhood work in this neck of the woods.

It is a matter of surprise and regret to No. 80 that all efforts made to awaken interest in this state have been fruitless. We

have on separate occasions addressed all locals in the state with a view of obtaining a united effort for advancement, and to the present time have only received reply from one lodge, viz., Water Valley, Miss. We will be glad if you can suggest any plan whereby we could create enough interest in the other lodges to cause them to give correspondence pertaining to the brotherhood work consideration. We do not intend to be discouraged on account of previous failures, but will continue in our efforts until something is accomplished. I would further add that there is a considerable energy being manifested by the members of our lodge, and we hope in the near future to have information of interest to the brotherhood at large. We trust that the lodges in Mississippi seeing this article will be awakened to enough interest to inquire concerning the object we have in view for all members in this state. Yours fraternally,

CORRESPONDING COMMITTEE.

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY.

By the Rev. Charles Stelzle.

That the Church is not negligent in responding to an earnest appeal from labor in its contention for better conditions, was recently made evident in Illinois.

The Presbyterian State Organization of Illinois, representing 618 ministers, and a membership of something like 100,000, recently took the following action:

"PREAMBLE: The workingwomen of Illinois are fighting for a ten-hour day in the mills and factories of the state. They believe that they should be able to make a living wage in a ten-hour day.

"The legislature of Illinois has passed such a law. The Supreme Court of the United States has declared constitutional a similar law passed in other states. An effort is now being made by certain factory owners in Chicago to have the Illinois law ordered unconstitutional, so that they may work the women in their employ an unlimited number of hours.

"At the last meeting of the Chicago Federation of Labor, the delegates for the first time in the history of that organization made an appeal to the churches for help in be half of these women.

"Whereas, The contention of these work