BROTHERHOOD OF RAILROAD CLERKS,

IRON MOUNTAIN LODGE NO. 6.

Editor Railway Clerk.

Dear Sir and Brother: I suppose by this time we know whether the Brotherhood will creep along slowly or make one big, long stride into better conditions for our craft; in other words, we know whether the majority of the referendum is big enough to assure affiliation with the A. F. of L. 1 hope for the best; but, although we are very much in favor of affiliating and think it will hurt the Brotherhood to some extent if the vote is not favorable, I. M. No. 6 as a lodge will abide by the decision and struggle along as we have in the past. No. 6 is still crawling along, and in trying to keep before the public we gave a very successful steamboat excursion Wednesday evening, June 12, 1907, and will give another one Sunday evening. July 21, 1907. Everybody is invited. We got acquainted with Brother Carte: of Memphis No. 40 on the boat and invited him to our meetings. I am glad to say, he came, and I hope he will come again. He is always welcome.

I met Brother Way, from Toledo No. 7, the other day and invited him to my house, which he promised but failed to do. An apology is requested.

Brother J. J. Herzing has severed his connection with the St. L., I. M. & S. Ry. and is now connected with the Bluff Line, with quite a financial advancement. I wish you success, Brother Herzing; and may your financial and social status continue to improve is the wish of I. M. No. 6.

Brother A. H. Engel came back to his old love. the yard department. He has taken the position of C. Y. C., formerly occupied by Brother Herzing, with quite an increase of salary. Brother Engel is quite an old hand at this, and as he has the good will and support of the boys under him, he will in a short time make the yard department of the St. L., I. M. & S. Ry. the model department in St. Louis.

Brother G. J. Buri has left St. Louis for awhile. Our secretary received a letter from him June 19. He is working for the Southern Pacific at San Francisco, Calif. He says the change was SO sudden he could not say

good bye to the boys. His wife's health demanded a change of climate, and as opportunity arose he packed up and went west. He will stick to I. M. No. 6, though, as St. Louis is his home and he intends to return in a few years. We wish you success, Brother George.

June 30, 1907, I. M. No. 6 will be four years old, and the lodge decided to celebrate their fourth anniversary with an open meeting and entertainment at our next regular meeting, July 2, 1907, to which we will invite our families and friends. This is all I have to tell you this time; and. hoping for the best interest of a greater Brotherhood, I remain,

Yours fraternally,

ARGUMENT.

VICKSBURG 118.

Well, boys, here I am again, to unfold to you the happenings of the past month.

There is little or no news for you, boys, but I told you all to look out for me again, so I will keep my promise and furnish you with a little "dope."

The dance, which was given at the skating rink on May 29 by the members of this local, was a great success, financially as well as socially. Owing to the hustling ability of the arrangement committee we were able to clear about $50. Everybody seemed to have a good time and enjoyed the occasion immensely. Among the members who seemed to be enjoying themselves very much was one who was enjoying himself more than the others. That was Brother Swift. Brother Swift decided to withdraw from his masculine companions and join hands with the fair sex. He sallied forth into the realms of society, and he cut quite a dashing figure.

Swift is constantly getting into trouble. Brothers Ludkie, De Jong and he were out boat riding a few nights ago, and suddenly Swift fell overboard and received quite a nice ducking. The only thing which he regretted was losing his umbrella, which was a "Garvey Special."

Brothers Herman Glazier, known as "Rags," and Will Trowbridge were initiated into our order at our last regular meeting,

and we expect to have several more candidates at our next meeting.

The boys at the A. & V. freight office went over to Jackson, Miss., on the 15th of June to play a game of baseball with the I. C. boys there. Brothers, I hate to tell you the result. The score was 19 to 1, in favor of the Jackson boys. The A. & V. boys were simply not in it playing ball. Boys, let's do better next time. After the game the Jackson boys took us down to the I. C. freight office, where they served us with a light but much appreciated repast, consisting of Pabst and sandwiches. The Jackson quartette entertained us with some of their songs, which was a treat to us. Brother Toohey, of Vicksburg, also rendered some of his latest vocal selections, which, coupled with the singing of the quartette, was enjoyed by all.

Brother Dupree, of Jackson, the fun-maker, with his funny doings and witty remarks, kept the crowd in a continuous uproar of laughter.

In behalf of Vicksburg, No. 118, I wish to extend to the officers and members of Jackson Local, No. 141, our appreciation and best wishes for the courtesies and favors they extended to us on that remarkable evening. I also wish to congratulate President Sessions upon having such a fine lot of genteel and refined young men under his jurisdiction. I must say that they are the finest bunch of boys I ever had the pleasure to meet-boys who are untiring in their efforts to show visitors a good time.

The "Irish Kid" has severed his connection with the A. & V. freight office and has We taken up the life insurance business.

feel assured that he will no doubt prove a success in his new work. Brother Will Murphy, who has returned to his home in Yazoo City on account of ill health, will leave shortly for Denver, Colo., where he hopes that the change of climate will benefit him very much.

Brother Dyer and family will leave shortly on an extended trip through Texas and California and other points of interest. Brother Dyer expects to be gone about two months.

Brothers Russell Groome, known as "Dippy," and Ernest Hardenstein are contemplating taking a trip to New York City and Washington about August 1. Brother Jack Demarci has left the services of the master mechanic's office of the Y. & M. V. and has accepted a position in the yard office.

This is about all the news I have for you, boys; but one word more before I close: We would like to see larger crowds at our meetings in the future than we have been having in the past. We need you all, for without your voices how can we expect to accomplish anything? Therefore, brothers, in the future strive to be on hand at every meeting, and by so doing you will stimulate the fast waning enthusiasm and interest which we so much desire; and I assure you it won't be long before we can note the good results to be attained from larger meetings. Yours as B-4.

THE MINISTER'S SON.

CRESCENT CITY NO. 54.

It has been almost a year since C. C. No. 54 has been represented in the columns of the "Clerk," and no doubt a large percentage of our membership throughout the country have concluded we are no longer active. Scuh, dear brothers, is not the case, for we are here to stay.

To conclusively prove that the loss and general tieup sustained by the Southern Pacific during the recent strike has been used by officials of other roads as an object lesson it might be well to here state that the division superintendent of one of the S. P.'s competitors in the state of Texas recently issued a circular to all agents warning them thusly: "Do not antagonize the clerks. Remember the S. P.'s troubles."

Troubles? Well I guess. Troubles so multiplied that almost six months after the termination of the strike the monthly uncollected statement at the New Orleans agency of the S. P. for the month of April shows the enormous amount of $120,000; troubles so multiplied that the Saturday half holiday at this station does not apply to the claim department; troubles so multiplied that the tried and true loyal clerks who stood by the company will not be given their usual vacations this summer.

"Wretched is that poor man who hangs on prince's favor," was never more fully exemplified than when on the evening of June 15 Mr. Davis, the New Orleans agent of the Southern Pacific company, called into his private office his chief clerk, Mr. J. W. Witherow, and told him that his services would not be required after the close of business that day.

A word of explanation as regards this same Mr. J. W. Witherow. This gentleman for several years previous to the strike occupied the position of claim clerk at the New Orleans agency. On more than one occasion he was asked to join the B. of R. C., and each time answered he was "strictly a company man" and could not see his way clear to join our ranks. On the morning of the strike he was again approached by several of the men as they filed out of the office in response to the call of the Grand President. and he again haughtily informed them that he would "stick by the company." About ten days after the strike was inaugurated Chief Clerk Barnes, unable to bear the strain, threw up his hands and walked out. Then came Mr. Witherow's reward for his unquestioned loyalty. He was given the position made vacant by Mr. Barnes' resignation. Mr. Witherow did everything in his power to further the interests of the company. worked night and day. Sundays included, to make our strike a failure; in fact he was the man who Superintendent Cushing considered his most potent ally. As claim clerk he was overbearing: as chief clerk he was simply nauseating. So tyrannical in fact became this modern Nero that the "scabs" themselves were on the verge of organizing to overcome him. So great finally became his ambition that he conspired with several others to give the agent, Mr. Davis, the

He

"double cross." Fortunately for Mr. Davis, and I believe for the Brotherhood at large, the scheme was nipped in the bud, and "Bombastic James." as he was known among the boys, was forced to "walk the plank."

Several days after the exit of Mr. J. W. Witherow Mr. Milton Knight, another man who decided to stand by the company, was relieved from the service for reasons best known to Agent Davis. Another case of loyalty rewarded. Another case of ambition outstripping itself. And yet S. P. officials will tell you that the clerks on that system have no need of an organization.

If any of the great moguls of the S. P. road have become imbued with the idea that the loss of the strike has in the slightest way hampered our onward march they want to take something to dispel the illusion, for "truth crushed to earth will rise again." I sincerely hope that some of these honorable gentlemen may have the pleasure of listening to our hustling organizer, Brother J. B. Innerarity, who has been holding a series of open meetings in Texas recently. By the way, brothers, has Innerarity struck your town yet? Well, when he does you want to cut out your best girl that night and listen to old Jack, for he will tell you a few things that you might jot down in your notebooks for future reference.

Brothers, in conclusion I want to state that we can truthfully boast of the largest and most enthusiastic ladies' auxiliary within the bounds of the Brotherhood. A body of wholesouled, noble-hearted women who are devoting their time and energies to assist us in our struggle for right and justice. Just think of it, too, brothers: several members of our auxiliary are young ladies who are working side by side with the men, whose cause they have decided to champion. Could you wish for anything nicer? Take your hats off to them, boys; they are true blue. Fraternally yours,

DENISON, TEXAS.

VERITAS.

To the Editor: If you will grant me space in our journal I desire to present to the Brotherhood an idea for which I make no claims of originality as far as I am concerned, knowing our brother who imparted the idea to be a man who has as much gray matter inside as he has outside of his head, and his black hairs can be counted easier than the gray ones. I have mentioned the matter to clerks at the several points I have been in, and was surprised at the unanimity of acquiesence that the idea met with.

The age and service limit are two questions that have been discussed in the Clerk, and there are many opinions set forth for and against revisement. Now I have met here in this city a case that is not, to say the least, common. A young man not quite 17. who, by general consent of all the old heads is doing a man's work better than the average man-a boy with a man's head on his shoulders, and the heart and back

bone to back it up. That he is ineligible hurts him and those about him mightily. Now I believe by presenting my brother clerk's idea before you we can solve a difficulty of that kind without detriment to the order and to the advantage of us all: An "examination committee."

Let us presume that each local has a committee of three, five or more members, chosen from the most efficient and expert in his particular line of work. The applicant has been passed upon favorably by the character investigating committee and approved. The next step will be for said applicant to appear before the examination committee and prove to ther satisfaction that he is a competent clerk in the line he claims to know best. They approve the application and he is admitted to membership. The secretary then issues him a card, which has written across its face in red ink: "Claim Clerk," or whatever capacity he passes his examination for. Now, brothers, I may be digging my own grave, but let us see the presumptive results; and, as our design is "the greatest good to the greatest number," and play no favorites, who would fear results personally that redound to the benefit of the order he is fighting for? And to prove our impartiality let us say that after three or six months any old member who has not passed such an examination be suspended and his card taken up until such time as he complies with the constitutional amendment. Will any fair-minded clerk refuse the test?

How long would it be before all railway officials knew of this committee, and that the bearer of a Brotherhood card would be all that he claimed to be? How long before that card would have a greater force and value than a "clearance"? If an agent put a man to work on the strength of such a card it would not be necessary to ask for recognition. You would have had it accorded already.

Are

Temperate, moral and capable, those are the qualifications our employers seek. we not willing to deliver the goods? Is an unprejudiced committee less capable of judging than some chief who is possibly making room for some favorite or nephew or who knows, and grudgingly gives you a clearance that barely clears?

You might argue that a good man doesn't need either. Well, admit it; but how much night work is done straightening out errors committed by incapables trying to find the good man who doesn't need either? If a man can prove that he can handle the job to the satisfaction of the agent or employer in any department then he should be satisfactory to us regardless of age or length of service, all things being equal, and he shows the spirit and character of a man.

A clerk to be such must acquire an education which requires four or five years' time, and still we can look around us and see men who are barely able to write their names who get from 35 to 50 per cent more pay than we do.

Brothers, I have placed before you an

other man's idea, and if I can get his consent I will give you his name, but in the meantime let every clerk improve on it and work it into shape, so that in the near future Wake we can make it effective. Do it now! up and let the world know you are in exist

ence.

We all acknowledge the faithfulness, docility and power of the horse who shies at a shadow and thinks a garter snake a very dragon because of the magnifying qualities of his eyes. How about the clerk? Is he less docile, faithful and powerful? If he would but accord to himself more capability, and if he did not magnify every petty official into a veritable corporate giant and tremble even at the official title? Wake up. boys! They are only men, and some of them poor examples at that. Get together and we can find plenty of square men among the higher ones who will accord us our dues because they have brains to think with and will see the point.

Sincerely and fraternally,

J. B. INNERARITY, Ex-Secretary C. C. No. 54.

FROM AN ATTACHED MEMBER. It's a long time since you heard from me Rewhen I used to sign myself "Mexican former," and some of you may think my enthusiasm has died out, and also, perhaps, that I have left the order.

Nothing of the kind. Our lodge is deaddied very shortly after I resigned as president: but that didn't affect my standing towards the Brotherhood a bit.

Nor yet the fact that I lost one job after another through being a determined union man, although this was a new experience to me, as I held two different jobs with a railway company in an old "sand heap" of a desert port for ten years.

I won't attempt to deny that I have nearly lost heart once or twice, but then I have received our official organ, or a letter from the general offices, and these have put the spirit in me again and made me determined to stick to my principles.

Now I am going to growl a bit.

I have made it a rule in life to answer every Riley letter, and Brothers Braggins, and Fisher will bear me out when I say that all their letters have been answered quickly and to the point; also that our official lodge correspondence was conducted in a satisfactory manner; brothers also who have written me. Brothers Dykemann and Collinsworth of Memphis; also Brother Ebler of Mexico will testify on my behalf.

Ye doubters, please refer to page 428, November Clerk, and I was secretary, president, and also almost treasurer of our lodge -in fact if not in name.

I have also always had my work up to date, and it's no honor either but one's duty. in business life. and I would tolerate no laziness from subordinates, either.

Now, I have had an idea for some time to go to the States, and have written secretaries of various lodges with respect to conditions of service in the motive power department.

but without eleciting replies, although ample time has elapsed. Now, brothers, is that fair? They may be very busy, but I fancy they have had time to reply.

Any brother who can give me any information in this respect should address to J. A. Butterfield, 1-a Calle de Cosio, No. 2, Aguascalientes, Mexico, and will earn my best thanks and gain a good correspondent.

Now to resume: To another lodge I have written about an entirely different matter which affects my personal honor. Secretary did not reply to my letter of May 19. I suspected a good reason for this, as I believe he has left the locality to go "into a new line of life," so on the the 31st ultimo I wrote the president of that lodge with respect to the same matter, but no reply as yet.

Hoping these brothers will take the hint and favor me with their answers at an early date. Faithfully and fraternally,

LONG LIVE LONGVIEW NO. 153. Now the brothers of the B. of R. C. that do not happen to know where Longview is situated will soon have an opportunity to learn through the columns of the Clerk if they have no geography of their own and lack the facilities of acquiring a Texas & Pacific Ry. folder. It may sound a little strong for a little town of 6,500 inhabitants to boast of a clerks' local forty strong, but that is just what we figure on doing and with good reason to do so. Our charter has eighteen names on it, and we have already begun to receive applications for membership from clerks in nearby offices where they have not enough clerks to get a charter and who prefer to be one of us than being attached to the Grand Lodge.

When Organizer Innerarity was here to solicit our applications for a charter and had done the needful we commissioned him to be on the lookout for the healthiest specimen of a William-goat that he could find. Yesterday that indefatigable individual arrived on No. 6 with a creature resembling a buffalo tied to the rear end, and the nons immediately sent in their applications, asking to be admitted when the lodge was installed. We Texans are a strenuous bunch and believe that by putting the boys in so they will not easily forget that they are brothers. and if they should be careless enough to overlook the fact in their duty to themselves or their employers, it will quickly come to mind if they happen to look out of the window and see the lambkins gamboling on the green.

we

Seriously, though, are in to attend strictly to business, and whenever an opportunity offers to better our position by raising the standard of efficiency and thereby gaining the support and respect of those in authority it is a safe bet that we will do the needful.

Longview is a junction point, and has long

suffered from the rolling stone who drops in just long enough to ball everything up and leave us home boys to come down nights and dig while the itinerant one was speeding overland to some other hapless agent who was in need of a clerk. It is an unquestionable fact that if all who are capable and efficient belong to the order it will then be as easy for us to know whether a man is a clerk as it is for the other classes of railway employes to know each other; and it will only be a matter of time when a Brotherhood card will be as good as a letter of recommendation, which it should be. Our organizer, Brother Innerarity, says that he has started out to stick a pin in the map of Texas every time he institutes a new lodge, and he claims that he will make the map look like a pincushion before the summer is over. We sincerely hope that it will prove true.

With best wishes to all, we remain,

Sincerely and fraternally,

MEMBERS OF LONGVIEW NO. 153.

-0

TWIN CITY LOCAL NO. 148.

Well, brothers, we make our initial bow to the B. of R. C. with thirty-one memberstwenty-nine on the charter; so you see we began to take root at once, as we have three applications and many more awaiting the arrival of our stationery. Looks like 100 per cent increase when the old Santa Claus wagon comes around again.

We are situated at the gateway of Texas, and we catch 'em 'coming and going," but henceforth anyone without a card can go around.

We Texans are proud of our state, and want to see her head the list for number of lodges within her boundaries, and we, want to see their numerical strength compare favorably with those of our eastern and southern sister lodges.

It is a long jump from here to El Paso No. 13, and with the many lodges now working between these points our organizer should make the chain complete across those eleven hundred miles.

Let every clerk in Texas pluck up heart and sign an application, and when he has done so he will be surprised at the results. For when the raliroad officials find out what a fine body of industrious, efficient and sober clerks we are they will be the first to congratulate us. All right-thinking men know that "the laborer is worthy of his hire," but they hate to give it to him when a promise will do just as well. So "buck up." boys; show that you are real Texans, true to yourselves, and your employers will then believe you can be true to them.

If we give but a scintilla of the intelligence devoted to our daily tasks to our Brotherhood we will soon take the place that is ours by right, and earn the respect of the shipper and carrier.

Before closing we must say a word for Brother Innerarity, state organizer.

His advice was calm, clear and conservative, and no clerk acting upon it need have any fear of going too far astray, either in his

duty to himself or his employer. Organizer Innerarity was ably assisted at the installation ceremonies by Brother W. F. Norris, sergeant at arms, Shreveport No. 57. Brother Norris came over to assist as sergeant at arms here. He is one of those devoted enthusiasts who consider nothing a trouble that will benefit the Brotherhood. On a former occasion Brother Norris went to Alexandria, La., to assist the organizer to rehabilitate Local No. 60.

Hoping I have not taken up too much space, I remain,

Sincerely and fraternally,

TEXARKANA, TEXAS.

(FROM ECHO.)

Again we appear in the columns of The Clerk. Although our town is small, it is quite loud. There is not much news, but we try to get all there is and to have it appear in The Clerk as regularly as possible.

The article which appeared in the June issue was read by our "scab" friends, and they seem to take it to heart to think that someone would roast them for being "scabs." We also feel sorry for them, but can't reach them, and only wish we could roast them a little more.

Have you ever noticed what an unlimited amount of nerve a scab has? They seem to think that everyone has to look up to them in order to get along. What a mistake they make. There are cases where some people look up to this class. Men that claim to be union men, who hold cards and are always talking about what they are going to do; such people. if you will take notice, never do much. We have such people at this point, and no doubt they are found all over the country. We have a case at this point similar to this. One of the boys that walked out has a brother who secured a position shortly after the strike was called off, and this man has taken up quite an interest in the scabs, giving up his friends as well as other things just to get with these people. I do not know what others think about such things. It makes no difference whether he was out himself, or his brother, it seems as though they should be treated just the same.

There are many cases where a man claims to be a union man, and you will hear him make a big spiel as to what he is going to do. If you will wait long enough you will find out that this man is a union man all right-but in name only.

Is there anything lower than a "scab"? I know of nothing that crawls the earth that is lower than this class of people. Did you ever stop to think that if a person has "scabbed" on one class of labor which has gone out for betterment that he would do the same thing if he had half a chance on any other class that should walk out for betterment? Then why shouldn't every union man hate the very ground that a scab walks on? And why should they be shown any favors? Some will say that a woman should be pitied. On what ground? Their place is at home, and not butting around in men's