effort soon increase the membership to a point where the Grand Lodge will be justified in guaranteeing good positions permanently to some competent and reliable organizers. An organization committee composed of a representative from each lodge on the line should be formed upon every line in the country; and it should be the desire and duty of such committee to see that every possible effort is made to complete effective organization on the line. The Grand Lodge will allow commissions in such cases to defray attendant expenses. Sincerely and fraternally, WILBUR BRAGGINS, Notice is therefore hereby given that immediately following the March issue of The Railway Clerk, in which this announcement will again appear, a vote of the membership will be had upon the adoption or rejection of the following resolutions. BE IT RESOLVED, That the Grand President and Grand Secretary and Treasurer of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks be and are hereby authorized and instructed to make application for a charter of affiliation with the American Federation of Labor, without unnecessary delay, after the adoption of this resolution, in conformity with our laws pertaining to the adoption of amendments to the constitution or by-laws of the grand lodge, by referendum vote. And Be It Further Resolved: That if a charter of affiliation is issued to this Brotherhood by the American Federation of Labor that the Grand Executive Board of this Brotherhood be and hereby is instructed to promptly choose a representative or representatives and alternate or alternates to the American Federation of Labor, to serve as such until the next convention of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks has determined when such term of office shall expire and selected their successors or provided therefor. Ballots will be printed on one of the advertising pages of the March issue of The Clerk so that they may be readily cut therefrom without injuring a part that any member might wish to preserve. Each member of a lodge must take the ballot from his March Journal, properly fill it out in ink, being sure to give the correct name and number of his lodge, and the number of his card, sign it and then hand or mail it to his lodge secretary. Lodge secretaries will count the ballots received, make a record in minutes of the next lodge meeting as to how many were for and how many against affiliation and then mail the ballots to Grand Secretary and Treasurer, R. E. Fisher, advising him by letter as to the number of ballots for and against and the total number of ballots sent. Each attached member must fill out his ballot in ink, being sure to give the correct number of his card and mail direct to Grand Secretary-Treasurer Fisher. Only votes of members in good standing with the grand lodge will be counted. If a ballot is spoiled a written one will be accepted, if it is otherwise entitled to be counted. Ballots must reach Grand Secretary-Treasurer Fisher on or before five o'clock, p m., March 31st, to be counted. Announcement of the result will appear in the April number of The Clerk. WILBUR BRAGGINS, R. E. FISHER, Grand President. Grand Secretary-Treasurer. An increase in the total membership of 25 per cent during the past year places Germany at the head of the trades union movement in the point of growth during that period. BLANKET BONDING CONTRACT. General Offices, Kansas City Mo., January 25th, 1907. To Officers and Members: We have this day entered into a contract with the National Surety Company of New York to issue to us a blanket bonding policy, to cover all of the offices of local lodges for such amounts and beginning at such future dates as we shall report to them. The rate of premium agreed upon is thirty cents per one hundred dollars, with a minimum charge of one dollar per lodge per year. This contract bonds or insures the office, instead of the incumbent or officer and changes in officers can be made at any time without vitiating the bond or making it necessary that the Surety Co. be notified of the change in order to keep the bond in full force and effect; the only thing necessary in case of a change of officer for a bonded office being that the change must be in due conformity with the laws of the lodge and the change must be duly recorded in the minutes of the lodge meeting when the change took effect. Lodges not now carrying a bond or bonds for their offices of financial secretary and treasurer should promptly report, on the accompanying blank, to Grand Secretary and Treasurer R. E. Fisher, the office or of fices to be bonded, the amount for same, the date to take effect, and remit therewith the premium at the rate of thirty cents per hundred dollars per year, for the remainder of the year 1907. Lodges now carrying policies of this company, the National Surety Company of New York, can get credit for unearned premiums paid by sending any such policies to Grand Secretary and Treasurer Fisher, if not now in his possession, and they should also remit the balance that will be due for premiums up to January 1st, 1908. Lodges having unexpired policies in other bonding companies may carry them until they expire by sending such policies to G. S. & T. Fisher, or lodges having such policies may cancel them and reinsure in the National Surety Company through G. S. & T. Fisher. Henceforth all contracts of this character will be made to expire with the first of each year and all bonding of this kind must be handled through the Grand Secretary & WARNING TO LODGES AND MEMBERS. The attention of the Grand Lodge has been called to the fact that many locals have received tickets for drawings, etc.. with requests to dispose of them and remit proceeds to sender. The statement has been invariably made that the transaction was for the benefit of some lodge, or for the purpose of raising funds for the re-establishment of some defunct local. In some instances this was the case and the motive was commendable, but in others we are led to believe that the proceeds went into private pockets. All lodges are hereby requested to in future discontinue such practices, and locals or members receiving tickets of this character, or correspondence pertaining thereto are requested to ignore them and forward such matter to the General Offices; if, then, the necessity is found to exist upon the part of a lodge so sending an appeal, and such transaction does not violate the U. S. Postal Laws, approval will be given for the locals receiving such matter to handle it in accordance with their wishes. No lodge should appeal to other locals for assistance in raising sufficient funds for its maintenance; the members should take too much pride in their lodge to allow this to be done, as it shows a want of proper interest in the Brotherhood. -0 Railway workers of the United Kingdom are about to begin a united movement of all grades for a reduction of working hours and an increase in pay. now bonded on a blanket bond held at the Supreme Office, as soon as elected and installed. The Chariot-Tribe of Ben Hur. 0 The battle cry of the International Typographical Union: "We propose to sell to the employer eight hours out of twenty-four, and we will do as we please with the remaining sixteen," was officially amended to read as follows, taking effect October 1, last: "We are selling to the employer eight hours out of twenty-four, and we are doing as we please with the remaining sixteen." A man has a double value to his family. One is the social, the other is the money value. The discovery of the plan of Fraternal Protection makes it possible to replace the money value, and no man should neglect to take advantage of its benefits. The lease on life is uncertain, and provision should be made so that a man's money value should not be lost to his family. To be deprived of his companionship is bereavement enough without the risk of poverty and want. Labor's voice wil be heard in our next Congress. W. B. Wilson, secretary of the United Mine Workers, will be the man to represent them, and Thomas Nichols, also a member of the Miners' Union, will be there. Mr. Wilson overcomes a majority of 5,000 and runs 7,500 ahead of his ticket, while Mr. Nichols reverses a majority of 7,000 and is elected by over 5,000. The miners have fifteen members in the Pennsylvania Legislature, and something will be doing. Labor has at last begun to realize the necessity of electing men to office instead of electing labor's friends, the "enemy." Journal of the Switchmens' Union. the employe should support them. There's a financial reason why. Don't shirk the moral obligation to do all you can to uphold the dignity of your trade -to elevate the standard of living. Don't forget that the vast majority of your trade is organized. What is good for the majority is good for the minority. Don't be blind to your own interests. Unionism helps all workingmen and all society. Don't let so-called "independence" prevent you from being unselfish and fraternal. We are all more or less dependent on some one or something. "No man stands alone." Get closer together. Don't retard our progress by remaining a weapon in the hands of the employer. Don't forget that our interests are identical. Improvement in your working conditions means improvement for all our craft. Don't be guided by unfair newspapers, expelled "unionists," employers' agents, etc. Listen to the union's side once in a while. Don't say unions "cant accomplish their purpose." Over 7,000,000 unionists think differently. Don't think that, having got along without the union for five or fifty-five years, “it is useless to you." Organized labor has helped you, and is helping you nowthrough better conditions and increased wages. Don't remain a non-unionist "because unions are not run right." Get into one and help it "in the straight and narrow path." Don't put it off. "Procrastination is the theif of time"-and of good intentions.— Baltimore Labor Leader. ECHOES FROM THE STRIKE. A letter from one of our striking brothers has just come to hand, and a few quotations from it will be particularly interesting to the balance of our membership. He says in part: "I resumed work at my old position and am doing all I can to get rid of the 'scabs' and have their places filled with Brotherhood men, and think I will soon accomplish that end as everything is coming my way; I am turning up their 'bum' work every day. It will take one year to straighten out this little affair; we have on hand about 450 W. B.'s carrying charges for which there is no freight to de |