PERTINENT POINTS.

The railway clerks of the country are at last beginning to realize that there is at least something in organization. A great many railways clerks have long since learned that the benefits they have received were not given to them by the railroad managements because they liked them or because they were good fellows or because their ability was greater than that of other clerks, but that they were granted those benefits because they were organized, and through the efforts of organization it was made possible for them to reach the various managements through committees representing them with full power to act.

The railway managements of this day and time know the numerical standing of the clerks on every line of railroad in the country. They know it better than a great many of the clerks themselves know it. Whenever a committee of clerks decide to go before the management of any road requesting concessions for those they represent, they should be in possession of the same information in reference to the percentage of clerks they represent as the various managements are. In order to be successful the clerks must be thoroughly organized and in a position to inform their board which is doing everything they can for the membership, that they

have the unanimous support of the clerks employed in that territory. It should be the duty of every Brotherhood man to see that every clerk employed in any territory, is part and parcel of the movement, and holds a paid up card. If you adopt this policy, where you are striving to get results and are only partially organized, and will put the policy into actual practice and use the motto, "No card, no favors," you will find a decided upward tendency on the part of non-members, showing a disposition to become one of you.

Our members are in a great many instances to blame on account of not advertising themselves as being members of this Brotherhood. In a great many instances attention has been called to the fact that clerks employed in offices, where there are a goodly number of our members, had never been informed of the aims and objects of this organization by our own members, who worked with them day in and day out; with the result that the non-member clerk formed an unfavorable opinion of the organization and one that is very hard to counteract when approached on the proposition by one of our members, having the interest of the order at heart. Invariably the first impression made on a non-member by a member of the Brotherhood is the impression that usually decides a man's wishes, whether favorable or otherwise. This is a very important matter and one that applies to all, or nearly all of us. We should not only insist,

but demand where the clerks are numerically strong, that all new employes affiliate themselves with the organization of their craft. This rule is being carried out, in one office in particular, to the letter. If a non-member clerk is employed in that office he is presented with an application blank inside of three hours. If he signifies his willingness to join and signs the application blank he is given an opportunity to make good his promise until pay day, which he usually does. If he hesitates about filling out the blank he don't work; the longest time he can remain in that office is half a day. The result is that the clerical force in all departments is 100 per cent strong at that station, and they are working under an ironclad contract. The same conditions can prevail in a great many other localities; it is your duty as members of this organization to boost it and work for its success. In its success lies the very foundation to better the conditions of every railway clerk in the organization.

The clerks that still continue in this generation to stand idly by and render no assistance whatever to his co-workers by contributing to the organization in any manner, nor affiliating themselves with the movement in any way that would be a benefit to their fellow man are not only doing the Brotherhood an injustice but they are causing pain and sorrow in their own homes, when they refuse, by their actions, deeds or words to be a party to a cause that would better their conditions, and allow them the privilege of being with their families to render them the protection they are entitled to, a protection that is guaranteed by the laws of our country.

The family of a railway clerk must look to the laws of the land for protection, because the poor clerk is not able to give it to them. It takes all his time protecting the railway company's property, doing clerical work from eleven to fourteen hours per day, without additional compensation for the overtime he gives to the corporation.

Those conditions have been brought about by the non-member clerk. He alone is responsible for them. He alone is responsible for the conditions existing in a great many households, inasmuch as he refuses to be a party to the means that will eventually bring about conditions whereby he could spend a reasonable portion of his time in the bosom

of his family, receive compensation for overtime, with an increase in wages, etc.

To the non-member clerk: We desire to try and impress on you the duty you owe your family, your friends, your associates. By your refusal or neglect to join the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks you are taking away from those dependent upon you the necessities of life that your family needs. You are depriving the families of thousands of others of what they are legally and justly entitled to. You are doing this by withholding your support from an organization that has been instrumental in the success and upbuilding of the railway clerks, which is to the mutual benefit of both the railways and the clerks.

While you may not see it that way, it is a fact nevertheless. The obstacle you place before the members of this Brotherhood is a serious one. In fact, the most detrimental that could be placed against any organization. Because you are assisting the railroad companies to destroy the only organization that is striving to better the conditions of the clerical forces.

You are aiding the corporation when, by your actions, you reduce the percentage of clerks by remaining out of the organization. We do not believe it is the intent or purpose of any railway clerk, that has had a reasonable amount of experience, to assist the railroad companies in their efforts to destroy an organization, that bears the name of clerk. On the other hand, we candidly believe that any clerk in possession of facts explained by the members of this Brotherhood will at the dictates of his conscience decide in a very few moments whether he should still continue to act as he formerly did, and receive as a final reward from the corporations ingratitude - from his co-workers, friends and associates, censure and condemnation. Realize your importance in this undertaking; it is at least a consolation to know that the friendship of those who know you best and have associated with you probably for years, is worth more to any American citizen than the presumed well wishes of any railroad corporation in the U. S. The latter are broken at will, the former is everlasting. Do your duty to yourself, your family and friends and the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks.

Join now don't wait for the morrow, for the morrow may never come. Delays are

Let us assume that we all know the fundamental principles underlying organization, and likewise the primary objects sought by any class of workers who band themselves together, and then let us try to reach a logical conclusion as to why more has not been accomplished for the good and welfare of those who toil, not only in our own Brotherhood but others as well.

We have dealt to some extent with the dues proposition, and I might add right here that the members who are laggard in the payment of their dues have made it necessary for us to say so much along those lines that we often wonder if those who do pay their dues regularly do not become disgusted. It is not, however, our intention to say anything further on that proposition in this article.

To any one of us who, in our sane moments-and we all have them-will calmly study the proposition of organization and results to be obtained, as well as the procedure in such cases, it will evidently appear that there are certain things to be done besides the mere paying of our dues and attending lodge meetings occasionally before any system can be considered in shape for a contract. And right here let me call your attention to the one important feature that we seem so prone to overlook, and that is to the effect that the most of this preliminary work not only can but must be done by those so vitally interested-the members themselves.

In the light of past events it may appear to the loyal members that they have a thankless task before them, owing to the seeming indifference upon the part of some members, but we must not stop to even consider this phase of the question. We must imbue ourselves with the one idea that we must

ex

"whip" our line into shape and get everything ready for the final "round up." It is true that assistance is sometimes needed in some instances sooner than in others, but it is also true that our members are prone to depend too muca on others pecting them to do for them what they could so much more easily do for themselves if they only thought so, and would get up a little more"steam." And if you cannot do otherwise, call on some good brother to assist you and "double the hill" of unorganization and obstinący.

The main object of this article is to get our good members to thinking and studying on this all important proposition of "benefits to be attained" and the best and surest way to attain them. And while we feel that the Brotherhood has as fearless and faithful a leader as ever lead an army, yet we do not want him to be placed in the position of a certain young man who mustered together a company of volunteers and started for Cuba during the time of the Spanish-American war. He got his company together without much trouble and Uncle Sam furnished the munitions of war and transpor tation. Everything seemed propitious and the boys were given a grand send off by the citizens of their home town, but they had been gone but a few days until the following message was received from the young captain:

"Men all deserted; what shall I do?" The reply to this, which was just as brief, was as follows: "Resign and come home."

So, boys, let us who have enlisted stay for the finish fight, and while we are staying, be sure we are doing all that lies within our power to build up a bigger, better Brotherhood. And let us try and encourage the "raw recruit" and aid him in his desire to become a useful, hard working brother. And with this accomplished, the benefits sought to be obtained will be made so much easier of attainment. Also do not ask the Grand President to come or send some one to do the preliminary work for you can do that yourselves.

WHAT HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED? In looking backward, what have you accomplished in 1910? What have you done to help yourself and what have you done to help those depending upon you, and what have you done to help your fellow man?