But in the overwhelming majority of instances, the exchanging of gifts among adult persons is merely a weariness of the flesh. It is a nuisance which nearly everybody would like to get rid of.

This being the case, let's get rid of it. Get rid of it by deliberately letting your friends know that you have cut it out.

If you are really moved by a kindly spirit to remember them, send them a word of greeting to let them know that you have not forgotten them. This will not add to their store of useless baubles. It will bring them pleasure only.

And, above all, remember that the Christmas spirit is the sort of a spirit to have the year round.

The life of everyone who comes in frequent contact with you can be made brighter and happier if you have the right spirit. The old saying that it is more blessed to give than to receive, is literally true.

The giving of material things is not what is meant. It is often necessary, but is is also often harmful.

The giving of happiness and love is never harmful. It always brings brightness into the lives of others.

Don't bother your head about your own happiness.

Make others happy, and you will automatically become happy yourself.

OPEN LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN CLYDE H. TAVENNER TO COLONEL ROBERT M. THOMPSON, PRESIDENT NAVY LEAGUE.

House of Representatives. Washington, D. C., Dec. 2, 1915.

My Dear Colonel:

I assume from your letter of the 20th ult., and from your various utterances as President of the Navy League, that the impression you desire to create in the minds of the American people is that none of the men who founded, or who have been, or are now, directors of or contributors to the Navy League, have ever been, or are now, in any manner interested in any concern which would profit financially from the $500,000,000 bond issue for battleships, etc., which you are advocating.

I understand your position to be that none of the money which the Navy League has used to banquet members of Congress and secretaries of the navy or to carry on the propaganda for the vastly increased naval appropriations which you advocate, has come from any gentlemen who stand to profit therefrom. I contend that the opposite is true.

In your letter you request that I give you some specific information.

I call your attention to the fact that Elbert H. Gary, who is described in the Directory of Directors for 1914 as "Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Finance Committee of the United States Steel Corporation," contributed $1,000 on June 10, 1915, and that on the same date representa

tives of the J. P. Morgan estate subscribed $2,000.

I call your attention to the fact that J. P. Morgan, who is a director of the United States Steel Corporation, was formerly treasurer of the Navy League and is now a director of and a contributor to the Navy League and that J. P. Morgan's brother-inlaw, Herbert L. Satterlee, was one of the incorporators of the league, and is at the present time the general counsel of the league. I also note that Edward T. Stotesbury, a member of the firm of J. P. Morgan & Co., and a director of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Cambria Steel Co., Phoenix Iron Co., Riverside Metal Co., Temple Iron Co., Wm. Cramps & Sons Ship and Engine Building Co., and fifty-four other corporations, banks and trust companies, is one of the honorary vice presidents of the Navy League.

I also call your attention to the fact that George F. Baker Jr., 2 Wall street, New York, son of a director of United States Steel, contributed $1,000 to the Navy League June 10, 1915.

I call your attention to the fact that Robert Bacon, formerly a member of the firm of J. P. Morgan & Co., and now first director of United States Steel, is a director of the Navy League.

I call your attention to the fact that Henry C. Frick, a director of United States Steel, and ten other corporations, banks and trust companies, is one of the vice presidents of the Navy League.

United States Steel controls the Carnegie Steel Company, which has drawn down from the navy contracts aggregating $32,954,377 for armor plate alone, and if the Navy League's $500,000,000 bond issue goes through Congress this firm will profit still further.

I call your attention to the fact that Allan A. Ryan, a director of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, contributed $100 to the Navy League on June 10, 1915, and to the further fact that George R. Sheldon, a director of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, and the American Locomotive Co., both of which concerns have profited hugely from European war orders, is one of the vice presidents of the Navy League. Mr. Sheldon is also a director of twenty-four other corporations.

The Bethlehem Steel Corporation has obtained from the navy department armor contracts amounting to $42,321,237, and if the Navy League's program goes through, Bethlehem stands to receive increased orders.

From the foregoing it would appear that two of the three concerns composing the armor ring in this country have representation either among the contributors to the Navy League or among the officers or directors of the Navy League.

The government has purchased from these two concerns, Bethlehem and Carnegie, $75,275,614 worth of armor plate, paying an average price of approximately $440 a ton therefor.

If this armor plate had been manufactured in a government armor plate factory, which the Navy League has cold-shouldered, at least $25,000,000 could have been saved to the American taxpayers. There have been ten estimates by government officials as to the cost of armor in a government plant and the average of these estimates is $238 a ton. By contrasting $440, the price we have paid the private manufacturers, with $238, the cost at which we might have manufactured this armor in a government plant, it is possible to obtain an inkling as to the reason we do not now have more preparedness to show for the colossal appropriations made for that purpose.

I note there are thirty-one directors of the Navy League. The personal fortunes of these thirty-one men, by the most conservative estimate, aggregate $100,000,000, or $3,000,000 to each director. I contend that any board of directors whose individual fortunes average $3,000,000 can hardly be considered as representative of the views, feelings and heartbeats of the great mass of the American people.

On November 19th I publicly stated that inasmuch as the Navy League insisted that its management and backers are entirely free from any atmosphere of war-trafficking influences, I would, as soon as Congress convened, introduce a resolution providing for an investigation of the league, specifically requiring J. P. Morgan and other directors of the league, past and present, to take the responsibility of testifying, under oath, whether they are interested or ever have been, in war-trafficking firms, or concerns which stand to profit from the proposed $500,000,000 bond issue.

On November 21st I received a letter from you threatening a suit. I consider your letter nothing more nor less than an attempt to intimidate me into abandoning my plans to seek a congressional investigation of your organization. When I am right the Navy League cannot intimidate me.

I now desire in all good faith to take the responsibility of making a suggestion to the Navy League. I suggest that you call a meeting of the Board of Directors and go on record in favor of the government manufacture of battleships, submarines, armament, munitions, etc., in order that the people may obtain the preparedness which you are advocating at cost. I recommend that you either do this or fold your tent and quietly take your departure from the National Capital.

toward the city, a young woman, obviously the wife, and a young man in khaki, obviously the husband. Three babies clung to their knees. He was going back to his regiment by the terrible "Boat Train."

"What time did you say it went?" asked the wife.

"Six-forty," replied the soldier.

"You'll catch it all right," she observed. A baby crowed. The man fumbled unsteadily with an unlit cigarette.

"When's the draft going?" inquired the wife.

"Wednesday, I reckon, but you never

know."

Silence. The woman looked straight in front of her. Her eyes set in a pale face seemed to be contemplating something very far off.

"Of course, you'll write often," she said bravely.

"Of course," replied the man. Silence again.

Then, "You truly don't know where you're going, John?"

"No, dear," said the man. "Perhaps it's France, perhaps it's the Dardanelles, perhaps it's Serbia. We never know where we're going until we get there."

our

The train lumbered into Charing Cross, the crossroads of two lives. Three babies stretched pathetic arms to bid good-bye. "Take good care of yourself-for sakes," whispered the white-faced wife. "God!" moaned the man, "I wish I could." In Berlin.

The train crawling out of Berlin was filled with women and children, hardly an ablebodied man. In one compartment a grayhaired Landstrum soldier sat beside an elderly woman who seemed weak and ill, Above the click-clack of the car wheels passengers could hear her counting: "One, two, three." evidently absorbed in her own thoughts. Sometimes she repeated the words at short intervals. Two girls tittered, thoughtlessly exchanging rapid remarks about such extraordinary behavior. An elderly man scowled reproval. Silence fell.

"One, two, three," repeated the obviously unconscious woman. Again the girls giggled stupidly. The gray Landsturm leaned forward.

"Fraulein," he said gravely, "you will perhaps cease laughing when I tell you that this poor lady is my wife. We have just lost our three sons in battle. Before leaving for the front myself, I must take their mother to an insane asylum."

It became terribly quiet in the carriage.New York Call.

MEN, WOMEN AND BABIES. Over in Europe they are now committing race suicide on an enormous scale, with terrible rapidity. Then rise up the German men, noticing, rather late, that it is not healthy for a nation to lose millions of

The first, and possibly most important, is that of trustees, as found in Section 39, Subordinate Constitution. This provides that the board of trustees shall superintend and examine, the financial affairs of the lodge. They shall meet every three months after the beginning of their term and examine the books, finances and monthly reports of the secretary and treasurer, and if such reports be correct, they shall indorse the same with their signatures. I desire to call special attention to the way this section reads. It says SHALL in each instance. This means that it is absolutely imperative that the trustees be on hand promptly at the end of each quarter to audit the books and accounts of the financial secretary and treasurer. They should also ascertain that the proper balance, as shown by the books, stands to the credit of the lodge in the bank. The best rule to follow is that adopted by our general executive board. They come here twice a year to check up my books. The first thing they do is to visit the bank, secure a statement signed by some officer of the bank, giving the amount of money standing to the credit of the Brotherhood at the close of business the previous day. Then they count the small change in cash account in our safe and add the two together. They take charge of all the books, and proceed to go over every item and every receipt stub. After performing this duty, the balance as shown by the books must compare exactly with the amount of money on hand as shown by the bank and petty cash. It always does, so the secretary of the general executive board affixes his signature to all the books and all the receipts. The bond company is then notified that everything is O. K., and at each October audit the bond renewed for another year for $60,000.00.

I also desire to call attention to the fact that money must not be paid out of lodge funds by anyone, for any purpose whatsoever, except on warrant drawn by the recording secretary and signed by the president. The bond company undertakes to execute a schedule bond covering the financial secretary and treasurer of each and every lodge in the sum of $200.00. On December 22nd I supplied the bond company with a list of all lodges, their names and location. They will execute the bond for 1916 as per this list. The only protection the bond company has is our own Constitution. They have been furnished with a copy and it has been mutually agreed, between them and your grand lodge officers, that they will waive the names of these officers, providing each lodge carries out the Constitution. Every member of this Brotherhood promised he would do this when he took the obligation, and each officer promised when he was installed that he would support, maintain and abide by the laws, rules and regulations of the Brotherhood Railway Carmen of America, the Constitution and By-Laws. It is hoped, therefore, that each and every one will do his best

to carry out the duties pertaining to whatever office he has been elected to, so that if any financial secretary or treasurer should so far forget himself as to mix up the lodge money with his own, and then not being able to tell the difference (all money looking exactly alike), check up short, the lodge can collect the shortage from the bond company. In a large organization like ours it is only natural one or two should make a mis-step now and then. During the past year we had one or two cases where an apparent shortage existed. In one case the lodge failed to notify us or the bond company, but gave the brother six months to make it good. Fortunately, on another audit being made it was found to be a mistake. If this had not been a mistake, and if the brother had failed to pay it back at the end of the time given by the lodge, no claim could have been made on the bond company, because when the lodge agreed to give him six months to pay it back, they took the case out of the hands of the bond company. The terms of the bond provide that when a shortage is even suspected the bond company must be notified at once, and an itemized statement of receipts and disbursements as shown by the books, signed by the board of trustees, together with a statement of claim and proof of loss, sworn to before a notary public, furnished them within thirty days after shortage is first discovered. All correspondence can be conducted through this office, but unless the foregoing is observed it will be useless to make claim on the bond company. It seems to me that the bond company has made it as easy as possible for us. I, in turn, have made it easy for the lodges, by sending in the list and conducting all correspondence. Quite a number have written at different times and requested the bond be sent them. This cannot be done as the schedules are placed in the safe in this office. The $2.20 each lodge is asked to pay covers the financial secretary and treasurer in the sum of $200 each to December 31, 1916. If a change is made at any time in either office, all that is necessary is for the trustees to audit the books of the outgoing officer, verify the amount on hand, certify with their signatures to the books and turn same over to the incoming officer; then notify this office at once, giving name, title and address of the new officer.

Like

I thought it might interest the many friends of our late brother and general vicepresident, J. J. Gallagher, to know that I had the pleasure of meeting his brother, James T. Gallagher, while in San Francisco attending the A. F. of L. convention. his brother John, he is a good friend of our organization and was-as may be expected-greatly shocked and distressed on hearing of the untimely death of Brother John. I was sitting with my colleagues listening very intently to the discussion on the resolution introduced by Delegate Bourne of Portland, Oregon, when some one tapped me on the shoulder saying at the same time a gentleman desired to see

He

me in the anteroom. Proceeding hither, I was greatly surprised to meet a fine, well set-up gentleman, not unlike our old friend John, but taller and somewhat stouter. informed me he had been out on the Pacific coast many years. John had expected to visit the fair this summer, when they would have a reunion-not having seen each other for several years-but it was not to be. John was called away a year ago, but his memory is still green with his brother and with us. I told him John was greatly missed by the members of our Brotherhood, for he was such thusiastic worker. Mr. James T. Gallagher holds a very responsible position in the police department of San Francisco, and stated he was always glad to meet any member of our Brotherhood at any time.

an en

The old-timers of our Brotherhood-especially in Canada and those who attended the St. Louis and Chicago conventionswill be interested to know that I ran out to the farm of Brother J. Hillis one Saturday night, spending Sunday with him and Mrs. Hillis. We had a very happy time together, talking over old times, the long hard struggle to better conditions that we engaged in, in the years that have passed. I told him about a surprise visit to the grand lodge headquarters of another old-timer, Brother J. A. Hill of East St. Louis, Ill., member of the general executive board ten or eleven years ago. Brother Hill is now pastor of a church at Dexter, Mo. I also conveyed to him the results achieved by our boys after years of hard work. It was very pleasing to him to know that the seed sown by the old-timers in this movement, in the early nineties, had borne fruit. Brother Hillis never expects to work in the car department again. He has a fruit farm and chicken ranch at Sebastopol, Cal., where he lives in peace with the world. Drop him a line, some of you old-timers who read this, he will be glad to hear from you, he is still interested in the welfare of the Brotherhood.

Three days before Christmas we had a visit from our old friend and brother, W. H. Ronemus. He was on his way home to Mena, Ark., to spend Christmas with his wife. Brother Ronemus has had a strenuous time during the past few months, and is certainly entitled to a good rest. We all hope the rest will do him good, and that he will come back after the holidays as vigor

place. To some it has brought sorrow and sadness, to others joy and happiness, riches and prosperity. Material advantages have been bountifully bestowed upon what might be termed a favored few, while poverty with all its attendent miseries has been the common lot of the great mass that comprise the human family.

Since last writing to the Journal, I have been one of that group who have tasted the bitter dregs of a common sorrow, for my helpmate in life has been called away to that great beyond from whence no traveler returns. For her the sorrows and trials to which all human existence is heir, is ended. For me and those who have been likewise afflicted they have only begun. Life is indeed a sad mystery to the human intelligence, for the more we try to fathom out the mysterious plan of human existence, the more complex it becomes and we become lost in utter helplessness and despair, ever drifting with the dial of time toward the mysterious and unpenetrable goal called death beyond which this thing we call intelligence cannot pass, but that wonderful still meaningless word, "hope," is strong within us and we are looking forward to the time when somewhere beyond that great barrier that divides life from death, those who have passed its portals are waiting the arrival of those whom they have left behind to be once more reunited with their loved ones in that great mysterious and immortal state.

Since last speaking to my fellow workers through the columns of our Journal, the annual convention of the great American Labor Movement has passed into history and we trust that the exchange of thought upon the various questions that occupied the attention of those who were entrusted with the confidence of their fellow workers, will result in good and good only to those who toil in the great industrial institutions of our national life.

While looking over the daily proceedings of the convention which one of our representatives at that convention mailed me daily there seemed to be one question which occupied the time and attention of the convention just ended even to a greater degree than it had in previous conventions. The question I refer to, is that of jurisdiction and after the close of the convention and after all the spirited debate between opposing factions relative to the rights of the various groups that compose the A. F. of L., it cannot be said with any degree of certainty, that this question of jurisdiction and its evil effect upon the labor movement has been lessened, in fact, it looms up just as largely today and will continue to stage itself as the greatest hindrance and menace to the labor movement. Its prominence is largely due to modern development and the more we ad