GENERAL OUTLINE FOR PROPOSED PENSION FUND.

A pension fund shall be established for the benefit of members of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers, and it shall be officially known as the Order of Railroad Telegraphers' Pension Fund; its objects shall be to provide a life annuity for members of the Order in good standing under certain conditions.

The fund shall be created for the purpose of paying a pension to old and faithful members of the Order who have reached an advanced age in life, and also to provide, in a like manner, for members who are totally disabled through physical or mental infirmities.

The Pension Fund shall be self-sustaining, and shall in no way create any financial liability to the Order of Railroad Telegraphers.

Membership in the Pension Fund shall be limited exclusively to members of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers in good standing.

No member shall be eligible to membership in the Pension Fund who has not held continuous membership in the Order of Railroad Telegraphers for a period of at least five years immediately preceding the filing of application for membership in the Pension Fund, and all applicants shall be required to furnish a satisfactory health certificate before being admitted.

Members sixty years of age or over shall not be eligible to membership in the Pension Fund.

Members of the Pension Fund who forfeit membership in the Order of Railroad Telegraphers shall thereby forfeit membership in the Pension Fund and all rights to any benefits of any character therein.

The Pension Fund shall be under the government and control of the Grand Division of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers, and any rule or regulation governing the Pension Fund made by the Grand Division in convention assembled shall be binding on all members of said fund.

The Pension Fund shall be created in the following manner: All applicants for membership in the Pension Fund shall pay

an admission fee of five dollars, and thereafter shall pay a semi-annual assessment of an amount equal to an equal division of two hundred and forty dollars over the period ensuing between the age of the applicant at the time of admission to the Pension Fund and his sixty-fifth birthday.

For example: A member twenty-five years of age at the time of admission shall pay an assessment of three dollars semiannually until he attains the age of sixtyfive, at which time his payments shall cease. (He would then have paid $240.00 into the fund during the forty years.)

A member thirty-five years of age at the time of admission shall pay an assessmen of four dollars semi-annually, which would amount to $240.00 in the thirty years between his present age and his sixty-fifth birthday.

The semi-annual assessment of the Pension Fund shall be due and payable on the first day of April and October of each year. Members of the Pension Fund who fail or refuse to pay their semi-annual assessments within thirty days from the date on which it becomes due and payable shall forfeit their membership in the Pension Fund, and all rights to any benefit therein without notice.

When a member of the Pension Fund attains the age of sixty-five years he shall be placed on the retirement roll of the Pension Fund, and shall be paid a monthly salary from the fund of twenty dollars during the balance of his or her natural life..

When a member of the Pension Fund becomes permanently disabled and unable to perform any character of service, where such member has been a continuous member of the Pension Fund for a period of eight years or more immediately preceding such term of disability, such member shall be placed on the retirement roll and shall be paid a monthly salary of twenty dollars during the balance of his or her natural life, unless such member shall recover his or her health sufficiently to permit of accepting remunerative employment, in which case his or her name shall be removed from the retirement roll, and no further payments made to such member,

provided: No name shall be placed on the retirement roll or any funds paid out of the Pension Fund to anyone until after the expiration of four years from the date of the institution of the Pension Fund, and no benefits shall accrue or be due to any member of the said fund on account of disability or having reached the age limit during the said period of four years from the date of the organization or institution of the said Pension Fund.

When the name of a member of the Pension Fund is placed on the retirement roll, his or her assessments in such fund shall immediately cease.

The Cort Club of Chicago at its November meeting adopted the following resolutions covering the proposed Pension Fund:

WHEREAS, There is now before the membership for consideration a proposed pension fund for old and faithful members; and,

WHEREAS, This body desires to go on record as being in favor of a pension scheme; therefore, be it

Resolved, That we the members of the Chicago Order of Railroad Telegraphers' Club in a regular meeting assembled, endorse the plan outlined in the August TELEGRAPHER, if amended as follows: "That in case of renewed disability before his or her reaching the age of sixty-five, he or she shall again be eligible if necessary assessments in the meantime have been paid;" be it further

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to each member of the Pension Fund committee, and a copy to the editor of THE TELEGRAPHER.

described as Labor's Bill of Grievances, in which legislation necessary to at least partially relieve the condition of the laboring men and women of the United States was pointed out. Since that time much of the legislation sought has been enacted and there now remain but three matters to be legislated unon of the original Labor's Bill of Grievances, which are set forth in this appeal, as follows:

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 9, 1914. To All Members of Organized LaborGreeting:

Three bills of the greatest importance to the interests of humanity in general and labor in particular, are pending in the United States Senate. The opposition to all of these bills is so trenchant, so active, so well organized, and so politically influential, that it is thought they will succeed in preventing action in the Senate upon these measures, unless all organized labor and friends of humanity act immediately. The bills are:

First, the Seamen's bill, as passed by the Senate, provided improved safety conditions for the traveling public; abolished involuntary servitude, and allowed better conditions for the seamen. It has passed the House with amendments and is now back in the Senate Committee on Commerce, of which the Honorable James P. Clarke, of Arkansas, is chairman.

The best interests, directly or indirectly, of all the people in the civilized world demand that the Congress during this session should take favorable and positive action upon the Seamen's bill. It is known as the La Follette bill, S. 136. Every labor organization and all sympathizers in the cause of freedom safety and justice should advocate its passage.

Second, the well-known Immigration bill, containing the literacy test for incoming aliens. It is known as the Burnett bill, H. R. 6060. It passed the House by a two-thirds vote. It has been reported favorably to the Senate by Senator Smith, of South Carolina, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Immigration. There is an overwhelming majority of Senators in favor of this bill if they can have an opportunity to vote for it. Similar measures to

this have been passed by the Senate by large majorities in previous Congresses. If the Senate does not take action upon this measure at this session it will be injurious to the best interests of all the workers and all the people of our country.

If the Senators hear from their constituents at home urging the passage of the Burnett bill with the literacy test included they will undoubtedly pass it.

The third measure is the domestic Convict Labor bill, known as the BooherHughes bill, H. R. 2321. This bill passed the House with only three dissenting votes; it has been favorably reported to the Senate by Senator Newlands, of Nevada, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. This Convict Labor bill is a proposed enabling act which will permit home rule for the several States in the employment of their convicts without fear of having products of contract convict labor in other States interfere with the welfare of their own industrial conditions. It has always been strongly advocated by the organizations affiliated to the American Federation of Labor. A similar bill to this has passed the House of Representatives several times, but never before has it been possible to obtain consideration of it by a committee of the Senate. It is now occupying a good position on the Senate calendar. It, too, will undoubtedly be passed if the organizations of labor, their members and friends, will urge the Senators to take favorable action.

It is therefore strongly urged that the officers and members of all organized labor send official communications or resolutions, and that individual members and friends be requested to immediately write to the chairmen of the several committees herein named and also to their own United States Senators, asking them to see to it that the Seamen's bill, S. 136; the Immigration bill, H. R. 6060, and the Convict Labor bill, S. 2321, be passed at an early date and before the close of this Congress. Do not delay, and do not hesitate to correspond freely with your Representatives and your United States Senators; ask them to give you a decisive answer to your communication, and urge them to exert themselves individually,

in behalf of these humanitarian measures and protective labor laws.

If we can succeed in securing the passage of these three important measures, it will complete the historic Bill of Grievances submitted by the American Federation of Labor, on March 21, 1906, to former President Roosevelt, to the late President pro tem. of the Senate, Mr. Wm. P. Frye, and former Speaker Joseph G. Cannon, of the House of Representatives.

Please act instantly and frequently until we report that these bills have been passed by Congress and signed by the President. By authority of the Thirty-fourth Annual Convention of the American Federation of Labor. Fraternally yours,

SAML. GOMPERS, President, American Federation of Labor. FRANK MORRISON, Secretary, American Federation of Labor.

T

THE U. S. INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION. HE United States Commission on Industrial Relations has filed its first annual report with Congress, which covers the year ending October 22, 1914. In its report the Commission states that its first task was to agree on interpretation of Congress's instruction to inquire into the underlying causes of industrial unrest and to formulate a working program. The report says that the Commission immediately agreed that it was not a Bureau or Department of Government in the ordinary sense, but an independent body created by Congress to do certain specific things. The report further refers to the fact that the usual government agency makes detailed investigation for the purpose of presenting facts in a more or less statistical form to Congress and to the public and that the Commission's duty was to get behind these facts, find an explana tion for their existence and find a basis for constructive legislation to meet these conditions. The report continues:

"Our decision to hold public hearings was based on the belief that laws are valueless except where they are expressive and rest upon a strong opinion, and there seemed to be no way that would be more

effective for ascertaining the general sentiment as to industrial unrest and its causes than the face to face method of open hearings, to which are summoned interested parties from all walks of life. These public hearings brought about that personal contact with industrial conditions and industrial relations that is so essential to a sound judgment and correct conclusions as to what are the real causes of industrial unrest.

"Through the medium of carefully planned public hearings, the commissioners were brought into direct contact with the issues in industrial centers of the country, and conferred with the men, who, as a result of many years of industrial experience, could give not only the most exact and authoritative information, but also seasoned opinion in and judgment as to the wisest course of action to bring about genuine and stable improvement.

"Witnesses have been given the widest possible liberty in order that they might express freely just what they had on their minds as to industrial unrest that existed and what were the causes lying back of that unrest.

"The hearings have served two other great purposes. First, they have carried to the general public for the first time, it is believed, an idea of the issues involved in the industrial struggle and an understanding of the causes which make for industrial unrest.

"Second, they have compelled both employers and labor to consider deeply their own weaknesses and shortcomings, and search for means to correct evils which have been brought to their attention in this public manner."

The report presents an outline of the research and investigation work now under way and a summary of the testimony of more than 500 witnesses, including employers, workmen, trade unionists, economists, public officials and others, who have appeared before the commission at public hearings in various cities from New York to San Francisco.

No conclusions are stated by the commission and the report is intended to be merely record of progress. Under the act

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creating the commission the final report, containing conclusions and recommendations, will be submitted to Congress before next August.

Probably the most interesting part of the report is the summary of testimony at the public hearings. These have been held in Washington, New York, Paterson, N. J.; Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Lead, S. Dak.; Butte, Mont.; Seattle, Portland, Orc.; San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Witnesses were summoned only after careful investigation by agents and members of the commission. Of the 514 witnesses summoned, 181 were affiliated with employers, 183 affiliated with labor and 150 not affiliated with either group. Of those affiliated with employers, 132 were employers, managers and foremen, 16 were representatives of employers' organizations, 7 were attorneys for employers' organizations, 8 were efficiency engineers, 5 were agriculturalists and 13 were employment agents. Of the witnesses affiliated with labor, 127 were trade union officials, 39 were working men and working women, 4 attorneys for labor organizations, 7 Industrial Workers of the World and 6 representatives of the Socialist party. In the group not affiliated with either employers or labor were 52 public officials, 24 representatives of private organizations, 17 educators, 16 economists and sociologists, 8 investigators, 6 representatives of the press, 5 private citizens, 6 clergymen and 16 unclassified.

The witnesses represent at least 210 organizations, firms and corporations, distributed as follows: Labor organizations, 53; employers' organizations, 29; private organizations, 30; public institutions, 19; firms and corporations, 79. Practically every organization having a direct interest in industrial questions has been accorded a hearing.

Analyzing the testimony of witnesses at the hearings, the commission finds substantial agreement by all witnesses as to some of the causes of industrial unrest. Those generally agreed upon are found to be as follows:

Largely a world-wide movement arising from a laudable desire for better living conditions. Advanced by representatives of

labor, Socialists and employers and generally indorsed.

A protest against low wages, long hours and improper working conditions in many industries. Advanced by practically all labor representatives and assented to by many employers.

A desire on the part of the workers for a voice in the determination of conditions under which they labor, and a revolt against arbitrary treatment of individual workers and a suppression of organization. This was almost uniformly approved by labor witnesses.

Unemployment and the insecurity of employment. Generally advanced by witnesses from every standpoint.

Unjust distribution of the products of industry. Advanced by most labor representatives and agreed to by most employers. Misunderstanding and prejudice. Agreed to by employers and employes. Agitation and agitators. Generally advanced by employers, but defended by labor representatives and others as a necessary means of education.

The rapid rise in prices as compared with

wages.

The rapidly growing feeling that redress for injuries and oppression can not be secured through existing institutions.

"In addition," says the report, "it has been stated by many witnesses that the tremendous immigration of the last quarter century, while not itself a direct cause of unrest, has served to accentuate the conditions arising from other causes, by creating an over-supply of labor unfamiliar with American customs, language and conditions."

The Weekly News Letter of the American Federation of Labor gives the following brief summary of the criticisms by employers of the trade unions, together with replies by organized workers, as shown by the testimony produced before the commission:

"The reply of the union representatives is: That experience has shown the best guarantees of the observance of contracts to be moral responsibility and regard for the reputation of the union. That the instances of contracts broken by unions are few in number, and inconsiderable in comparison with the number of contracts broken in the business world, where money damages are commonly imposed. That putting up a forfeitable bond would lower the entire plane upon which the observance of contracts now stands, and would simply mean a financial calculation on the part of the union to see whether a breach of contract would leave a balance in favor of its members after the bond was forfeited. That the assumption of financial responsibility by the unions would simply be taken advantage of by the employers to harass the unions.

"Criticism 2. The 'closed shop' policy of the unions not only means a monopoly of labor as far as the employer is concerned, but also prevents competent mechanics, who are unable or unwilling to accept the terms imposed by the union, from obtaining employment at their trade.

"The reply from labor is that there is no 'closed shop,' but that the maintenance of the 'union shop' imposes no burden on the employer, who is free to employ any workman he pleases provided that the workman will become a member of the union and bear his share of the responsibility in return for the benefits which the union offers to all who work where union conditions have been established. That the conditions imposed upon applicants for membership are merely those which every competent mechanic can meet, and that they are reasonable from every standpoint and necessary for the protection of the trade.

"Criticism 3. The unions stand for restricting the output to the level of mediocrity and insist nevertheless on the payment of the standard wage for an output which. is below the standard.

"The reply is that the unions have never attempted to establish a restriction on output save as a protection for the health of their workers, and to prevent the overspeeding of all by the use of pacemakers. That the union is applying merely the rule