GENTLEMEN: A copy of The Printing Art for October, 1921, containing a sample of re-engraving or hand-tooling applied to a halftone plate, over the name of your company, has come to the attention of the Division of Graphic Arts of the United States National Museum.

As part of our work is the collection of specimens of printing and engraving and their exhibition at the Smithsonian Building here in Washington, we should be very pleased if you would send us proofs of some of your best work of re-engraving similar to that shown in The Printing Art. Any proofs you may send us will be considered for inclusion in new exhibits which are now being prepared. Credit will be given your firm for the work and the gift, both in the catalogue and on the labels placed on any exhibits.

Yours very truly,

R. P. TOLMAN, Asst. Curator,
Division of Graphic Arts.

The West Coast Engraving Company also produced some very excellent two-color process plates, which have been reviewed in these columns, and which brought the following letter from The Inland Printer:

Oct. 6, 1921.

West Coast Engraving Company,
Commonwealth Building,
Portland, Oregon.

ATTENTION OF MR. CARL FREILINGER

GENTLEMEN: Thank you very much indeed for sending the two sets of plates. In

I

my letter of September 10th I stated that was making arrangements with the school maintained by the International Pressmen's union to run these inserts; but since receiving the plates and the progressive proofs, I have changed my plans in regard to this and will have this work done here in the plant, so that I can watch it and see that it is handled properly so that we may secure the best results possible from these engravings.

I was very much surprised upon receiving the plates to learn that they were only two colors, as I had not noticed the statement on the original circular where you called attention to the fact that they were two-color process plates. It was my impression that they were at least three-color, if not four-color, specimens.

The results you have secured are certainly splendid, and I am very glad indeed to have these for use as specimen inserts in The Inland Printer. We are now starting work on them so that one will be used in the November issue. The plates will be returned to you just as soon as it is possible after the work is off the press.

Again thanking you for your co-operation in the work we are endeavoring to accomplish, we remain

Very truly yours,

HARRY HILLMAN, Editor The Inland Printer.

We congratulate our friends on the excellent work they are doing, and the reputation they enjoy, which from the evidence submitted, extends far beyond the portals of their fair city.

A recent copy of the Advertising Club News, the official publication of the Advertising Club of New York, Inc., contains the following article, which appears under a cartoon depicting an organ-grinder and his monkey, both seeking contributions from an unappreciative public:

What is to be done with the great crowd of locally recognized advertising agencies in New York City that split commissions with the customers? Advertisers do not retain them because of their ability; they use them only to get lower rates from the newspapers.

New York City is the only city in the country in which newspapers allow commissions to advertising agencies on local business. It would be all right to allow the commissions if strictly local agencies worked intelligently to develop new business-but they don't. As soon as anybody appears for the first time in the advertising columns of a newspaper, even with a small classified advertisement, he is literally pounced upon by a drove of agency men, all suggesting that they will place his advertisements and save him money. There is a gang of second-story workers in the local agency field that ought to be driven out of the advertising business.

I have come across cases where the type of agency I refer to often returns to an advertiser as much as 13 to 14 per cent of 15 per cent commissions, and 8 to 9 per cent of 10 per cent commissions. One of the largest advertisers in New York City clears his business through one of these snipers. The agency business either is or is not a good thing. It either is or is not a service proposition. It was never intended to be a means by which rates of publications are cut. Publishers agreed to pay commissions solely on the idea that agencies would work to get new advertising accounts and after getting them to take care of them-to help advertisers get results. Very few new advertisers are started in New York City yearly. This is proof of the inefficiency of the local agencies.

From the foregoing, it would seem that the advertising agencies have their troubles, also. This incident caused Mr. E. J. Volz, President of the New York Photo-Engravers' Union No. 1, to address a communication to the Advertising Club of New York, as follows:—

On page 2, last column, of Advertising Club News for November 28th, we note the wail of "The Rambler" against rebate agencies giving away service to the undoubted detriment of every legitimate advertising agent.

This Union for several years enforced regulations protecting the photo-engraver from similar abuses, while the advertising agencies were most active in pressing legislation prohibiting us from carrying on such activity for our protection.

The heading to the article showing the organ-grinder and his monkey, both in the act of soliciting alms, might make an appropriate joint emblem for the photo-engraver and advertising agent. At any rate we welcome your company and again say: "What is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander."

Photo-engravers have been "razzed" by advertising agencies in various parts of the country, and perhaps more in New York than in any other. They have complained loudly and frequently on what they consider the evils of the photo-engraving business and the crimes perpetrated by photo-engravers. Up to this moment, nothing constructive from that source has come to our notice. It seems now as though our friends are suffering from some of the ills which have been a burden to photo-engravers for years. Perhaps they will become more sympathetic in mind and attitude hereafter. At all events, let us hope so.

In this case, as in a good many others, we hear the Macedonian cry for co-operation and mutual helpfulness. We seldom see any evidence of these high-sounding and beautiful sentiments and declarations. It seems that all the co-operation must come from one side, and all the helpfulness must be similarly extended. Whenever this game is put on a give-andtake basis, we will get somewhere. As long as either one or both parties to the dispute continue to suffer from an acute attack of the "gimmies," just so long will we have conversation and nothing more. Advertising agencies need photo-engravers to help them perfect and execute their plans and campaigns. Photo-engravers need advertising agencies as customers and patrons. Each may be able to do without the other, but not so well. Why not work together and stop talking about it?

Exports of merchandise during November were valued at 295 million dollars compared with 344 million dollars (revised figure) in October and 676 million dollars in November of last year. Imports were 211 million dollars compared with 188 million dollars (revised figure) in October and 321 million dollars in November, 1920. The balance of trade in our favor for the month was 84 million dollars compared with 156 million dollars (revised figure) in October and 355 million dollars in November of last year. November exports were the smallest in value of any month since August, 1915, while imports were larger than in any month since April,

1921.

Business failures during November numbered 1,987, the largest month's total for the year, which compares with 1,760 in October and 1,060 in November a year ago. The number of failures in November was the largest number for the month of November of which we have any record. Failures for the month had liabilities of 63 million dollars compared with 50 million dollars the month before and 38 million dollars a year ago.

Money in circulation on December first totaled 5,677 million dollars compared with 5,731 million dollars a month before and 6,363 million dollars a year ago, making the circulation per capita $52.19 compared with $52.75 a month before and $59.41 a year ago. The stock of gold in the United States now totals 3,545 million dollars compared with 3,505 million dollars a month ago and 2,761 million dollars a year ago, indicating that this country now holds forty-three per cent of the world's gold, the total amount of gold in the world being estimated at 8,100 million dollars.

The average price of all commodi

ties, according to the Bankers' Commodity Price Index, on the first of December was $421.14 compared with $413.85 a month before; $501.75 a year ago; $728.86, the highest point ever known, on August 1, 1919, and $358.77 on August 1, 1914. These figures clearly indicate an upward trend in the average price of all raw materials at wholesale and give good promise of increasing prices for the products of the farm and the mine.

Freight car loadings during November averaged 761 thousand cars per week compared with 929 thousand the previous month and 884 thousand for November, 1920, showing a tremendous falling off in freight tonnage even though the weather has been generally favorable.

Immigration reports for the calendar year covering Atlantic ports only, with the last two weeks estimated, show 579 thousand arrivals and 447 thousand departures, making net immigration of only 132 thousand for the year. During 1920 arrivals totaled 599 thousand and departures 426 thousand, leaving 173 thousand net arrivals, the decline this year as compared with last being twenty-three

smiths, boiler makers and electricians. The new rules, which were made effective December 1, supplant the national agreement promulgated by the Railroad Administration during the period of Federal control. Some rules which, in the Board's opinion, have proved practical through long usage and experience, are continued in their original form, but many others have been made much less rigid and drastic than those contained in the national agreement. The principle of collective bargaining, as well as of the open shop is sustained, although in the latter respect the new regulations, it is pointed out, are of more theoretical than practical importance, since nearly all the shops are unionized. One of the most important changes was made in that section of the national agreement which classified the work of the various crafts and defined their duties so exactly that a great deal of ordinary work had to be performed by highly paid skilled workmen. Such discrimination has now been eliminated, and the rules have been made more elastic in order to broaden the scope of each craft's work. In short, the new code is designed to bring about more economical management and increased efficiency. The Board estimates that the changes will mean a saving to the railroads of approximately $50,000,000 a year; the exact amount, however, can be determined only by actual operation. The revision just announced virtually disposes of the shop craft cases, with the exception of minor matters that have been remanded back to the carriers and their employees for adjustment, and leaves the Board in a position, it is understood, to begin the consideration of applications for wage reductions in the near future.

The United States Supreme Court held in a case involving a construction of the Clayton Anti-Trust Law which restricts the use of the injunction. against organized labor :

Peaceful picketing in labor disputes is lawful, but where such picketing involves methods inevitably leading to intimidation and obstruction, no matter how lawful the announced purpose, it becomes illegal and may be restrained by court injunction.

Chief Justice Taft's opinion holds that the strikers and their sympathizers should be limited in this particular case to one representative for each point of ingress or egress in the plant, or place of business, picketed, and that all others be enjoined from congregating or loitering at the plant or in neighboring streets by which access is had to the plant. The court does not lay this down as a rigid rule to be applied in all cases, but only as a rule which should apply in this case under the circumstances disclosed by the evidence and which may be varied in other cases.

If you cannot find anything instructive in the "Bulletin" it's because you didn't send in anything for publication.

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