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LONDON, May 29, 1912. HE last week in May found the London transport workers' strike in full operation and business almost entirely suspended in the great London docks. A year ago the previous transport workers' strike in London was a great success. Dockers, carters, and other men associated with the work of loading and unloading ships and conveying imported produce away from the docks, secured increases in wages, shortened hours, and better conditions in most cases. As a result of that previous strike, which in the end became national, all the unions canvassing for men engaged at and about the docks secured tremendous increases in membership and large strides were taken towards complete organization of all those workers. Even that most difficult section of men known as shipping clerks organized and almost 2,000 of them joined the National Union of Clerks, raising the union membership from. 3,000 to over 5,000. This is mentioned because anything which brings trade unionism to the class of men engaged in bookkeeping has done a very wonderful thing so far as this country is concerned. Next to the retail clerks they have been the hardest section of any section of workers to unionize and these men, poorly paid as they are, suffer from "respectability" in its most snobbish form. Their conditions of work are perhaps rather better at the docks, so far as pay is concerned, than else. where in the mercantile community, but it is there that they have most frequently been used as blacklegs in cases of dockers and other ship workers striking. The dockers, lightermen, stevedores, tug-boat men, enginemen, and the rest also found their unions enormously strengthened numerically and financially as a result of last year's strikes.

With these victories behind them the men have not been inclined to rest upon their oars, and it has taken their union leaders all their time until now to prevent further outbreaks. Last year unionism came out as a fighting force of a greater strength than ever before known in the United Kingdom and now has come a further test of its strength. The capitalist press here would have us believe in the present strike that trade unionists have broken agreements, have made war upon the people of London through the holding up of the food supplies, and have entered upon the fight with a most puerile pretext. That is all rubbish. It is true that the spark that has "set the forest on fire" is a small one, but the inflammability of the materials has been increased excessively by the masters' earlier actions. And it wanted very little to set things ablaze. That very little from the point of view of the general public, however, means a great deal for the trade unionist.

The Thames lightermen and watermen, who are the workers on the lighters or open barges used in loading and unloading ships in the river, are almost entirely a union class. An ex-foreman lighterman of 61 years of age had been put down by his employers, owing to his age, to be merely a watch

man. The men claim that lightermen's watchmen should hold union tickets. The ex-foreman declared that he was still a member of the foremen's society which is not regarded by the lightermen as a union at all and he refused to take out a lighterman's card. This refusal, in the end, led to a strike of the other lightermen working for the same employer which in turn was met by a series of dismissals by the employer. That is all. Thereupon the whole of the lightermen to the number of between 7,000 and 8,000 struck.

Attempts to divert the work to other classes of dock laborers was met with wholesale refusals to handle the diverted traffic and to more dismissals and then to a meeting of the Transport Workers' Federation, with which the whole of the dock unions are affiliated. On May 24 a strike of the whole of the London transport workers was ordered, and within a few days over 100,000 were out, including a large number of carmen, as we style the men who drive the goods wagons (freight).

Just as was the case last year, all the unions must stand or fall together, and no section of men will return to work until all have secured their demands, which are scheduled us follows:

The day pay for dockers, lightermen, stevedores, and all ship workers to be raised from the present rate to a uniform rate of 20 cents per hour. Overtime rate to be 28 cents per hour.

Day conditions of working to be from 7 a. m. till 5 p. m., instead of from 7 a. m. to 6 p. m. Overtime rates to commence at 5 p. m. and to run on till 7 a. m.

Double time for all work done on Sundays and on statutory holidays.

Double time to be paid for work which has to be done during meal times.

No man after being called on, to be paid off with less than four hours, day or night. All men working after 12 midnight to receive a full night's pay.

All transport workers to be taken on outside the docks.

Full recognition by the employers of the Transport Workers' Federation and the federation card.

For carmen a reduction of the hours of work to 60 per week was demanded. Last year the hours were reduced to 72 per week, although many employers have broken this agreement since. Prior to last summer London carmen worked 80, 90, and 100 hours per week.

The position with regard to the London lightermen is not clear at the moment. The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, which controls them, does not desire at the moment to enter into a fight. Twenty thousand carmen are members of that union and it is difficult to see how they can be isolated from the dispute. The strike has been well organized and permits are being issued by the strike leaders, Ben Tillett and Harry Gosling, allowing hospital and certain other necessities to be moved from the docks. All other merchandise is blocked. Some stuff is being got out under

police protection, the loading and driving being done by outsiders especially engaged for the work and by the employers themselves. Twelve hundred police were drafted into the dock area on May 27 and regiments of troops are being held in readiness at Aldershot for further "strike-breakers'" protection if necessary.

At the moment of writing the strike is spreading into areas hitherto untouched and may be extended over the whole country unless a speedy settlement is brought about. The solidarity and willingness of the workers has been exemplified in a striking manner and substantial gains both in better conditions and in further increased union memberships should be the result.

At Whitsuntide numerous labor conventions are always held. This year one of the most important has been a conference of delegates of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, who, it should be noted, are not the men who drive locomotives but the men engaged in making the machines here. The Amalgamated Society of Engineers has over 100,000 members who were represented by about forty delegates at the convention, which opened in Manchester on May 27. The business, which is expected to last for about six weeks, will, it is understood, include a decision whether the organization shall continue its present methods or adopt a more militant policy. The members have forced the meeting for this year against the advice of the executive council, who would have waited until the Insurance Act had been put into operation. The membership, too, it is proposed to make of wider application. Other resolutions are concerned with Parliamentary representation and the abolition of the working agreement with the Engineering Employers' Federation.

The National Union of Clerks referred to above, also opened its convention on May 27, one of the first successful resolutions being that the executive council be instructed to take steps to "disaffiliate" from the Parliamentary Labor Party in the House of Commons in view of its reactionary policy. The Labor Party, the mover of the resolution declared, was a reactionary wing of the Liberal Party.

Retail clerks, employed in the grocery trade, have also held their convention, at which the average wage of $6 to $8 per week paid to such retail clerks was denounced and the executive council was instructed to take the necessary steps to secure a minimum wage in the grocery, provision, oil and color, and allied trades.

These two examples of a stronger fighting feeling in a class of men very hard to organize should be noted as an instance of the way the union spirit is developing in unexpected quarters and it can safely be said that trade unionism in this country was never before so virile as it is now.

The coming into operation of the Insurance Act* is not regarded on the whole as an unmixed blessing by our trade unionists although most of the unions are becoming approved societies under the act and will take charge of their own members' dues and benefits under the act. There are some critics of the new measure who see in it a Liberal Government scheme to dish the unions, tie up their funds, and render them financially much weaker for fighting strikes and lockouts. The

matter is too large to be dealt with at all in detail here but the above view should be noted. Legislative enactments coming from the Liberal Government in the House of Commons are rarely of much benefit to British workers, the Labor Exchange Act being the last great case.

British coal miners are profoundly discontented in most districts with the way the Minimum Wage Act is working out. They were led to believe by the Government when the last strike was called off, that whatever awards were made by the various boards set up under the act, no miner would be asked to work for less than $1.25 per day. Many of the awards are below this figure. A special convention of representatives of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain was held in London on May 21, at which a strong protest was made and the executive committee of the federation was directed to ask for a special and immediate interview with the Government.

The strike of London tailors is now well on its way to settlement. Of the 50,000 men and women that came out originally, probably half are back at work now with their demands granted.

The Daily Herald, the first and only daily labor newspaper ever established in this country, is already proving of value to the trade union movement. It stands for direct trade union action and whilst announcing that it is prepared to support political action by an independent labor party in the House of Commons, it can not see that that party has done much in the last six years; whilst on the other hand, strikes and direct negotiations on the part of the workers have secured within the last twelve months incredible benefits. To take one case alone, sailors and firemen on ships for the last twelve months have been enjoying an increase in their monthly wages of from $2.50 to $6. Multiplying these individual raises by 80,000 monthly, gives a tremendous total advance. Dockers in the same way have been getting 2 to 4 cents an hour more all the time as well.

Another labor daily is promised for the fall. This will be published in Manchester and will be definitely an official organ of the Labor Party in Parliament, having Ramsay Macdonald as its chief guide. It will stand, therefore, in the main for political action on the part of the workers rather than as an organ of trade unionism.

A very typical expression of Parliamentary Labor Party opinion on the modern labor unrest is given in an article by Philip Snowden, a member of the Labor Party in Parliament, in the Daily Mail, of May 24. There he said: "The futility of the strike as a means of realizing the higher aims of labor has not yet been brought home to all the working classes by the recent strikes. We shall probably have a continuation of strikes for some time longer. But the miners' strike should have convinced every workman that there is reserve power in the community which makes it absolute folly to think that a general strike can ever take the place of political action." Your correspondent makes no comment on this, but simply gives it as an indication of Parliamentary Labor Party sentiment and of what will be the tone of the second daily labor paper. In the face of the enormous gains of the last twelve months from strikes, the statement certainly seems remarkable.

ARIZONA.

Phoenix.-Thomas H. Adams:

Musicians organized during the month. Retail clerks and cement workers are organizing. All unions are pushing the union labels.

ARKANSAS.

Argenta.-A. R. Finke:

CALIFORNIA.

Eureka.-M. P. Kelley:

There are nearly 10,000 unorganized woodsmen in this county. Their conditions are poor. Prospects are favorable for organizing a number of trades, among them the hodcarriers, teamsters, laundry workers, lathers, shinglers, lumber workers, and several others. Bartenders, electrical workers, and plasterers organized during the month. Organized labor here receives nearly double the pay of the unorganized. Considerable agitation is carried on for the union labels.

Petaluma.-George W. Tooley:

Organized labor is gaining in numbers and in strength. The various unions are steadily enrolling new members. A federal union has been organized since last report; also a union of bartenders.

San Mateo.-J. B. Falvey:

The organized building trades have bettered their conditions. All lumber mills and contractors of any importance have signed contracts with the building trades. Business is improving. So far the building trades are the only ones organized.

Santa Cruz.-J. W. Teeney:

Union men are ahead of the unorganized as regards conditions and wages. The eight-hour day at $4 has been obtained recently. Organized labor in good shape.

San Francisco.-John O. Walsh:

Organized labor in very fair condition at this writing. Bakers are on strike to have the union label put on bread. The six-day week in the Latin bakeshops is being enforced.

CONNECTICUT.

Bridgeport.-J. H. Smith:

Machinists, patternmakers and molders are organizing. Metal polishers and buffers are reorganizing. The metal trades council held an open meeting and hope to perfect all organizations in the metal trades.

FLORIDA.

Tallahasse.-Thos. E. Andrews:

A number of trades are about to organize. Brick-. masons, painters, and decorators have made ap

plications for charters. Carpenters organized during the month. Work is fairly steady.

Titusville.-L. Hitchcock:

Conditions are very good. Work is plentiful for union men. Fishermen's union recently increased their membership and have over 100 members. Prospects are bright for unions in this section. The union labels are called for.

GEORGIA.

Macon.-W. A. McKenna:

Labor conditions good. Plumbers received increase of 50 cents per hour. Hope to report organization of a metal trades council and a union of retail clerks.

Savannah.-Robt. Fechner:

All unions in good shape. There are very few non-union men in the skilled trades. Work is steady. Structural iron workers have formed union. Moving picture operators are organizing. The fourteenth annual convention of the State Federation of Labor which was held in April was the best we have ever had, both in point of number of delegates in attendance and in the importance of the work accomplished. Three energetic union men were elected on the legislative committee, and they will have ample time to plan their work before the Legislature meets in June. We are very hopeful of getting some of the bills passed which we have been working for so long. The prospects are that the number of union men in the Legislature will be substantially increased at the fall election, as there are several union men candidates, and all of them have splendid chances of winning. The labor movement throughout the State is in a very flourishing condition.

ILLINOIS.

Blue Island.-Frank Kasten:

All trades steadily employed at present. Freight handlers are out on strike and prospects are that they will win.

Breese.-Gus Knies:

Organized labor is in flourishing condition in this city. Miners have resumed work and everything seems to be moving smoothly. Work is steady. Committees are pushing the union labels.

Carlinville.-R. Bohrman:

All organized trades working steadily with the exception of the mine workers. There are very few unorganized men in this city. We have had no strikes this year. Teamsters increased their wage-scale on city work from $4.50 to $5 per day. Electrical workers organized recently.

Duquoin.-Geo. A. Pflauz:

About 75 per cent of the workers here are organized. Miners obtained 5 per cent increase in wages without strike. Have a union of clerks under way.

Glen Ellyn.-W. G. Laier:

Carpenters' District Council of Deepage County won strike for increase of 5 cents per hour all over the district, except in Hinsdale, where they obtained 7%1⁄2 cents per hour increase. The contrac

tors of Hinsdale formed an open shop organization and declared for the "open shop" April first. The result was a strike which lasted four weeks. During the strike the union men of Hinsdale displayed unusual union solidarity. All the trades stood together. Not a man deserted despite the fact that a severe winter season had just been experienced. The efforts of the employers to induce the men to return to work under open shop conditions proved unavailing. The bricklayers had no grievance and are not affiliated with the other trades, nevertheless they went out in sympathy, thus affording splendid aid. On May first the employers signed a closed shop agreement giving the carpenters an increase of 71⁄2 cents per hour, an eighthour day and four hours on Saturday. The agreement is signed for two years. Painters and building laborers obtained increase of 5 cents per hour. Hillsboro.-Wm. R. Cole:

The unions here are in fair shape. The eighthour day has been secured without strike. Work is steady. Hope to report the terra cotta workers organized next month.

Hodcarriers are organizing. Work is steady for all workers. Organized labor given the preference in most cases. The union labels are demanded.

Springfield.-R. E. Woodmansee:

Organized labor in Springfield and vicinity is in very good shape. Carpenters' union struck May first for increase of 5 cents per hour and won their demands after being out two weeks. Cement workers are gradually winning their strike and most of the employers have signed the new scale. A union label trades department has just been organized with twelve unions reporting who have shop cards, buttons, and labels, and a systematic campaign will be waged to push all union labels. Taylorville.-Geo. King:

The unions are making progress and have gained steadily since last report. Nearly all trades steadily employed. Bartenders and teamsters at Stonington are about to organize.

Logansport.-Dora Smith:

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Due to the activity of union men and women of this city, labor conditions are satisfactory. Our unions are alive to the interests of the wage-earners and do not overlook any opportunity to advance the cause of labor. All trades steadily employed. The Trades Assembly is one of the foremost factors in the agitation for the establishment of a public filtration plant, which will give the community pure water. All union labels are well patronized.

IOWA.

Waterloo.-E. G. Pullen:

Organized labor is in fairly good condition. Work is plentiful now and all workers are employed. We continue agitation for the union labels here.

KANSAS.

Emporia.-Carl. V. Eckdall:

Organized labor in fair shape. Prospects encouraging. The Trades and Labor Council has secured a written promise from the city school board that home labor and material would be used in the construction of a proposed high-school building.

Kansas City-Sim A. Bramlette:

Work has been unsteady, but employment in building lines is improving. Union men obtained shorter hours and better wages than unorganized workers. Very good demand for the union labels here.

MAINE.

Bangor.-Joseph Carr:

The building season was late this year, but we expect to make good progress now. Building laborers are organizing.

Lewiston.-Edmond Turmenne:

Loom fixers of Waterville, Me., organized since last report. Have a union of drug clerks under way. The strikes at Lawrence and Lowell have forced an advance of twice 5 per cent throughout the State of Maine. The Maine textile workers will hold their annual convention and are preparing to push the fifty-four-hour bill. Work is steady. Portland.-Joseph H. De Costa:

Condition of organized labor shows marked improvement. A number of the unions are preparing to improve their conditions. Work is plentiful and there is demand for men in the building and miscellaneous trades. Painters and paperhangers are involved in strike at present, demanding Saturday half-holiday without reduc tion in pay. The various firms are signing up and only twenty men are now out. Electric railroad conductors and motormen have organized and have prospects of other unions coming in line. Woodland.-Henry W. Moores:

Hours and working conditions of union men here are good, and they have been secured without strike. All labor here is organized. Some of the unions have secured agreements signed for two years, with increased wages. A central labor union is being organized.

MASSACHUSETTS.

Bridgewater.-Wm. H. Swift:

Work is plentiful in all industries, especially the building trades. Union men receive 25 to 35 per