weapons of precision by savages with bows and arrows. In the end the scientific weapons must conquer.

WADE SHURTLEFF.

ALBANY No. 87.

Hello, Brothers and Sisters! Here is a once in a while from Albany Lodge No. 87, and we are still on the map, but having pretty stormy weather. No one ever heard Albany Lodge No. 87 make a kick or holler, though we are having a hard time getting the members to attend the meetings regularly and President W. Strenge is getting gray hairs and that is also probably the reason he gets peeved every now and then. We can't lay the blame on all the members, because those that are willing to come and do come when they get the chance nights week about, and it usually happens that they are on days only ten or fifteen times at the time we hold our meetings. The bill clerks have to work to a finish every night and it is very seldom that on a meeting night they get through before eight o'clock, so that by the time they get home and eat their supper it is almost time for them to go to bed and if they should happen to get through in time to be able to attend they are so elated that they have somewhere else to go. We had a blow handed out to us last week when two of our members were laid off and there is a probability that they may get work elsewhere and then we would lose them, but that did not stop us a single picayune, because we turned right around and put in two "nons" and placed on file another paid up application which was voted upon and duly elected. We had a blowout after the meeting which was enjoyed very much by all and we only wish that we could have them once a month. It is too bad though we could not have had a little to eat and drink before the meeting was called, because then maybe Brother H. L. Bundy, our past president, would have felt better; as it was he was a little bit put out on account of the very poor attendance and he went so far as to slam our recording secretary's desk and almost break the top of it, and say he would never again ask any more of the members to get around to the meetings, at least on the night we are initiating and having a feed. Although you can't blame him one mite, because there isn't a soul there who has the interest of the Brotherhood more at heart than he has. We also had with us

Brothers Carrigan and Farnan of the Grand Lodge and they did themselves and the organization credit. They are here to give us a helping hand and to reorganize the old lodges at Troy, Schenectady and Cohoes and we wish them all the good luck in the world for their success. They enjoyed the feed and the drinks as much as we did, and as to the drinks, mum's the word, but for some reason or other Brother Willie Knott was kept very busy with his tray and I can't just say where all the wet goods went.

On Sunday, March 21, 1915, at 10 a. m., at Proctor's Grand, Albany, N. Y., a large secret union meeting was held, composed of the big six organizations on the railroads of New York state, which were the B. of L. & E., O. R. C., B. of R. T., the Telegraphers, and last but not least, the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks. We were there by invitation, for which we had the honor to receive and we were ably represented by Brothers Carrigan and Farnan. There was some very good speaking on the repeal of the full crew bill made by some of the Grand Lodge officers of the organization. The meeting lasted so long that Brother Farnan did not have the pleasure of speaking and I know he was just itching to get the floor, but Brother Carrigan said all there was to be said and then some. Brother Harrison Brown of the Boston & Maine Railroad caused a little titter when he came from behind the scenes with a white cup and a big white pitcher containing some fluid; not having had a drink of it, I can't say what it was, but one of the speakers liked it pretty well, for he had three or four drinks of it. We adjourned at about 1:15 p. m. and then we all assembled on the outside of the theater to have our pictures taken. The photographers had made a somewhat shaky platform of some boards and barrels they dug up somewhere in the neighborhood which held a few of us while the others scattered around the walk and curbstone. They took us twice and the second time they requested us to remove our hats, and I am quite sure some of the baldies caught cold. At 2:30 p. m. the meeting was called to order again, but this time it was open to the public and a good crowd took up all the seats in the theater. In the evening there was a banquet held, and I wasn't there, so I can't tell you anything about it, but from what I hear they had a high old time.

I suppose you have all selected your

Well, boys, I am here again, almost ashamed of myself for being absent so long. Just finished reading the April issue of The Clerk, saw so many articles from different lodges that I have taken it upon myself to put Memphis in the limelight again.

Business has been very dull here since the war started, and Memphis No. 40 has started a little war of her own to see if we can't make things boom again. At our last meeting President Williamson started the ball rolling and we all promised to help. The best way to get new members is to have the old motto, "No cards, no favors."

Well, boys, as we are going to have a convention I would like to hear from all the lodges, through The Clerk, about what their views are on different subjects that will come before the convention, so they may be threshed out by the members that stay at home before the delegates leave their respective lodges, and so they may know the will of their lodge when the time comes to vote. The insurance feature is a proposition that should be carefully weighed. I am in favor of compulsory insurance, but it is going to cost us some members, yet in time to come it will be the making of us. The time has come that we must be more stern in our dealings and not be afraid of offending or losing a few would-be railroad clerks, because this or that don't suit them. I know a lot of so-called railroad clerks who clothe themselves in Brotherhood garb

for their own selfish convenience and benefit only, and strike laws will unmask such fellows. Our solicitors are too anxious to get a new member to question his past record. Be careful, boys, who you admit to your lodge rooms. The I. C. strike has taught us that.

Oh, how I long to see the day when the railroad clerk will have the non begging at his door; then make him show his colors before he enters. A good member will not forget his obligation—a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush-nuff sed.

Haven't seen anything in The Clerk from any of the I. C. striking lodges lately. Wake up, boys, let's hear from you all. Understand something will be done at the convention in regard to the I. C. strike. What do you propose to do?

Brother Finn's article in the April issue of The Clerk with reference to federating with the B. of L. E., B. of L. F. & E., B. of R. T., O. R. C. and the O. R. T. should be considered, I think, as we would be benefited considerably by such a federation.

Think these things over, boys, and discuss them at your next meeting and let's hear from all lodges in the next issue of The Clerk. HANK.

WHO WANTS TO KNOW. Bay City, Mich., Local 299 is right in line. Organized five months ago and now has a membership of about 98, taking in all stations from Bay City to Mackinaw City. They are holding two meetings every month, and new members are added to the list most every meeting. No. 299 also pulled off their first annual dance in Washington hall Feb. 15. It was a surprise to the members to see the large attendance, and it certainly was a grand success-music by first class orchestra. Much credit is due to the lively, up-to-date committeemen, which were Howard Hayes, E. W. Peterson and E. C. Gariepy. D. B.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

The Brotherhood of Railway Clerks is a voluntary organization composed of men and women in the service of railroads, steamship or other freight transportation companies. It strives to enroll under its banner a class of wage earners who are very much in need of organization and the protection that organization guarantees to them. Like every other institution of a similar nature, it has accomplished more for the workers through collective bargaining than has any similar organization ever accomplished for this class of wage earners.

It has persistently endeavored to instill into the minds of the unorganized clerks the great needs for organization; it has sown the seeds of the labor movement in fertile fields, which has developed and brought forth good results, and as the outcome of its efforts strong, healthy organizations exist where the clerks needed it, and through their hard, persistent efforts maintained it. It has also spread the organization spirit broadcast and in a general way promoted organization which seemed to take root and prosper for a time, but eventually passed out of existence because of the don't-care attitude of those who should be the most interested, but who were not really interested at all.

There are in the world too many thinking people who are imbued with the idea that

this world owes them a living whether they work or play; there are also a class of people who are presumptuous enough to think that they can make an easy living at the expense of others; there are yet another class who lay claim to all the benefits, accept all the betterments that others have strived to secure, yet they make no effort to co-operate, assist financially or in any other way acquire these benefits. This is a position that some railway clerks assume when requested by the members of this Brotherhood to become active members and help carry the movement along. This movement of ours is a partnership, co-operative movement, organized on business principles for business purposes. The same principle applies to this institution that applies to any mercantile one, and where the partners of an institution of any kind fail to take the proper interest in their own affairs, that institution or business venture is soon doomed to failure. This is certainly true where the men interested will not take an interest in their own affairs. This same principle holds good and is particularly applicable to the members of organized labor, and may be applied with profit to this Brotherhood and a goodly portion of its members who have been lying dormant in the movement, and have failed or neglected to grasp the purport of it, probably not through any fault of theirs other than an