Now some men are

racy within our borders, resolved never to rest until the goal of democracy has been attained. About this season, some of these clear, crisp nights you see here and there darting through the sky stars that seem to be falling, then other bodies known as planets and some as comets. Now, it is these comets that our granddaddies used to tell us were immense bodies of fire with long tails. They were simply roving in space without any specific duty, and, according to tradition, if the tail of one of these comets would strike our planet it would be good night for us. like these comets. They come to a meeting about three times in a year, and for a little while they startle, but they radiate no lasting heat and shed no light because they don't stay long enough. But the good old planets, the old guard, the gang, all stick to the finish. They are the fellows who go security for loans and other very important business. So, brother, when you attend your meeting stay to the finish, if you don't get all you pay for. We are sure if you went to the movies you would stick it out. One of the many problems in which labor should interest itself is the Americanizing of our naturalized citizens. Whether he be Spanish, French, Pole, Italian, Slav or, as we sometimes say, square-head, these men all sooner or later compete with you and I for our jobs. These men having left their own country to strive for a better living are willing to make great sacrifices to reach the goal of their ambition. They come here; their ignorance of our language and our laws and customs is a great handicap, and, naturally, they are imposed upon. This leaves an impression on their minds that is hard to eradicate. Instead of making these fellows the butt of our jests and jokes, which causes them to have their own colonies, we should endeavor to instruct them in the forms and uses of our business methods. It particularly should appeal to us to see that these men know something of our manner and method of electing our various

representatives. Of course, they vote; but how?

Of course I hear some one say, "Leave these guys alone; they learn fast enough." But what do they learn? Does it change their ideals of life? If not, our standards and ideals will have been lowered to an extent.

The excursion of the Central Labor Union to Atlantic City was a decided success, notwithstanding that the Rain Makers' Union, of which Mr. Jupiter Pluvius is business agent, gave us a raw deal by turning on rain with all valves wide open. Special events were indulged in and enjoyed by all on Steeplechase Pier.

Financially and socially it was a decided success.

This article should be written on a warm day or the day after you have moved into new quarters, and just got down to fixing water-backs or laying the carpets; then perhaps one could say or write little sarcastic things befitting some bipeds that the railroad company has wished on us.

The carmen went on strike for $3.50 a day and in three or four days "RATS" crawled out of their holes and took the strikers' places, and the company made nice little cages of the cars by screening them with wire netting, and they also let them sleep in the barns so they would feel at home.

They being of specie of the rat family that had learned to walk on their hind legs, and resembling so much the lower strata of humanity that grows up in the slums of our large cities.

The ones responsible for their presence here as strikebreakers believed they had found the connecting link between the "Monkey and Man." They act very much like some hoodlums that sometimes think all the ladies are infatuated with them, and it is amusing to see them skin their teeth and wave Leir paws at the mission belles. (Of

course, they make a hit-if one of the girls gets hold of a rock!)

Soft tomatoes make the best kind of ammunition to fire at the little impsfor when it hits the wire screen the seeds have a way of scattering about and sticking to their hides and hair. Moral suasion is the method commonly adopted by us in settling strikes or labor disputes, but direct action seems to be the only practicable way of dealing with these (caricatures of the human family (and it seems to have a wholesome effect in popularizing other modes of transit not commonly used by the aristocracy and the Law and Order Committee.

One of our leading daily papers deals very kindly with these "strikebreaking rats," and refers to them as "substitute carmen." Is that not just lovely of them? I presume that is the correct title for it is a known fact that they never were regular carmen anywhere and are only employed in case of strikes as substitutes.

Most of them carry the earmarks of the professional strikebreaker-given by some direct-action advocate-and the detective agencies must feel proud of their work when they can deliver two or three hundred men who are scarred and disfigured by the industrial wars of the past.

One often hears the remark, "Those 'skunks' are brave." Yes! They are brave like a burglar.

They receive many attentions and courtesies from their employers which the striking carmen never received prior to the strike, such as sitting down and smoking "cigarettoos." In fact that there is danger of vermin inUNION BUSTERS; and it is a stated fact that their is danger of vermin infection, so the U. R. R. boss and his few sympathizers keep at a safe distance while giving them the glad mitt. (The vermin referred to does not apply to the San Francisco FLEA, for a San Francisco flea would not go near them.)

They the now living in dormitories, or, rather, in the car barns, which are overcrowded; but with the help of the

housing committee we are trying to provide better quarters for them, and each little "RAT" will be allowed so much breathing space. Of course, this will precipitate a considerable outlay on the part of the U. R. R., but we do not wish for these imported "rats" to think unkindly of us when they are finally kicked over the divide.

They are a bunch of the best trained "MONKEYS" that ever struck Frisco. When there was no trouble they would make some, such as kicking out the sides of the cars, running automobiles alongside cars, firing pistols and raising all kinds of h-- until a few of them got their ribs kicked in.

Just to show you that these "rats" are professional strikebreakers and wise criminals fostered by what is supposed to be the better element of society, an officer of the law when he starts to search one of the "rats" is always asked to open up his hands. They are very wise and don't propose to have anything planted on them. They are old timers and know the game.

UNION BUSTERS know what they are sending for when they send for them. (In the Burns' letter published a few months ago appears this: "Anything else you have on your mind will receive prompt attention.) The bad part of this car strike is the "ABSENTEE LANDLORD" ruling from the viewpoint get there, produce results and send me profits on my investment-not a least consideration of how it is to be done.

He hides behind the fact that "Willie" is doing it-not him. He somewhat resembles the church-goers of San Francisco who owned property in the red light district-too proud to do things that he would hire others to do.

A cordon of police surrounded these "Imps of the Devil" when they reached Salt Lake City and would not let them enter the town while they stopped there temporarily; but we had to receive them here, or we did receive them, knowing full well who and what they were.

Did the civil authorities try to deport these "skunks?" No! Two hundred pistols were bought by an individual (not a retailer) and given to them. Mayor Rolph ordered the police to take the guns away from them, which was done. One hundred and thirteen of them got homesick after that and have returned to their vocations as respectable thieves.

Talk about "UNDESIRABLE CITIZENS!" We knew they were coming. The authorities knew they were coming. Why were they not met at the border? The hands of the "lower five" were tied and they arrived amongst us under protests.

I do not know that our troubles will interest many readers, but it is some relief to me to have the privilege of venting a little spleen and sarcasm on these microbes that play the game of strikebreakers for the "SOCIAL ARISTOCRACY" for so much per hour.

Those little devils have caused many of us to walk miles and miles every day since the strike.

Our society boys in Burlingame, Bros. Wilson, Danielson and Grierson, are using their own cars lately.

Financial Secretary Ed. Maring goes buzzing by in his Buick, picking up a straggler now and then on his way to work.

The picnic at Glenn Park has been postponed owing to the fact of the marriage of the floor manager, Mr. Harry Gingher. Harry always claimed that he would never get married until he could grow a mustache; but in his last report on the matter he says, "what is the use?" Your many friends of No. 8 wish you the best, "Harry."

Bro. Bert Valerjo attended our last meeting and made a few suggestions for the benefit of the order, which were well received. He advocated very strongly the need of No. 8 helping the striking carmen, which was done.

Some of our boys are getting called now and then for the army, and No. 8 is doing the right thing by them. Among the number are Bros. F. Lingren and Geo. Schorr.

Bro. Frank Colbert has returned from a motoring trip in the mountains and is now back with the service department of the Otis Company.

Ex-President Stem has been appointed a state inspector of elevators. Bro. W. E. Mitchell has returned to work as a member of the "upper ten" since he recovered from a severe burn by electricity which caused the loss of one finger.

The iron workers' strike is causing some lay-offs among our men owing to inability to get out material. We are expecting this to be settled any day now.

Bro. Harry Martin has returned from a seven months' visit to Spokane. The cost of living has not been Hooverized here in San Francisco as

Bill writes of the Black Flag. We used to read years ago of the black flag with the cross-bones, the walking of the plank and other outrages committeed on the high seas and we would shudder with real dread of the bloodcurdling cruelties of the pirates.

We know the seas harbored or carried many organized bands of robbers that became rich through piracy; though with the advance of civilization these pirates were shot, hung and destroyed until at last the seas in ordinary times are free of these menaces. The black flag isn't used on the seas now-a-days; it is used on land and the organizations that are entitled to it are operated throughout the United States and are protected by the laws of the land. Just think of navy beans selling for 30 cents a pound; only a few years since we bought them for five cents a quart. Bread, ten cents a loaf; we in the past bought the same loaf for four cents. Meat has got to where a man making less than ten dollars a day cannot afford to eat it. There is no use of me writing the prices of other necessaries, as every

honest profit? Yes, if you consider it this way: anything you can get away with is right if it is according to law. They tell us the reason for the high cost of living is because this country's produce is being shipped to our Allies, whom we have to keep from starving. Such is a mis-statement. While we agree that a good deal of our merchandise is shipped abroad, if we take time to look up the quoted prices in any of our Allies or even the neutral newspapers, you'll see that they are selling American-bought stuff at a

peared in the paper I asked the man that brought my ice what pay he was getting. He said $1.75 a day. I then asked him how many hours he worked a day; he said he worked 16 hours. "How many days do you work a week," I asked. He told me he worked seven days a week. I then told him of the item I had seen in the paper and asked him did he think they could get help if they paid two or three dollars a day. He said: "Laws, yes; get all they want. They can't get help. Did you notice the street car strikes of the different

cities throughout the United States. The companies seem to get plenty of men to break the strikes with, and these are all extra men. In Springfield, Ill., there is a strike on now and rioting according to the newspapers; can we think that the street car strikers are rioting with themselves! No, they are rioting with unfair, unprincipled men, if such term can be applied. Hired to take their places, they are paying the strikebreakers more money than they did the strikers, but it's blood-money and will never do them any good. Last March the street car men of D. C. went to the companies for a mere recognition and a few cents raise, and the companies told them they had a proposition to offer them, which was an individual agreement; if your men will sign these we will continue to employ you-if not, we will have to let you go; and the men struck, over a thousand strong. The car company got plenty of men and men with characters, as many of them were thugs and blackjack men imported from some of our big Eastern

cities. They were such dangerous men that different citizens' associations appealed to the District Commissioners requesting them to get the strikebreakers out of town, as they were afraid that some of them might stay here after the strike was over, and they would be a bad element to have in our city. These same cars are running, the strike was lost, 800 of these men never went back but got work elsewhere. If they can't get help, as they say, how do they fill these vacancies, and for the meager wage of $2.23 per day. I will leave it to the reader -is such a statement as they can't get help a truth or otherwise.

Look at the express companies throughout the country, they have lots of men and they pay them all the way from $25.00 a month up to $50.00 per month. Can we think these men would have their present jobs for a good increase in pay? Perhaps they would, but as they are they are overpaid. Yours fraternally,

Local No. 10.

J. W. REYNOLDS,

PATRICK GILDAY.

Pat is dead. We knew him by no other name. So did the 40,000 union miners of Central Pennsylvania.

Pioneer and true exponent of unionism, president of District 2 for twelve years, sincere friend and companion of his fellow-workers in their aspirations and struggles, he was always a prominent figure in the labor world, notwithstanding his abhorrence of the bustle of publicity.

Beloved by the miners, he commanded the respect of the operators, who quite often entrusted him as a sole arbiter in the decision of many disputes.

Honesty and loyalty, in connection with a vast knowledge of all the problems relating to the mining industry, made him an essential factor in the extension and consolidation of our movement, a towering personality of courage and faith in the human prog

sensions that sometimes degenerated into vituperation and hatred, his name remained untouched by any attack, and year after year the rank and file by almost unanimous vote expressed their confidence in his leadership.

All his time was dedicated to the performance of his duties. Sleepless nights and hours of hunger were common incidents in his mission. The disease that took him to an untimely grave was contracted on account of his indefatigable activity. Five years ago, while suffering the agony of a fast approaching end, he was advised to undergo an operation. He answered simply that he could not afford such a luxury. And now he is dead.

But we will see you again, Pat. Because even beyond and above the clouds and shadows of this terrestrial sphere we cannot conceive of a new luminous existence without an everlasting spiritual reunion of old love and friendship. J. P.