Washington.-The Senate has passed the Smith-Hughes bill, which provides for vocational education and industrial training, and which has been continuously urged by the American Federation of Labor. This legislation, known in the House as the Hughes bill, has been approved by the committee on education and is now on the House calendar.

Under this bill the Federal Government will pay an amount equal to that expended by States for education designed to prepare boys and girls over 14 years of age for useful and profitable employment in agriculture, in the trades and industries and in home economics, and to extend knowledge of mature workers. Only schools controlled by the public are eligible to federal assistance.

Three classes of schools are contemplated:

First-To aid schools in which practically half the time is given to vocational instruction.

Second-Part-time schools for young workers over 14 years of age, with a view of extending their vocational knowledge.

Third-Evening schools to extend the vocational knowledge for workers over 16 years of age.

Provision is made for the training of teachers of agricultural, trade, industrial and home economic subjects.

A federal board for vocational education is created which will work with State boards designated or created for this purpose.

To secure federal aid the States, through their legislative authorities, must formally accept the conditions of this act.

The bill was prepared largely through the work of a commission on national aid to vocational education, created by act of Congress and ap

proved by President Wilson, January 20, 1914. On this commission the President appointed, as representatives of organized labor, Miss Agnes Nestor, president of the International Glove Workers' Union, and Charles H. Winslow, Sawsmiths' Union.

While little publicity has been given this legislation, which is based on a need for real efficiency, it involves the expenditure of large sums. In the matter of salaries for teachers, supervisors and directors of agricultural, trade and industrial subjects alone, $28,500,000 will be expended between the years 1916 and 1925. These appropriations start with $1,000,000 for the year 1916 and increase annually until the maximum is reached.

"OLD GLORY" TO FLY

ON PACIFIC OCEAN.

San Francisco.-Vice-president Rossetter, of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, has returned from New York and quietly announces that his company will again enter the transPacific service, and that the boats will fly the United States flag.

A few months ago this company was driven out of business-according to opponents of the seamen's law. Printers' ink was used without stint and Congress was deluged with resolutions that this iniquitous legislation be promptly repealed.

The Seamen's Union, however, didn't stampede. Ditto Congress.

Friends of the law pointed out that Pacific Mail hauled down the flag because it sold its four largest vessels to the International Mercantile Marine Company, a combination of ship companies along the Atlantic seaboard, at unheard-of prices. Later the marine company sold two of these vessels to

Japanese parties. Pacific Mail sold a fifth vessel to China.

Instead of making a frank statement why Pacific Mail "hauled down the flag," this corporation, together with every other advocate of cheap labor, blamed the seamen's law. Of course, a certain class of editors cried "here too." Excitable citizens became affected, chambers of commerce resolved and prospects seemed bright for annulling the act, if the seamen and their friends would just keep quiet about that profitable sale by Pacific Mail.

When the facts became generally known the antis' campaign looked like an exploded fire cracker, and now Mr. Rossetter tells the public everything is arranged for re-establishing the flag in the Oriental trade.

FREE SPEECH RIGHTS FLOUTED BY COURT.

Seattle, Wash.-Judge Boyd J. Tallman believes strikers have the right to picket-if they impersonate an Egyptian mummy.

The court says he has discovered no law against picketing, providing it is "quiet, speechless picketing," or if the pickets use words which the court directs, constitutional guarantees to the contrary, notwithstanding.

The St. Germain bakery secured an injunction against striking cooks and bakers and later asked for damages because of picketing. This the court refused, but told the strikers "not to insist on each and every one of your rights if it is going to get you into trouble."

The learned court dispelled any illusion workers may have regarding their right to freely speak their mind, being responsible for same as the law provides. This principle does not apply when strikers are involved. Then, property rights are paramount, with human rights sidetracked by injunction judges.

Judge Tallman could not conceal his mailed fist beneath the velvet glove. He permitted the strikers to picket, but they cannot speak to any one while

in front of the unfair bakeries or say anything about the employment of Japs or Chinamen, or do any other thing that would cause persons not to trade with plaintiff.

The pickets were given permission to carry a badge or scarf, with the words "St. Germain bakeries and restaurants unfair to organized labor." But nothing more, cautioned the court. "No such words as 'Don't trade with them,' or 'Don't go into their stores,' or anything of that kind."

After denying these workers rights that are conceded, without question, business men and all other citizens, Judge Tallman assured the plaintiff company that it could sue individual strikers for damages. He said:

"Hence I think that this (the union) being a voluntary association, not being organized under any express statute, it cannot be sued by an individual, but the individual members may be sued, just as the member of a co-partnership may be sued."

In other words, if the strikers exercise their right of free speech they may be sued for damages, not because they violated any libel law, but because their statement of facts regarding deplorable working conditions reduced the size of an employer's pocketbook.

After they have paid all damages, court costs and attorneys' fees, Judge Tallman can jail them, under contempt of court proceedings, for not confining themselves to his mummified vocabulary.

MINERS GET WAGE ADVANCES.

Kansas City, Mo.-A committee of miners and operators have agreed on a two-years' contract for the 35,000 miners in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The increases are: Three cents per ton on machine-mined coal, 5 cents on pick-mined coal, and 5 per cent. for all yardage, dead work and day labor. The increases are similar to those worked out in Eastern States, and are based on the recent agreement between operators and representatives of the United Mine Workers' Union.

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It has been so exceedingly warm that even to collect one's thoughts has been a task too great to be added to the manifold tasks already allotted to "yours truly."

Since my last letter our club has enjoyed two of our summer outings (we have three each summer). The first was held at the home of Mrs. E. Carlson and the weather was so cool we were glad to be near a "comfy" home to turn into and she gave us delicious shortcake to cheer us up. If we didn't need cheering up we at least did ample justice to the shortcake.

Some of our members were away on their summer vacations, the one that was to furnish the cake being allowed to depart in peace after promising our cake by parcel post. But "the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley," and we didn't get our cakehence the shortcake.

The other vacationists went without permission and-oh well, we made them all do double duty when they came home.

Our second picnic was held at Minnehaha Falls Park, where Nature and the City Park Board have combined together to fix things up so as to leave nothing to be desired as an ideal picnic grounds. Even gas plates and hot water, with gas free at your service all the time, and an immense play ground for the kidlets with all kinds of things to play with..

One of our members was unable to come on acount of sickness.

After dinner five of our ladies took a stroll to see the falls, which are more beautiful this year than they have been for years, but they didn't see the falls they were sidetracked on the way over at the pavilion, where they watched the arrest of some people who

were breaking the rules of the Park Board, at least that is what they claimed to be looking at, and I suppose they were, but still the M'p'l's Police are very good to look at in their blue uniforms.

The crowd left the grounds about 5.30, after arranging for the third and last outing, to be held at Glenwood Park, where there is a lovely bathing beach in addition to the other attractions.

We have had a lovely letter from Sis Hughes since our last letter and we hope soon to see something in the Constructor from that source. Mrs. Hughes writes such lovely letters that I know her write-ups would be exceedingly good.

But what is the matter with No. 3? I believe "Bro." Mcmust either be lady-shy or else he is waiting for some one else to take the lead. Our worthy Secretary-Treasurer. uses the excuse that he is not an organizer as a reason for not starting No. 3. Personally I think he is in the habit of doing pretty much as he pleases (?). If this doesn't get into the waste basket I shall feel free to say most anything next time.

Working conditions are still poor here and no prospects (according to reports) of better very soon. Fraternally,

MRS. F. PIERCE.

BOSTON, MASS.

The Peril of Enlightened Labor. To the Editor:

An unseen foe is often the most dangerous. The strife for food, raiment and shelter is but a milder form of actual warfare and enlightened labor is ever menaced by an unseen foe.

A San Francisco manufacturer, when asked why he did not employ the Chinese said, "They are too smart for me. Once having learned my business, they

would take it away from me at pleas

ure.

Having 'caught on,' a Chinaman can clean out any other man on earth except a Chinaman." To the Chinese as a foe of enlightened labor the teeming masses of India and Japan must be added, and when the combined forces are marshalled for the great industrial contest, they number 700,000,000 or 800,000,000, or more than half the population of the earth.

So long as the wide ocean separating us from this alert mass of brains and muscle was crossed by only small, slow sailing ships, and labor-saving machinery was unused; so long as extensive internal traffic was impossible, and Asiatic products could not be moved to the seaboard for export, the enlightened labor of America was comparatively safe. But the triplecompound engine now rapidly propels great ships against wind and tide; monster four-masted iron sailing vessels, manned by a handful of seamen, fly to and fro upon the wings of the wind; submarine cables convey our thoughts with the rapidity of lightning; labor-saving machinery is introduced; railroads are being built into the interior, and enlightened labor is brought face to face with this mighty industrial army, with which no other can successfully cope.

Heretofore the European industrial forces alone menaced the exalted position occupied by the enlightened labor of America, but now this enemy is dwindling into comparative insignificance. By degrading our manhood and sacrificing our citizenship we can match the Europeans.

But when the great forces of Asia massed behind the Europeans come down upon us in solid columns, flanking us on right and left, intelligent labor will be utterly overwhelmed.

If we turn to the pages of industrial history we find that the Asiatics were far in advance of the Europeans before the invention of labor-saving machinery. It was only when the introduction of machinery multiplied the producing power of the European that Asia was conquered in the great in

dustrial battle. The very best laborsaving machinery, nearly automatic, can now be operated by native help in Asia quite as successfully as in Europe or America, and no gift of prophecy is necessary to foretell that Asiatic labor operating machinery on an extensive scale and under even conditions will gain triumph. This unpleasant conclusion is warranted not alone by logic, but also by absolute demonstration. Mammoth manufacturing establishments, containing the most improved labor-saving machinery, are even now in successful operation in Asia, employing native help at onetenth the wages current in the same lines of business in America. Cards, spindles and looms are being driven as rapidly there as here, and the native operatives are as efficient and reliable as any in the world.

If it is wise to enact laws prohibiting the coming here of a few thousand Orientals to degrade intelligent labor, it is also wise to tax the products of the millions who stay at home. It can be demonstrated that a day's work will procure more food, raiment and shelter in America than elsewhere in the wide world, and therefore the working people do not need foreign products simply because they are cheap. That American working people now obtain the necessaries of life from their own hands relatively cheaper than any other people is self-evident from the indisputable fact that they are better fed, clothed and housed than the people of other countries.

This is pre-eminently the working people's battle, and if it shall result in the triumph of cheap labor, intelligent labor will suffer most severely. Organized labor has made a successful fight for the protection of the working people against destructive competition at home, but in resisting the greatest of all enemies, the American working people have heretofore manifested an unpardonable indifference. Employers cannot successfully grapple with this giant alone, and continued indifference on the part of working people may enable it to triumph.

PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Mr. Editor:

The advantages of organization were practically demonstrated the other day in a large factory up town. About fifty men had the price of their work increased from 10 cents to 13 cents per dozen for one size, and from 13 cents to 15 cents per dozen for a larger size. About twenty boys ranging from 14 to 17 years have an organization of their own. It is their duty to keep the men running the machines supplied with material and to take it to some other department for inspection when it leaves the machines. Well, if the firm can pay the men more, why not the boys, was the question asked by several, so a committee was appointed to see the firm. They went and came back with a positive no, so every boy quit work Johnny on the spot. In a few minutes the men had to quit on account of not having any material. The committee was then requested to meet the firm, when an increase of $2.00 per week was granted and the boys returned to work.

This was taking advantage of an opportunity. It may have been unfair, but it brought results.

Local No. 5 would not take any undue advantage of this character, so we present our agreement six months previous to the expiration of the old agreement.

We have a new Agreement Committee composed of nine members who were elected to draft an agreement, and we expect within a few weeks to have it ready to present to the Local. It will take several meetings to discuss the various sections, and you can rest assured the meetings will all be full of interest. Our meetings are well attended.

Two men had worked in an office for some eight years. One received much more salary than the other, although their duties were practically the same, so one day the lower-paid man asked for an increase, basing his reasons for such on his length of service, and, incidentally, mentioned the other man. Just then there was quite

a noise outside, and the manager said to the man, "What is that noise?" The man replied, "I don't know; I'll go see." So he went out, and came back and told the manager there was an automobile outside. "Whose was it? I don't know; I'll go see." So he went out and came back and told the manager that it was from Lit Brothers. All right, thank you, the manager replied. He turned to the higher-priced man and asked him what the noise was outside. "I'll go see," he replied and went out. He came back and reported that the large auto truck from the Otis Elevator Company, loaded with tools and material for use on the elevator was being unloaded and the noise was caused by the same striking on the hard pavement.

Thank you, Mr. B., the manager replied.

Turning to the other man, he asked him if he knew why the other fellow got more money. Yes, sir; he answered.

Be thorough.

Brothers Frank Feeney and John Brierley were elected as delegates to the convention to be held at Washington.

Work of all kind is plentiful in this city, and there is a scarcity, especially among what is known as common laborers. Men working with the pick and shovel are being paid high prices by several large concerns and guaranteed steady jobs.

Homer McKee once wrote a prayer that is worth committing to memory and among other things he said:

Teach me that sixty minutes make one hour, sixteen ounces one pound, and one hundred cents one dollar. Help me to live so that I can lie down at night with a clear conscience, without a gun under my pillow, and unhaunted by the faces of those to whom I have brought pain. Grant, I beseech Thee, that I may earn my meal ticket on the square, and in doing thereof that I may not stick the gaff where it does not belong. Deafen me to the jingle of tainted money. Blind me to the faults of the other fellow, but re