that unionists and non-unionists are natural antagonists.

Organized labor is charged with "defiance of the mandates of the courts," because Samuel Gompers, in connection with an injunction issued by Judge Friedman of New York, "against inter

imputed to him. As a matter of record the injunction in question was not "against inference with non-union cigarmakers," but forbade locked out cigarmakers to contribute to their union treasury or to pay money out of their union treasury to assist cigarmakers who

fundamental purpose which all will admit to be for the benefit of society as a whole. They are striving to improve the condition of the working masses. Organized labor has been struggling for this end, not only alone and unaided, but against the general opposition of employers, individual and organized, and against the misrepresentations of prejudiced critics, when, in fact, it deserved the friendly cooperation of them all. Labor has constantly had to evolve its own leadership. It has made all the mistakes of unskilled generalship and undisciplined following. It makes them still. But the time has come when those who have some understanding of the hardships and misdirections that hamper the advance of labor are extending the sympathetic aid of their superior intelligence.

There are associations of employers who would beat down the advance of

labor with a bludgeon. There are other associated employers who would come to terms of mutual understanding. This second method I am glad to say, receives more and more the approval of leaders of public opinion and of humane and intelligent employers. In the multiplication of concrete examples of relations between employer and employed that are harmonious because they are just, can be discerned of brightening outlook in the entire industrial situation. In this view national prosperity will be coincident with the uplifting of organized labor, so that its admitted errors may become fewer and its sincere. cooperation with capital in increasing productivity more frequent.

Some hopeful phases of the mutual progress of organized capital and labor in this direction I shall illustrate in a subsequent article.

Master Mechanics of the American railways, in reports, in the papers presented on special topics, in addresses, and in the general discussions at their thirtyseventh annual convention at Saratoga, have sustained the high reputation their Assciation has deservedly earned in its efforts toward the greater efficiency of its members and of the American Railway system. While a considerable portion of the proceedings was necesssarily devoted to technical topics, there were, nevertheless, many subjects considered which are of general interest to railway men, officials as well as employés.

TECHNICAL SCHOOL GRADUATES.

One paper in particular is of widespread interest in view of the periodic revival of discussion over technical education. The contribution was by a practical railway official-a type of man who too rarely enters upon a presentation of

For

such subjects—as distinguished from the views of a professional educator, of which latter there is usually no dearth. this, as well as for other self-evident reasons, the paper is of such unusual value as to lead us to present it in some detail. Its full title is, "Technical School Graduates: What can be done to Retain Them in the Railroad Service After the Completion of their Special Apprenticeship?" It was presented by R. D. Smith of Lincoln, Neb., Superintendent of Motive Power of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad.

After describing in a general way the special apprenticeship system now in practice on the railroads and pointing out some of its defects, Mr. Smith said: The object of the special apprentice course is to make the man a specialist in railroad work. The indications are, however, that we have not gone far