The San Francisco call., 1906-09-06
EDITED BY o. M. BOYLE.

have had their scale of wages adjust
ed and new conditions granted. One
or the largest printing Offices in that
city fought the movement for a time.
but at last gave in and the pressmen
are very jubilant over the result.
The machinists of Allegheny. Pa.
recently held an open meeting and Sc
cured the application of almost two
hundred men for membership.
Papermakers in the thirty-three
mills of the International Paper Com
pany in this country and Canada
have given notice that they will go
out on strike unless their working
hours are reduced to eight a day
without reduction in the scale of
wages.
The conried Opera Company will be
in hot water with the Actors Union
once more. 1t will be remembered
that Conried had sine difficulty last
winter. and had to make his peace
with the union. before he could get
his chorus back After the strike
better wages and conditions prevailed
1t was understood that he would
hire the same chorus this year, but
he has been looking to Europe for
recruits, and the Actors Union pro-
poses to invoke the contract labor
law. The union is advised that some
importations will arrive IN New York
City this week and the officials of the
union have already entered complaint
with the immigration commissioner
Soldiers in the French army are to
be taught trades. The instruction pro-
posed. il is believed, will prove use
full to army men after they leave the
service and viii tend to relieve the
redium of barrack life. The question
or how best to utilize some portion of
the two years which every French
man has to spend IN the army in
teaching him something which will be
useful TO him in later life has been
for some time occupying the attention
OF NJ Etienne, the French Minister Of
War.
In circular addressed to the
military governors of Paris and LYONS
NJ Etienne sets forth az length his
views on the subject. He recognizes
that during the first six months Of ser
vice young soldiers should be taught
military discipline and that they
should not be asked to give UP any
time to other things. He is also of
the opinion that technical instruction
can follow only general lines. and that
the men cannot be taught the details
OF score of different trades in the
--ft AAOA-NA4S A4A0A liitl are III the army,
even If accommodation for the pur-
pose could be found in barracks He
says that men who have to work for
their living are in most cases when
they join the army. already fairly
skilled in the trade they are to follow
on leaving. and that. therefore, all
that is necessary is to keep UP their
interest and TO widen their general
knowledge in such a way as to add
intelligent reasoning power to ordfn-
ary mechanical skill.
He suggests that three classes
should be agricultural, indus
trial and commercial, and that a sne
cial form OF instruction be given to
each. Glasses or lectures or demon
strations are in no way to interfere
with the military work and training.
and attendance is hot TO be compui-
sorry The agricultural classes exist
already owing to the initiative taken
ny General Andre four years ago. de-
partmental professors of agriculture
giving their services for lectures and
demonstrations. Now the Minister of
Commerce and Industry has placed at
the disposal Of the military authorities
practically the whole education STAFF
of his department, the directors. pro-
fessors and inspectors Of national and
schools.
Lectures and demonstrations are to
be arranged, and visits made to manu-
factories and commercial establish
ments, while individual men are TO be
allowed 10 follow courses at existing
technical schools. Programmes of the
instructions 10 be given are to be
drawn up at once and submitted bv ALI
commanders of army corps and dis
tricts to the Minister of War by Oc-
tober l. Good results are expected
from this new departure. 1t is hoped
that the instruction given to the men
VIII be useful TO them. not only upon
leaving the army. but also that by be-
Ing made as attractive as possible in
form IL will tend to relieve the irk-
some monotony of barrack life. and bv
making the period of army service
more pleasant improve the morale of
the troops and the relations between
them and their commanders
The plumbers throughout the coun-
try are manifesting much interest in
the convention of their international
which begins September II In Toronto.
Canada. 1t is intimated in many East
ern centers that a determined fight is
TO be made 10 defeat /. w. Tiiden for
reelection as secretary, as well as
". NJ Merrick for president. w. J.
Spencer of the Buffalo union, now sec
retary of the Structural Building
Trades Alliance, is said to be slated
for president.