Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-28
NOTES FROM THE FIELD
 OF LABOR


 One of the possibilities likely to grow out of the defeat of the Ameri' can Federation of Labor's political programme is the formation of an independent labor party. The move ment has already assumed shape in Chicago, III.
 After a trial of eleven weeks the employment of convicts and local prisoners at highway building in the canal zone Is said to have produced revenue exceeding the cost of keep' ing the prisoners, besides improving their condition.
 The threatened split in the ranks of the Bookbinders' union at Wash ington, D. C., caused by the disaf- lection of number of members, has been averted. it is said, by these members coming back into the fold after settling all obligations.
 The last semi-annual report of the Bricklayers' and Masons' Interna- tional union shows a total member ship in good standing of 64,537. The individual amounts ill the treas uries of the various unions, says the report, show total of $220,73S.
 Coal forms S5 per cent of the min- ing output of Germany. Other min- erals are salt, iron ores, copper, lead, zinc, pyrites, gold, silver man. ganese, arsenic, saltpetre, vitriol and alum. The workmen number about 700,000, and the companies about 2,000.
 The production of finished iron and steel in Pennsylvania in 1907 involved the employment of 1S7,- 712 people, who earned $91,413,3S4 during the year. More than one-halr of this product, or 50 per cent was manufactured in the county of Alle> gheny.
 The organization of new lodges of the Brotherhood of Railroad clerks at Hartford and New Britain, Is re- ported. Two more are in progress for formation at Torrington and in this city. With these organizations the clerks wll have 20 locals on the New Haven system.
 The report submitted by the grand secretary at the recent session of the International Structural Iron Work CTS, held in Indianapolis recently, shows that during the four years preceding the close of the iron work CTS year, ending September 1, the receipts amounted to $217,S63, and the expenditures s19S,152.
 The Printers League of America, after two years of existence, is be- ginning to be recognized as the stan- dard by which business prosperity in the printing and kindred trades may be measured. and it is gaining the support of the thinking element, both of the employing and employ throughout the United States and Europe.
 In the American Federation of La Der there are now affiliated TIT na- tional and international labor unions representing approximately 27,000 local labor unions. The number of state federations of labor is 36, and there are 541 central labor unions. In the aggregate about 2,000,000 men are members of the body orrare affiliated with it.
 In 1907 the aggregate time lost by labor disputes in proportion to was less than a quarter of day per head of the whole in- iustrial population of the United exclusive of seamen and agricultural laborers, these not be- ing included in the records of dis Dutes kept by the department of the board of trade.
 A leading publiCist, passing his ar on German official statistics, has reached the conclusion that the terman Worklngman is now in a po- 5ition to spend from 10 to 12 per 'ent more for necessities and pleas 1res than in 1895. He claims that similar investigation in the United States shows an advance of per 'ent the same period.
 A special convention of the Inter- national Brotherhood of Electric workers, to be held in Springfield, H., January 15, has been called at
 
 ocals in the country for the pur- pose of considering matters of i'm )ortance to the brotherhood and to l investigate rumors of charges against l he officers of the international.
 Negotiations which were under way between the officials of the Iowa ! Central railroad and the Internation- Il Association of mechanics, have | 'esulted in an adjustment of the | strike. While the scale of wages vas involved, the introduction of an 1ight-hour day was the principal de- lre of the workmen, and in this l way they have won a victory. Sev- sral concessions were made by both | tides.
 A features of the recent termina- ion of the painters strike in Den 'er, Col, which had been on since May, 1904, was the adoption of 'lause in the agreement that no member of the union will work for my one who is not a recognized con- ractor. Who is a contractor shall Il each case. where a question arises ne submitted to joint committee of he parties interested and the de ,ison shall be final
 The chairman of the state text ,ook commission of Oklahoma has ancelled the contracts of two of the irms which were successful bidders Il the recent award of contracts for textbooks for the public chools of that state. The concerns we're unable to fulfill the union la- 'or provisions of the agreement and