The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-11-26

insisted on working under the constitu.
tion which was to take the place of the
international
Arriving at Lothrop. Montana. where
President Livingston and Secretary
Walker reside, l found pretty kettle
Of fish. Walker had resigned to 90 east
to live, and Livingston was discouraged
and wished to resign. Persuading him,
however to remain in office, and when
Walker left, | induced Livingston to
take charge of the books and attend to
the business of the office Prior TO
my coming to Montana the officers held
a conference and invited the Bonner
local and others, to attend. Wilburn
and Chaffey were there, and with am
eye to business tried to saddle the debt
of nearly 81 900, which had, for the most
part. been incurred by them on one
scheme or another, on the international
brotherhood of Woodsmen and Sawmill
Workers, ana they are still insisting
that this indebtedness must be assumed
by the international. | might add thar
from what | can learn when Organizer
Roach organized the district. and VIII
| burn was sent out as organizer, instead
of his trying to organize the morgan
lied in the district he Travelled from
place to place avoiding locals-and
did his utmost to disrupt the interna-
tional, and at tine same time. charged
the expense to the district
| went from Lothrop to Hamilton
where Vice Presidents Powers, Faulkner
and Smith. of the International live
Held several conferences with them and
met with the Hamilton local As far
as the mills are concerned the local at
Hamilton is in good condition. The
woods, | did not visit but will return
later if possible, which is twenty miles
from Hamilton Missoula being my next
stop. met some OF the local unionists
and got some information relative to
Wilhum and Chaftey. While visiting
Boz tHHir .au local met President
tNe' u. urge. that ue give us1Icr
Of iupo~aut meeting tor Friday Nov
5th found THAT instead of 1~m. DO
temational ritual. they We're using nu
al ,. supposed uau international of
United Federation oI Lumber Workers.
also found that instead oi using Inter
national stamps on due books, they were
using home manufactured stamps When
asked ah} they had not paid per capita
ta- fa international since June. they
said that they had still 500 stamps on
hand, and did not see why they should
have to pay per capita tax So long as
these stamps lasted. | suggested that ii
they continued to use home product.
, they would never pay any more per
= capita tax. which would not be of much
. advantage to the international. Held a
consultation with Wilburn who is one
of the Weep presidents OF the Montana
- State Federation OF Labor and arranged
for another meeting for Friday, Nov
r. With Brother Shields of Butte, one
g of the vice presidents OF the Montana
State Federation of the Bonner local,
d. and went oyre the Bonner matter. He
Informed me that the State Federation
,, would no doubt give all the assistance
possible, as Bonner is affiliated with
that body While at Lothrop President
Livingston and myself examined the
correspondence, which had eminatd from
Wilbum and Chaffy, part of which
came through the Bonner local which
| have in my possession. Coming from
Lothrop Thursday, Nov. II, attended
central body meeting of Alssoula and
met with Bonner local No. %. of the
/ International brotherhood of Woodsmen
and Sawmll Works. Friday night, forty
or fifty being present. Beciting the his
dustry. especially in Montana and Bon
iner local in particular, and talked trade
Inionism. It seemed to take well. | had
/ charg of the gathering which was an
open affair, and at the conclusion | re-
qucsted anyone to ask questions. A
motion was made and carried that an.
other special meeting take place next
Friday evening to discuss the future of
Bonner local One of the brothers said
"The reason we do not turn out any
better, is because the officers of the
union do not want us to-
Secretary Chaftey, of the Bonner 10
cal. came to me the next morning and
arranged TO meet me the following We'd
nesday morning, and he held that ne
had a proposition that would straighten
Bonner with the international. | agreed
to meet him. From the fact of Bon
ner being the largest numbering con
Germ in Montana, owned by the Anal
gamated Copper Company, who also own
and operate the Hamilton and st. Regis
mills, employing more than l,s00 men,
and are reputed to control the numbering
industry of Montana. II seems almost
essential that Bonner be induced TO
come into line. The mills once in line,
and then the fearful proposition Of go
ing into the woods from twenty TO
seventy miles, over mountains, TO the
camps and invade the home Of the J..