Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-05-12

of the general executive board of the carpenters union, which has been considering the advisability of estab- fishing home for aged and infirm members of the union, has drafted report recommending that the home be established. This question has been before the carpenters for about two years, but the action of the sub committee is merely preliminary. The committee expresses the belief that a per capita tax of 15 cents month would be necessary for proper main tenance of the home. It suggests that at least two hundred acres of land be bought in some part of the country where the climate is moderate. A home accommodating one thousand inmates would cost from $30000 to $35O000 as an initial expense, the committee estimated. The report of this committee must be laid before the executive board, and if the latter favors the plan, the matter must be submitted to the national convention of the union for decision.
 Washington.-Samue Gompers con- tinues to issue his challenges to De- tective Burns to prove what the de- tective has said about the men higher up" in the dynamiting cases. in the February issue of the American Federationist, issued this week. Com pers challenges Burns to produce proof that Gompers knew in 1906 who was back of the dynamiting; he Ghal- lenges him to produce proof that Com pers was told in Indianapolis, after the arrest of J. J. McNamara, that J. J. McNamara was guilty; and repro ducing numerous other interviews by Burns, in which the detective refers to the higher ups' and the knowl- edge high labor officials had of the plots, asks the detective to make pub lie the facts on which he based his assertions. Compers also, in seven page editorial denies that he tram pied on the American flag during one of his speeches on the Pacific coast. Chicago-Chicago local No. of the Commercial Telegraphers' union of America adopted resolutions de manding government ownership of telegraph and telephone lines in the United States. The resolutions de clared that the private ownership and exploitation of the telegraph and telephone in the United States has re- suited in inadequate facilities, high rates, slow, inaccurate, and discrim- inatory service, and most merciless sweating of employees" The remedy they proposed is that the telegraph and telephone be incorporated by the ment
 Washington.-In Switzerland the regular telegraph tariff is ten cents for ten words. Telephone service is somewhat higher. The keep of phone costs $16 year, but the charge for calls is but one cent each. And thereis tillanother government owned public utility. The states of Switzer- land operate fire insurance depart ment. The rates for fire protection are amazingly small. For instance in- surance on household property valued at $5,OOO costs only $2.50 year.
 Chicago.-In the last two years the International Carpenters union has paid out in sick and death benefits $520, 0,323.SO. Since 1883 it has paid out $2.199.145.47. The union, it is said. has placed fully $11,000.O00 more wages annually into the pockets of the carpenters It has given an eight hour day to 6S9 cities, and caused the nine-hour day in S04 cities. On ac- count of the reduction of hours. SO.- 900 more men have gained employ ment.
 Mareuette, Mich.-Hints of an im- provement in the iron manufacturing conditions are evidenced by the an- nouncement here that the steel cor poration will soon begin increasing the work at it's Lake Superior iron mines. The Oliver company, the cor porations mining department. an- nounced the resumption of the six-day schedule at the mines at Ishpeming, there being five hundred men affected by this order.
 Washington.-The machinists em- ployed at the government printing of
 flee secured an increase in pay amounting to forty cents per day. the rate now being fifty-five cents an hour. The machinists employed at the United States bureau of engrav- ing and printing secured an increase in pay of sixteen cents per day. the rate now bein fifty-two cents per hour.
 Chicago.-The Amalgamated Asso- citation of Street Railway Employes will forward lockout benefit funds TOT the S4 men who were discharged by the Milwaukee Electric company some time ago.
 New York.-The theatrical stage employees have decided that they are entitled to 621A cents an hour. The new regulation also limits the regu- lar working hours of day. and after that period has passed the stage hand