Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 December 1905 — LABOR NOTE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LABOR NOTE

O’Connell Re-Elected. James O’Connell, president of the International Machinists’ Association, has announced that the referendum..

vote cast by the machinists’ locals recently in the Faited States and Canada had been counted. The result showed that Mr. O'Connell had received a majority over his competitors of 1,200. The officers elected were: P. J. Conlon,

First Vice President; A. 11. Champion, Second Vice President; J. J. Buekalew, Third Vice President, and Walter Aimes, Seventh Vice President; George Preston, General Secretary-Treasurer, and D. D. Wilson, editor of the official magazine. President O’Connell has labored hard for years to bring his organization up to its present high standard in the organized labor world. He is an able and conservative leader and his efforts have been appreciated. Mr. O’Connell is also one of the vice presidents of the American Federation of Labor. Make a Strong: Body. There are now affiliated with the American Federation of Labor 33 State branches, 004 central labor unions, 1,040 local trade and federal labor unions, and 118 international unions, the latter having approximately 25,000 10,cal unions attached to them. During the past year international charters were issued to the National Brtherhood of Woodsmen and Sawmill Workers, Pavers and Hammermen’s Union, and the Pocket Knife Grinders and Finishers’ Union. A new State branch was formed in Kentucky, 07 more central labor unions were chartered, making a total of 004 throughout the country, and 210 locals of trades without internationals were organized and chartered. Fifty directly affiliated unions were transferred to internationals. The Allied Metal Mechanics International consolidated with the machinists. It is estimated that the 118 international unions organized and chartered more than 2,000 new locals during the year. A Successful Ual»or Deader. George Hodge, general secretary of the Brick, Tile and Terra Cotta Workers’ Alliance, is now serving his sev-

enth term in that office. He was born in Si 11 i n gborne, Eng., Sept. 6, 1868, and came to the United States whea he was 4 years old. He has been a resident of Chicago for the last fourteen years and allied himself with trade union-

ism In 1892, when he joined the Illinois Brickmakers’ AlJiance as a charter member. This organization wris merged into the International Brick, Tile and Terra Cotta Workers’ Alliance in 1890. For the last three years Secretary Hodge has had no opposition for re-election. He is a delegate to the Chicago Federation of Labor and the Building Material Trades Council and has earned a reputation as an advocate of conservatism and clean methods in trade union affairs.

JAMES O’CONNELL.

GEORGE HODGE.