5 ^J> i 
 
CONSTITUTION 
 
 O F 
 
 NATIONAL TRIM ASSEMBLY 158 
 
 Knights of Labor. 
 
 (MACHINERY CONSTRUCTORS’ ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA.) 
 
 ORGANIZED MARCH 19. 1887. 
 
 ADOPTED AT PITTSBUKG, PA., JUNE 6-10, 1887. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 Concord Co-opfrative Printing Company Limited), 
 47 and 49 Centre Street. 
 
 1887. 
 

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IIIIImIEII 
 
 Of all the industries manifesting their activity in 
 social life, that of Machinery Construction is the 
 most important; it is, in fact, the conservator of 
 all future civilization. 
 
 Civilization is the gradual process through and 
 by which the higher and nobler faculties of man 
 are unfolded and developed; and it receives its 
 higher form of expression in the concensus of 
 those human activities, wherein the industrial energy 
 of society is gradually eliminating the warfare of man 
 upon man. 
 
 And what a pre-eminent position Machinery oc¬ 
 cupies in this process we shall be better able to 
 appreciate when we understand that both in phys¬ 
 ical and in industrial war, that it is the development 
 and introduction of Machinery that is rapidly render¬ 
 ing both forms of conflict impossible ; for in carrying 
 bn these two forms of warfare to a much greater 
 extent the political monopolists—( i. e .) kings, em¬ 
 perors and politicians—and the industrial monopo¬ 
 lists—( i. e.) millionaires and corporations—but en¬ 
 compass their own destruction, and the workers 
 
 IS3 
 
4 
 
 PREAMBLE. 
 
 will then have learned that the only enemy they 
 have really to combat is ignorance; and in this 
 warfare it is Machinery guarantees success. 
 
 For centuries the masses of mankind have been 
 industrial and political slaves to a privileged few. 
 They have slaughtered and pillaged each other 
 that a king or a politician might rule while they 
 might serve. They have transformed the wilder¬ 
 ness into a garden, the quarry into a palace, and 
 the mine into an Alladin’s cave; but to them the 
 gardens are as of Eden with its flaming sword, the 
 palaces but gloom their hovels, while the 
 mines furnish machinery that drives them, shack- 
 els that enslave them, weapons that slaughter 
 them and gold that betrays them. Surely uni-* 
 versal intelligence, which Machinery makes possi¬ 
 ble, will tolerate no such abominable perversion 
 of the beneficence of Nature. 
 
 If, then, our industry performs such an all-im¬ 
 portant part in the field of civilization, let us, fel¬ 
 low-craftsmen and workers, have pride enough in 
 our calling to exact our rights and to perform our 
 duty; and among those rights which we may justly 
 exact are the following : 
 
 First —More leisure, through the shortening of 
 the hours of labor, in order that we may strengthen 
 our intellectual faculties through mental exercise, 
 and our morals through more time devoted to our 
 families. 
 
 Second —An increased compensation, that we may 
 
PREAMBLE. 
 
 5 
 
 have the material with which to cultivate our minds, 
 elevate our tastes, and develop our individualities. 
 And as means to these ends we shall work for the 
 shortening of the hours of labor, for the abolition 
 of the contract system, piece work, and over-time, 
 except in cases of emergency, when double com¬ 
 pensation shall be exacted. That the running of 
 two or more machines by one person be abolished; 
 and that we shall oppose the substitution of boys 
 for men, except they are indentured as regular 
 apprentices, in due proportion to the number of 
 hands employed; that we shall use every endeavor 
 to have properly lighted, heated and ventilated 
 shops; and to reduce all danger from accident to 
 a minimum by the employment of the proper safe¬ 
 guards and the enforcement of the Jaws relating 
 thereto; and, finally, that in practical Education 
 we recognize the lever by which the industrial 
 masses will be elevated to a higher moral and 
 intellectual plane. 
 
'constitution | 
 
 — OF — 
 
 Datie^al Trade K ^ ^§i 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 NAME AND ORGANIZATION. 
 
 Section 1. This organization shall be known to 
 all members of the Knights of Labor as National 
 Trade Assembly 198, K. of L.; to the outside world 
 it shall be known as Machinery Constructors’ Asso¬ 
 ciation of North America. 
 
 Sec. 2. This N. T. A. shall be organized territo¬ 
 rially into Divisions, as hereinafter provided. 
 
 Sec. 3. Representation in this N. T. A. 198 shall 
 be by delegates, or alternates, elected as follows: 
 One delegate for the first one hundred members in 
 good standing, or for a fractional part thereof; and 
 one additional delegate for every additional one 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 8 
 
 hundred members in good standing or majority 
 fraction thereof. 
 
 AKTICLE II. 
 
 AUTHORITY AND JURISDICTION. 
 
 Section 1. This N. T. A. 198 shall have full and 
 final jurisdiction, under the General Assembly and 
 its laws, over all Departments or Divisions, Bu¬ 
 reaus or Locals that have been organized by this N. 
 T. A. 198, or those who have voluntarily attached 
 themselves to it, and embracing the following 
 branches of the Machinery Constructing industry, 
 i. e.: Pattern-makers, Foundrymen, Blacksmiths, 
 Machinists, Boiler-makers, and the respective 
 Helpers of each. 
 
 Sec. 2. It shall have power to levy assessments 
 for its own maintenance upon all Locals under its 
 jurisdiction, and in accordance with the provisions 
 of Article X. of this Constitution; and also to adopt 
 rules and regulations for the administration of in¬ 
 dustrial and trade affairs other than those that are 
 hereinafter provided for. 
 
 Sec. 3. The power to establish Locals of any of 
 the trades (either as mixed or distinct trades), em¬ 
 braced in Section 1 of this Article, shall be under 
 the control of this N. T. A. 198, under the follow¬ 
 ing conditions: (1) Each and every Division shall 
 have authority to establish Locals, composed of 
 individuals working at any of the before specified 
 trades, and situated in the territory covered by 
 
CONSTITUTION. 9 
 
 their respective jurisdiction. (2) In case of dis¬ 
 pute between two or more Divisions over the estab¬ 
 lishment of a new Local, this N. T. A. 198, through 
 its N. Ex. C., shall have power to decide. (3) In 
 those localities where Divisions have not been es¬ 
 tablished this N. T. A. 198, through its officers, 
 shall have jurisdiction over the organization of 
 new Locals eligible to become attached to this N. 
 T. A. 198, and also over the formation of Depart¬ 
 ments in disputed cases. (4) The organization and 
 regulation of Bureaus shall be under the authority 
 of this N. T. A. 198, until a Department is organ¬ 
 ized in the same locality, when they come under 
 its jurisdiction, as hereinafter provided. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 MEETINGS. 
 
 Section 1. This N. T. A. 198 shall have a regular 
 session once a year, commencing the first Monday 
 in June, and at such place as may be from time to 
 time determined upon. 
 
 Sec. 2. Special meetings may be called by the N. 
 
 M. W. at the written request of five Divisions from 
 five different States, and two of these Divisions 
 must be situated at least one thousand miles dis¬ 
 tant from each other; and all Locals entitled to 
 representation at the special session shall receive 
 at least twenty days’ notice of the same from the 
 
 N. S. T., and the object of the call shall also be 
 stated therein. 
 
 Sec. 3. Delegates to this N. T. A. 198 must be 
 
10 
 
 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 
 elected thirty days before the sessions of this N. 
 T. A. (except in case of death or resignation), and 
 must have been members of the Order at least six 
 months prior to their election; except in case of 
 Locals newly organized, when they must have been 
 members from date of organization. 
 
 Sec. 4. In no case will the credential of any dele¬ 
 gate be accepted if it be known that such delegate 
 is not at the time employed at any of the before 
 specified trades; unless he has been elected by a 
 two-third vote of the members of the Local he rep¬ 
 resents, and must be so certified in his credential; 
 but all members serving in official capacities in 
 the Order are exempt from the provisions of this 
 section. 
 
 Sec. 5. Each delegate to this N. T. A. 198 must 
 present this body a credential, the duplicate of 
 which must have been forwarded to the N. S. T. by 
 the K. S. of the L. A. he is to represent at least 
 fifteen days prior to the session of this N. T. A. 
 This also applies to credentials of alternates The 
 full name and address of the delegate or alternate 
 must also appear on said credential when for¬ 
 warded to the N. S. T.—in his own handwriting— 
 and the seal of the L. A. must be attached. A du¬ 
 plicate credential must also be presented at the 
 opening session of this N. T. A., but the signature 
 of delegate or alternate must not be signed thereon 
 until after presentation to Credential Committee. 
 
 Sec. 6. The expenses of delegates or alternates 
 
CONSTITUTION. 11 
 
 to this N. T. A. must be paid by the Locals they 
 represent; but every L. A shall be entitled to 
 receive from this N. T. A. 198 mileage compensa¬ 
 tion at the rate of two cents per mil-e, going 
 and returning, for each delegate or alternate they 
 are entitled to and who attend the sessions of 
 this N. T. A. The expenses of such National Offi¬ 
 cers whose presence may be required at the ses¬ 
 sions of this N. T. A. shall be paid out of the 
 treasury of this N. T. A., unless they are regu¬ 
 larly accredited delegates, when their expenses 
 must be paid by the L. A. they represent. 
 
 Sec 7. The representatives and alternates from 
 this N. T. A. 198 to the General Assembly shall be 
 elected at the regular sessions of this N. T. A. A 
 sufficient number of delegates to be elected above 
 the quota, as based upon reports of April 1, to allow 
 for increased membership, death or resignation; 
 those delegates entitled to be present in the G. A. 
 to be taken from the list in the order of their elec¬ 
 tion, and it shall be the duty of the delegate, or 
 the L. A. he represents, to notify the N. S T at 
 least ten days before the session of the G. A. of his 
 ability to attend the same. 
 
 ARTICLE IY. 
 
 OFFICERS AND TERMS OF OFFICE. 
 
 Section 1. The officers of this N. T. A. 198 shall 
 consist of a National Master Workman, National 
 Worthy Foreman, National Secretary-Treasurer, 
 and National Statistician, each of whom shall be 
 
12 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 elected at the regular annual session of this N. T. 
 
 A., and all vacancies by death or other causes must 
 be filled by the N. Ex. C. inside of thirty days after 
 receiving notice of the same from the N S. T. 
 
 Sec. 2. Officers appointed at the sessions of this 
 N. T. A. by the N. M. W. are the same as laid down 
 in the Constitution of the Order for the G. A. 
 
 Sec. 3 There shall also be a National Executive 
 Council, composed of the N. M. W., N. S. T. (as 
 Chairman and Secretary respectively), and five : 
 members. 
 
 Sec. 4. In electing officers, nominations shall be 
 made for one office at a time, and the election 
 shall take place before any further nominations 
 are made. 
 
 AKTICLE Y. 
 
 DUTIES OF OFFICERS. 
 
 Section 1. The N. M. W. shall preside at all 
 sessions of this N. T. A.; shall have general super¬ 
 intendence over, and enforce all laws of this N. T. 
 
 A. when it is not in session ; and may Gall a special 
 meeting of this N. T A., under the provisions of 
 Article III., Section 2, of this Constitution; shall 
 sign all papers and documents that require the 
 signature of the N. M. W. ; shall report quarterly, 
 or oftener if he deems it necessary to the G. S., all 
 matters of interest to the Order occurring in and 
 under the jurisdiction of this N. T. A.; the increase 
 or decrease of membership in this N. T. A.; whether 
 the members are generally employed or not; gen- 
 
CONSTITUTION. 13 
 
 eral state of trade and wages; cause of dissatisfac¬ 
 tion among members, if any; report all matters of 
 interest concerning local co-operative enterprise in 
 the line of machinery construction; all strikes, or 
 the settlement of any difficulties by arbitration, 
 and all efforts on the part of members, whether 
 successful or not, to better their condition by po¬ 
 litical action; shall quarterly, in January, April, 
 July and October, make a password for the exclu¬ 
 sive use of the Locals in this N. T. A., and issue 
 the same, with the assistance of the N S. T. and 
 Organizers. Shall have a general supervision of all 
 work done by Organizers under the jurisdiction of 
 this N. T. A., and report any neglect of the laws of 
 the Order to the G. M. W.; shall instruct all mem¬ 
 bers of this N. T. A., and all Organizers appointed 
 through it, in the secret work of this Assembly; 
 and at the annual session of this N. T. A he shall 
 make a written report of all official acts during 
 his term; shall have charge of the charter and 
 secret work of this N. T. A., and shall perform 
 such other duties as the laws and usages of the 
 Order may require; and in compensation for his 
 services he shall receive such a sum as may be 
 fixed at the annual sessions of this N. T. A , and, 
 in addition thereto, he shall receive compensation 
 for actual expenses incurred in the line of duty. 
 
 Sec. 2. The National Secretary-Treasurer shall 
 keep a correct report of the proceedings of this N 
 T. A. and Executive Council; read all communica- 
 
14 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 tions, reports, petitions, etc.; affix the seal of this 
 N. T. A. to all documents, when necessary; pre¬ 
 pare for publication copies of the proceedings of 
 this N. T. A. within two months after the close of 
 the annual or special session; make to this N T. 
 A., at its annual session, a complete statement of 
 the condition of this N. T. A., compiled from the 
 latest reports of Divisions, Bureaus and Locals; in 
 the months of January, April, July and October, 
 shall furnish to all Locals in good standing the 
 quarterly password prepared by the N. M. W., and 
 to each Organizer under the jurisdiction of this N. 
 T. A.; shall conduct the correspondence of this 
 N. T. A,; shall keep a record of the names, num¬ 
 bers and location of all Divisions, Bureaus and Lo¬ 
 cals attached to this N. T. A.; shall have charge of 
 the seal, books, papers, etc., belonging to this N. T. 
 A.; shall promptly notify the Gen. Secretary of any 
 change in the office of N. M. W. or N. S. T., and 
 also the names and addresses of all members re¬ 
 commended as Organizers; shall present to this N. 
 T. A. at its annual session a full and correct state¬ 
 ment of the moneys received and paid out during 
 the year; and at the expiration of his term of office, 
 or sooner if called upon by the proper authority, 
 shall turn over to his successor in office the seal, 
 books, documents, etc., and all other property be¬ 
 longing to this N. T. A. 198; and shall receive, 
 above his necessary expenses incurred in the line 
 of duty, such compensation as may from time to 
 
CONSTITUTION. 15 
 
 time be fixed by this N. T. A., and shall furnish 
 such bonds as the N. Ex. C. may require. 
 
 Sec. 3. The National Worthy Foreman shall assist 
 the N. M. W. during the sessions of this N. T. A., 
 and in case of the death, removal or resignation of 
 the N. M. W., he shall succeed to and fill all the 
 duties of that office until the expiration of the 
 term. 
 
 Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the National Statis¬ 
 tician to collect from the Statisticians of each Local, 
 and from all other available sources, all informa¬ 
 tion possible of attainment, showing the condition 
 of the workers in the various branches of the Ma¬ 
 chinery Constructing industry, and the state of 
 trade; to prepare and forward to the N. S. T. a 
 semi-annual report of such information; and at the 
 expiration of his term of office, or sooner if called 
 upon by the proper authority, shall turn over to 
 his successor in office all books, documents, etc., 
 belonging to this N. T. A. ; and he shall receive, 
 above his necessary expenses, such compensation 
 as may from time to time be fixed by this N. T. A 
 at its annual session. 
 
 Sec. 5. The National Inspector, National Inside 
 Esquire and National Outside Esquire shall per¬ 
 form their duties as laid down in the A. K and 
 secret work of the Order. 
 
 Sec. 6. The N. Ex. C. shall recommend to the 
 Gen. M W. as many Organizers as they may deem 
 necessary to properly carry on the work of organ- 
 
16 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 izing the Machinery Constructing industry. Said 
 Organizers must be members in good standing of 
 some of the Locals attached to this N. T. A , and 
 be profficient at their branch of the industry; but 
 an Organizer from one branch of the industry may 
 organize a Local of any other branch when called 
 upon to do so. 
 
 Sec. 7. The N. Ex. C. shall act as Trustees of 
 this N. T. A., and have a general supervision and 
 control over this N. T. A.; shall have power to de¬ 
 cide appeals from the decision of the N M. W. upon 
 all matters directly appertaining to the Trade and 
 Industry, such decision of appeal to stand until the 
 next session of this N. T. A. All vacancies occur¬ 
 ring in the N. Ex. C. shall be filled by the body 
 itself from among any of the Past Representa¬ 
 tives to this N. T. A., or any of the Past National 
 Officers. 
 
 Sec. 8. The N. Ex. C shall have power to ap¬ 
 point, upon the recommendation of the N. S. T , 
 such additional assistance in the office of the N. S. 
 T. as from time to time may be found necessary 
 
 Sec. 9. The N. Ex. C. small hold its sessions 
 at such places as it deems most convenient or 
 economical, at the call of the chairman of the 
 Council, or at the written request of three (3) of 
 its members, and all necessary expenses for such 
 meetings shall be paid by the N S. T., upon a war¬ 
 rant drawn and signed by the N. M. W. and two 
 members of the Council. 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 17 
 
 Sec 10. The N. Ex. C shall be governed in its 
 actions relating to strikes, lock-outs, etc., by the 
 provisions of Article IX. of this Constitution. 
 
 Sec. 11. Each member of the N Ex. C shall re¬ 
 ceive three dollars ($3.00) per day for any time he 
 may be engaged in the services of this N. T. A., and 
 he shall also be paid his necessary expenses; but 
 fare on railroads, boats, etc., shall only be ren¬ 
 dered at actual cost of tickets. 
 
 Sec 12. Any officer of this N. T. A. wishing to 
 resign, must forward notice of the same to the N. 
 
 S. T at least fifteen days before his resignation is 
 to take effect; and all such resignations must be 
 passed upon and decided by the N. Ex. C. 
 
 | 
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 REVENUE, 
 
 The revenue for the maintenance of this N. T. A. 
 shall be six (6) cents per capita tax upon each 
 member in good standing on the first day of Jan¬ 
 uary, April, July and October, from each and every 
 Local attached to this N. T. A. 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 
 ORGANIZERS. 
 
 All recommendations for Organizers must be 
 acted upon by this N. T. A. while in session; or in 
 the interval, if required, shall be recommended by 
 the N. Ex. C. before being forwarded to the G. 
 
 M. W. 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 18 
 
 « 
 
 ARTICLE VIII. 
 
 ISOLATED LOCALS. 
 
 Section 1. Wherever there may be Locals at¬ 
 tached to this N. T. A. whose situation is so far 
 removed from other Locals of this N. T. A. as to 
 preclude the possibility of their forming a part of a 
 Division or Bureau, they shall be under the imme¬ 
 diate jurisdiction of this N. T. A. 
 
 AETICLE IX. 
 
 STRIKES AND ARBITRATION. 
 
 Section 1. No strike shall be approved or sus¬ 
 tained by this N. T. A. for an increase of wages, un¬ 
 less at least 30 days notice of the intention to do 
 so has been forwarded to the N. S. T. and in all 
 cases the provisions of Section 3 of this Article 
 must be complied with; but this shall in no way 
 preclude the approval by the N. Ex. C. of strikes 
 against reduction of wages, or other grievances 
 that may require immediate action. 
 
 Sec. 2. In all cases where assistance is rendered 
 by this N. T. A. to strikes, lock-outs, etc., a list of 
 the total number of members on strike or locked 
 out must be furnished to the N. S. T., all the num¬ 
 ber of members in said strike or lock-out, who are 
 over three months in arears, and no assistance 
 shall be paid by this N. T. A. to such persons while 
 they remain in arrears. 
 
 Sec. 3. Whenever the N. Ex. C. after careful 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 deliberation, deem it necessary to order a demand 
 for increased wages, short hours, etc., in any par¬ 
 ticular locality; after receiving the approval of the 
 Division or Local, under whose jurisdiction said 
 demand is to be enforced, they shall issue a circu¬ 
 lar through the N. S. T. to all Locals under the ju¬ 
 risdiction of this N. T. A., stating the facts in the 
 case, and the reasons actuating the N. Ex. C. in 
 ordering said demands. Upon a Local receiving 
 said circular it shall immediately order a call for a 
 special meeting of said L. A. to take place not 
 later than three weeks after the receipt of circular, 
 for the purpose of adopting or rejecting the recom¬ 
 mendation of the N. Ex. C. as stated in circular; 
 and a vote shall be taken upon it, and the total 
 number of members present, the number voting in 
 the affirmative and the number voting in the nega¬ 
 tive, shall be endorsed on said circular, signed by 
 the M. W. and R. S. and the seal of the L. A. attached, 
 
 7 i 
 
 and shall then be returned to the N. S. T. within 
 one (1) week after said vote is taken. 
 
 Sec. 4. If the recommendation of the N. Ex. C. 
 is sustained by a two-third majority of the mem¬ 
 bers present in the meetings (those not voting, 
 counted in the affirmative) of all the Locals; then 
 the N. Ex. C. shall issue instructions to the Offi¬ 
 cers of the Division or Local under whose jurisdic¬ 
 tion said demand is to be enforced, to take the 
 necessary action to request of the employers se¬ 
 lected that they increase the wages of their em- 
 
 I 
 
20 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 ployes; or decrease their hours of labor, as the 
 case may be. 
 
 Sec. 5. If the employer or employers refuse to 
 grant the request as presented by the duly author¬ 
 ized representatives of this N. T. A., then the N. 
 Ex. C. shall, after every possible effort has been 
 made to settle the difficulty, order such Local or 
 Locals as may be concerned out on strike if they 
 deem it expedient. • 
 
 Sec. 6. Any action taken to reduce the hours of 
 labor, to abolish piece-work, to abolish the running 
 of more than one machine, and to regulate compen¬ 
 sation for over-time, shall undergo the same course 
 of procedure as provided for in Sections 3, 4, and 5 
 of this Article. 
 
 Sec. 7. All grievances arising in shops between 
 members of this N. T. A. and their employers, such 
 as reduction of wages, running of more than one 
 machine, piece-work, etc., shall first be referred to 
 the Bureau to which their L. A. is attached, by the 
 Delegates of the various Locals, to which said 
 members having grievances belong, or, if there is 
 no Bureau established, the Locals to which the 
 members belong shall refer it to the Division to 
 which they are attached, and if they are not at¬ 
 tached to any Division, it shall be referred to the 
 N. Ex. C. of this N. T. A. 198. 
 
 Sec. 8. If the Bureau to which said grievance or 
 grievances is referred, decide that it is likely to in¬ 
 volve the entire industry, in the jurisdiction of the 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 21 
 
 Division to which it is attached, and that it cannot 
 be brought to a successful conclusion without co¬ 
 ercive measures; then it shall be the duty of said 
 Bureau to bring it before the Division to which it 
 is attached, and in cases requiring immediate 
 action, the Bureau by a vote of urgency, may de¬ 
 mand that a special meeting of the Division be 
 called on said case providing that the regular-meet¬ 
 ing of the Division does not take place within ten 
 (10) days. 
 
 Sec. 9. After the Division has taken the proper 
 action in such cases, as provided in the By-laws 
 of the Division, and fail to bring it to a satisfactory 
 conclusion, it shall then be referred with all neces¬ 
 sary papers, documents, etc., also the recommend¬ 
 ation of the Division to the N. S. T., who shall 
 immediately bring it to the attention of the N. 
 Ex. C. 
 
 Sec. 10. If the N. Ex. C. find it necessary to use 
 coercive measures toward an employer or a cor¬ 
 poration, it shall have power to draw upon the 
 Assistance Fund for that purpose. 
 
 Sec. 11. No Local, or Locals attached to this N. 
 T. A. 196 shall obey the orders of any other Trade, 
 or District Assembly, unless sanctioned or approved 
 by the N. Ex. C. of this N. T. A. 
 
 AETICLE X. 
 
 ASSESSMENTS. 
 
 Section 1. This N. T. A. shall have the authority 
 
22 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 to levy assessments for its own maintenance under 
 the following provisions and restrictions: When¬ 
 ever the N. Ex. C. deem it necessary to levy an 
 assessment for the maintenance of this N. T. A., 
 they shall instruct the N. S. T. to issue a circular 
 to all Locals under the jurisdiction of this N. T. A. 
 stating the necessity for said assessment, and at 
 the meeting at which said circular is received it 
 shall be made special order of business for the fol¬ 
 lowing meeting, and all members notified to that 
 effect. A vote shall then and there be taken upon 
 the recommendation of the N. Ex. C. and the total 
 number of members present, the number voting in 
 the affirmative, and the number voting in the nega¬ 
 tive, shall be endorsed on said circular with the 
 signatures of the M. W. and It. S. and the seal of 
 the Local attached, and if two-thirds of the total 
 number of members present in the meeting (those 
 not voting, counted in the affirmative) vote to sus¬ 
 tain the recommendation of the N. Ex. C. then the 
 N. S. T. shall immediately issue a circular, contain¬ 
 ing the vote of each L. A., along with the official 
 notice of the assessments being levied, but it shall 
 be left to the option of the N. Ex. C. when the 
 assessment is to be paid. 
 
 Sec. 2. All assessments so levied, shall be based 
 upon the number of members reported in good 
 standing at last quarterly report, but in no case shall 
 the amount of any one assessment exceed 50 cents 
 per capita. 
 
CONSTITUTION. 23 
 
 Sec. 3. In no case shall maintenance be con¬ 
 strued as embracing the purchase of real estate, 
 buildings, establishment of journal, etc., all assess¬ 
 ments for said purposes being so specifically stated, 
 and taking the same course of procedure as pro¬ 
 vided in Section 1 of this Article, with the addition 
 that in issuing circulars recommending purchase of 
 real estate, etc., a detailed description of said prop¬ 
 erty or plant and its assessed value must be given, 
 along with the provisions for holding said property 
 or plant in trust for this N. T. A. 198. 
 
 Sec. 4. This N. T. A. shall also establish a special 
 fund, to be known as the Resistance Fund for the 
 purpose of supporting the members of this N. T. A. 
 198 while on strike or locked out. This fund to be 
 created and supported, through the payment by 
 each and every Local of this N. T. A. of five cents 
 per month, upon each member in good standing on 
 the 1st. of each month, to be forwarded monthly to 
 the N. S. T. of this N. T. A., and it shall not be 
 used for any other purpose than that specified in 
 this Article. 
 
 ARTICLE XI. 
 
 MONTHLY BEPOET. 
 
 The N. S. T. shall issue a Monthly Report of the 
 financial and general condition of this N. T. A. also 
 the proceedings of the N. Ex. C. 
 
 ARTICLE XII. 
 
 AMENDMENTS OE ADDITIONS TO CONSTITUTION. 
 
 All amendments or additions to this Constitution 
 
24 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 must be submitted to the Locals within 30 days 
 after the adjournment of any session of this N. T. 
 A. and in order to become law must be ratified, 
 paragraph by paragraph, and by a majority vote at 
 a meeting especially called for the purpose. 
 
CONSTITUTION FOR DIVISIONS. 
 
 AETICLE I. 
 
 This National Trade Assembly shall, as fast as 
 practicable be organized into Divisions, taking the 
 place in the Machinery Constructing industry of 
 the former Mixed Districts, and shall be consti¬ 
 tuted as follows: 
 
 Section 1. Whenever five or more Locals at¬ 
 tached to this N. T. A. 198 desire to organize a 
 Division of this N. T. A., the M. W. of the senior 
 Local shall issue a call for a conference of all those 
 Locals entitled to representation in said Division 
 when organized; and said Convention shall draw 
 up such rules and regulations as they may deem 
 advisable, and not conflicting with the laws of the 
 General Assembly, or of this N. T. A. 198, and shall 
 then submit the same to each L. A. represented in 
 said Convention for their approval, and if said 
 rules and regulations receive the approval of a ma¬ 
 jority of the Locals represented, they shall immedi¬ 
 ately proceed to organize a Division, by the election 
 of the necessary officers, as provided in Section 3 
 of this Article. 
 
 Sec. 2. The basis of representation to the Con- 
 
26 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 vention and to the Divisions when organized, shall 
 be three delegates for each 100 members or less, in 
 good standing for each L. A., and one additional 
 delegate for each 100 over or majority fraction 
 thereof. 
 
 The first delegate elected to be senior delegate, 
 and in case of death or resignation, the L. A 
 which he represents, shall designate officially 
 which of the remaining delegates shall fill the 
 vacancy and the place of the delegate so selected 
 to be filled by the L A. with a new delegate. 
 
 Sec. 3. Upon assembling at the time and place 
 specified in call to organize a Division, the Senior 
 Delegate of the Senior Local (in date of organiza¬ 
 tion) shall call the delegates to order and appoint 
 a temporary Secretary and Committee on Creden¬ 
 tials, and then proceed as provided in Art. III., 
 Sec. 2, Constitution of G. A. {Founding of Districts ) 
 substituting Chairman for Master Workman and 
 the titles of the other officers as hereinafter pro¬ 
 vided. 
 
 Sec. 4. Each Division shall present the name of 
 one of their members to the N. Ex. C. for their rec¬ 
 ommendation to the G. M. W for commission as 
 Organizers. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 MEETINGS AND JURISDICTION. 
 
 Section 1. Each Division shall meet at least 
 once a month, at such place as they may designate. 
 
 Sec. 2. Special meetings of Division may be 
 
CONSTITUTION. 27 
 
 called by a majority vote of the members present 
 at any regular meeting, by a vote of three (3) of 
 the L. A. represented in the Division, presented to 
 the Secretary of the Division duly sealed and 
 signed, and those localities where Bureaus have 
 been established a special meeting may be called 
 as provided for in Article IX., Section 8, Constitu¬ 
 tion of this N. T. A. 
 
 Sec. 3. The jurisdiction of each Division shall 
 extend over that portion of territory covered by 
 the Locals represented in said Division, and shall 
 embrace all questions, grievances, strikes, lock¬ 
 outs, etc., that directly and only concern the 
 Machinery Constructing industry, in the territorial 
 jurisdiction of each Division. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES. 
 
 The officers of a Division shall consist of a 
 Chairman, and as many Vice-Chairmen as there 
 are trades represented in the Division; the Chair¬ 
 man and Vice-Chairmen each being selected from a 
 different branch of the industry, a Recording Sec¬ 
 retary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Statistician, 
 and Board of Trustees consisting of five members, 
 none of whom shall, for the term of their office, 
 fill any other official position in the Division. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 Each and every Division of this N. T. A. shall 
 have authority to levy assessments upon the Locals 
 
28 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 under their jurisdiction; but in all cases the mode 
 of procedure governing such cases in this N. T. A. 
 198 (see Article X., Sections 1, 2, and 3) must be 
 complied with. 
 
 ABTICLE V. 
 
 DIVISION COURTS. 
 
 Section 1. A Division Court shall be composed 
 of three (3) judges, a Judge Advocate, and a Clerk, 
 said officers to be elected annually by each Division. 
 
 Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of a Division Court, 
 to review and determine all cases appealed from 
 the Court of a Local Assembly subject to the right 
 of appeal from the decision of said Division Court 
 to the N. T. A. when in session. Any L. A. re¬ 
 fusing to pay an assessment levied upon it by the 
 Division is guilty of insubordination and may be 
 tried by the Division Court. 
 
 Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the judges to care¬ 
 fully review all the testimony in every case ap¬ 
 pealed from a Local Court, and if deemed neces¬ 
 sary they may cause the witnesses to be summoned 
 and examined. They may also admit new testi¬ 
 mony. They shall give a decision confirming or 
 reversing the finding of the Local Court; in case 
 charges are preferred against any Division Officer 
 or L. A. they shall try the case upon the evidence, 
 render the decision, and fix the penalty, subject to 
 appeal to the N. T. A. when in session; a majority 
 of the judges shall decide all questions. The 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 29 
 
 judges shall appoint one of their number as presid¬ 
 ing judge, whose duty it shall be to preserve order 
 and decorum, decide upon the admissibility of tes¬ 
 timony, call the Court to order at the convening, 
 and announce the finding and sentence. 
 
 Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the Judge Advo¬ 
 cate to prepare in writing all indictments, and issue 
 all summons w'hen ordered by the presiding judge ; 
 to attend all sittings of the Court, and perform all 
 the duties of prosecuting attorney. 
 
 Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the Clerk to attend 
 all the sittings of the Court, and keep a correct 
 record of the proceedings; serve all summons, and 
 perform all the duties pertaining to the office. 
 
 Sec. 6. Any regularly elected delegate to a Divis¬ 
 ion, is eligible to election as a Division Court offi¬ 
 cer, and may at the same time hold office in the 
 Division; but in case of the sickness of, or if 
 charges be brought against, an officer of a Division 
 - Court, the officer holding a corresponding position 
 in the nearest Division, shall be summoned, and 
 shall sit and discharge the duties, and all expenses 
 for the same shall be paid by the Division. 
 
 Sec. 7. In the trial of any Division officer or of 
 any L. A., the prosecuter and accused may choose 
 their own counsel, who shall be members of the 
 Order in good standing. In the case of an L. A. the 
 Court shall certify the decision to the Division, and 
 the Division shall execute the finding without vote 
 or further action. In case a sentence of suspen- 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 30 
 
 sion or expulsion is passed against any Division 
 officer, the Court shall certify the finding to the 
 L. A. of which the accused is a member and the 
 L. A. shall execute the finding and make the proper 
 record on its minutes. No L. A. can try a Division 
 officer for neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, 
 as a Division officer, all such charges must be made 
 to the Division Court. In cases of appeal to the 
 N. T. A. both parties interested shall be officially 
 notified by the Clerk of Court, and all charges, 
 specifications, evidence and findings, duly certified, 
 shall be forwarded to the N. S. T. All appeals to 
 the Division Court from the decision of Local 
 Courts shall be made within thirty days after judg¬ 
 ment has been rendered. 
 
 Sec. 8. Any Division Court may impose a penalty 
 of fine or suspension for contempt of any summons 
 * or process legally issued, and may impose a like 
 penalty upon any witness for refusing to testify. 
 Any penalty so imposed shall be certified by the 
 Court to the L. A. of which the accused is a mem¬ 
 ber, and the Local shall execute the penalty. 
 
 4 
 
CONSTITUTION FOR BUREAUS. 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 In order to provide for the most equitable and 
 economical administration of affairs, and to con¬ 
 serve the autonomy of each branch of the Machinery 
 Constructing industry, this N. T. A. 198 shall, 
 wherever practicable, and as speedily as possible, 
 organize Bureaus of each and every branch of the 
 industry as herein provided. 
 
 Section 1. Wherever there are three or more 
 Locals under the jurisdiction of a Division, whose 
 entire membership embraces one trade only, either 
 of Pattern-makers, Foundrymen, Blacksmiths, Ma¬ 
 chinists, or Boiler-makers, or the helpers of either, 
 they may organize a Bureau of their respective 
 branch, in such manner as they may deem most 
 advisable; but it shall not be compulsory for any 
 L. A. to join said Bureau. 
 
 Sec. 2. Each Bureau thus organized shall have 
 jurisdiction over affairs appertaining to their trade 
 only, and in the territorial jurisdiction of the Divis¬ 
 ion to which they are attached; and they shall 
 have authority to make such By-Laws as may be 
 
 
32 
 
 CONSTITUTION 
 
 by them deemed best, provided they do not conflict 
 with the Constitution of this N. T. A. 198. 
 
 Sec. 3. It shall be one of the duties of each Trade 
 Bureau, to see that every shop in its jurisdiction 
 is thoroughly organized, having a Shop Committee 
 with Chairman, etc. 
 
 Sec. 4. Each Bureau shall also be, as far as prac¬ 
 ticable, a bureau of employment.