trols a portion of these two crafts, remains separate. Likewise the Railway Clerks' Association; but between this organization and the N. U. R. complete understandingexists. The two would amalgamate, but it is felt that inasmuch as the Clerks still have something of a "white collar psychology," it may be better to let them go alone until they know more about unionism and can stand fusion with the mass of less genteel workers. However, both unions work in closest co-operation. Besides the two separate craft groups there is also a dispute over the shop men, the metal trades unions putting in claims for and organizing numbers of these workers. But this difference bids fair to be settled along industrial lines. Notwithstanding these ragged edges, however, the N. U. R., with its industrial structure, is overwhelmingly the most important union on the railroads. Having over 400,000 members, or about four-fifths of all organized railroad workers, and enjoying great prestige, it dominates the whole situation. It may well serve as a type for us to go by.
The National Union of Railwaymen is the product of an evolution essentially the same as that which American railroad unions are now going through. It experienced the three familiar phases of isolation, federation and amalgamation. At first the various craft unions went it alone, with the usual unsatisfactory results. Then they tried federation; but that developed the same failings as it does here: the organizations wrangled among themselves and lacked the power that comes from real unity. So finally the three most important among them, the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, the General Railway Workers' Union, and the United Signalmen and Pointsmen, fused themselves together and formed the National Union of Railwaymen.
This was in 1913. The effect of the amalgamation was electric. Immediately the whole movement leaped to the front. When the amalgamation took place the three combining unions had 156,000 members; eighteen months later
