A Young Trade Unionist.

Debating club activities attracted his attention, and at the age of sixteen he held his first office in the Trades Union movement, as secretary to the Furniture Workers’ Picnic Committee, a small thing, but symptomatic of his future. His future life's interests, too, were stimulated greatly by the influence of his grandfather, a truly grand old man, one John Dow, a Scot and a Socialist, who was employed by the Railway Department. It has been said a thought never dies. John Dow's dominating thought is still expressing itself in the life of his grandson. In the pauses of a busy life it is the words of John Dow that doubtless still echo in his mind, “I'm a Socialist, Dan, dy'e ken what that means? Dy'e ken what a Socialist is?”