130 ASSOCIATION OF IRON, STEEL AND TIN WORKERS [262 



Forward Lodge (no. 121), of New Castle, Pennsylvania, 

 composed of wire drawers who were employed in the nail 

 factory, in 1890 had local regulations governing apprentices, 

 and introduced a resolution in the convention of that year 

 providing an elaborate system of national control over ap- 

 prentice wire drawers.^ Henry Cort Lodge (no, 81), com- 

 posed of roll turners of the several shops in Pittsburgh, 

 required three years' apprenticeship to become a journey- 

 man roll turner.* To what extent such provisions were 

 made by local unions can not be determined from the scant 

 references which have been recorded. 



An apprentice system is impracticable in the iron and 

 steel industry, in which workmen advance almost entirely by 

 promotion. The Association, however, has always favored 

 the employment and promotion of " helpers." A " helper " 

 has been defined by Dr. Ashworth as " any person employed 

 to help the skilled journeyman under whose supervision he 

 works," as distinguished from an apprentice " who, by 

 promise, indenture or covenant, for a specified time, is being 

 taught the trade by a master of the trade or someone in 

 his employ."^ For example, in the puddling department, a 

 puddler usually has a helper and sometimes two helpers.® 

 They are employed to assist the puddler in his work, and 

 are directly under his supervision. The helper proper gives 

 the journeyman a spell. He takes hold of the paddle when 

 cinder is put in to " thicken it up," that is, to make the flux. 

 The second helper — commonly known as a " third hand," or 

 " green hand " — generally breaks down the pig when it 

 begins to melt, chocolate-like. He gives a "push" or a 

 " shove " in drawing the heat, and does similar work that 

 requires little knowledge or skill. The work of each " un- 

 derhand " is so clearly understood by custom, that it is 

 usually unnecessary to have specific rules defining it. Where 



3 Proceedings, 1890, p. 3134- 



* Proceedings, 1891, pp. 35io-35i^ 



5 Ashworth, pp. 22-23. 



" A puddler, if he can do the work alone, need not take on a 

 helper, unless the company can show that he is retarding the output 

 unduly. 



