an editorial staff, they gleaned material wherever it could be
found. The tiny force must have been hard pressed at times
to maintain publication.

In view of these handicaps, it would be strange indeed if
minor errors of fact and occasional inconsistencies did not
appear in the "Advocate". Nevertheless, the "Advocate" was
generally well prepared, and it gives us an authentic picture
of the difficult but successful struggle of the young organiza-
tion to establish itself. We hope that the use of this material
has helped to recreate some of the aura of that day.

The preparation for a work of this kind requires not only
the accumulation of a great deal of data but the collaboration
of persons whose knowledge and personal experience form an
invaluable source of insight into the significance of events
over and beyond the mere recounting of facts. We are gen-
uinely grateful to those who have assisted in the preparation
of this book and whose helpful criticism has made the writing
of this book easier.

Particular thanks are due President T. C. Carroll for his
collaboration and cooperation, and members of his staff for
their assistance in this arduous undertaking; Secretary-
Treasurer A. Shoemake and his staff for making historical
documents available and verifying certain portions of the
manuscript; Vice President W. Aspinall for his history of the
Central Committee of Canada and other data concerning the
story of the Brotherhood in Canada; William Jewkes for his
outline of conditions on Canadian railways many years ago;
Statistician and Research Director Frank L. Noakes and
members of his staff, who supplied the tables in the appen-
dices and other statistical and historical data; Associate
Editor E. J. Plondke and his editorial staff, who made their
material sources available and supplied many of the photo-
graphs used in this history; the Public Relations Department
of the Association of American Railroads for their coopera-
tion in furnishing old and new photographs of the railroad
industry; the various railroads whose photographs are a
part of this history; Dr. William M. Leiserson for his careful
reading of the manuscript and for his constructive comments
and suggestions; and the secretaries who performed the
tedious job of typing during the writing and revision of
the manuscript.

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