The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-12-15
The following are The official opinions rendered:
OPINION I. aUG, 26, 1891

|
| OPINION I. AUG. 26, 1891.
Case-At our last Corps meeting our Senior Vice.
| President SAID SHE expected To move away. ana
| asked for and received transfer card. Now she
wants to come back for the rest OF the year, pro-
yiding she can come without expense Can Inc
Corps III any way manage to take her back with.
ont going through the usual mode OF admittanceI
How shall her chair be filled? II she comes back,
could she fill her office for the rest of the year
without being re-eected7 Could the parts Of the
minutes relating to her card be elimi mated or could
do this?
Opinion.-A member of the Woman's Relief Corps
in good standing having made application accord
ing to Rules and Regulations for transfer card is
from that moment no longer a. member OF that
Corps Eliminating the action from the minutes
would have no effect upon the validity Of the
transfer. even could 1t be done; but Corps have no
right to eliminate ah action taken in accordance
with methods laid down IN our governing laws
such action, regularly taken, cannot be Withdrawn
or set aside. Provision is made in Chap. H. Art.
Ill, for readmisson TO Corps from which mem.
Der has taken transfer, this provision being oil
itself conclusive evidence that in other way can
membership be regaiued.
Tile principle governing membership also applies
to Office and an office once resigned can be re-
gained only be reelection.
Until the vacancy caused by transfer is filed. the
Junior Vice President fills the chair as found in
instructions in back of Ritual under head OF Vacan-
cleS.
OPINION II. SEPT. 5, 1891.
Case--A Corps disbands perhaps two years ago.
A member, delinquent for dues, fails TO get trans
Ter caro-. one now desires to become n MEMBER OF
the Order again. and requests the privilege of pay
ing back dues and receiving transfer card. The
Department President receives the dues and signs
her transfer Should it be dated At disbandiDg OF
Corps? If so. how can Department President
sign paper dated two years previous to her cleo
ton to office?
dered In 1887, and subsequently sustained by sixth
National Convention, members OF the Womans
Relief Corps delinquent when their Corps disbands
and having at that time fail ed 10 pay the amount of
arrears and receive a transfer can. if desiring TO
reenter the Order, make application to Depart
ment President and be restored 10 membership up
to date of disarmament, by paying into the Depart
ment treasury the amount they owed their Corps,
and receiving the approval of the Department
President, il such application is made for the pur-
pose of joining an existing Corps, to become
charter member of a new Corps.
The Department President may then issue
transfer card which shall set forth the facts in the
case the card 10 bear same date as that upon which
the application and payment are made Such APP
plicant is then eligible to membership in another
Corps by having secured an honorable discharge,
through expiration of transfer-more than year
having elapsed since disbandment
OPINION III. SEPT Z, 1891.
Case.-1. Can a visiting member be invited out
of courtesy to fill chair in the absence o. regu-
2. Were visiting member Conductor in Corps
A. could she be invitad to act as Conductor pro tenn
in Corps b =?
as found in revised Ritual page 6, and repeated by
Conductor at every regular meeting OF corps:
are very plain. Also instructions" in back OF
Ritual, page g. This paragraph specially provides
for the absence" of this very officer, and says:
In the absence of the Conductor or Guard, their
assistants will act in their place and the vacancy
thus caused be filled from the floor
Again. Decision &C. page i0s. Sixth National
Journal says it is the dnty of Assistant Conductor
to fit herself to perfectly perform the work of her
Principal should she be absent
As matter of instruction, exception might be
made. For instance. should member thoroughly
capable of instructing visit Corps where the Con-
ductors are new and defective in their work, the
visitor could properly be invited 10 perform that
part for the benefit to be derived from her superior
knowledge and experience, and the fact so appear
in the minutes Of the meeting; but not as Con-
ductor pro tenn.
OPINION ~. SEPT. 49, 1891.
Case.--Can a member of one Corps prefer charges
against a member of another Corps for any cause?
Opinion.-1t is my opinion that a raember of the
Woman's Relief Corps has right to prefer charges
against any other member of the Order, regardless
of local association, basng my opinion the fol-
lowing: The possession Of facts concerning men,
Der of the Order which would materially affect
the we'll being Of Corps. or the Order Mt large,
places the question of right and privilege
broad plane; and for the common good of all asso-
ciated in the same cause, member possessing
such facts is privileged to protect the Order,
to the extent of preferring charges against men,
Der not belonging to her individual Corps.
OPINION v. OCT. 5, 1891.
Case-A Corps disbanded, intending to reor-
ganize. Instructed Corps President to forward
badges. She replied that the members did not
and thought they had right TO keep them. Wrote
her to pay from Corps funds the regulation price.
Nearly all have finally been sent in and now fol-
lows bill for them. at the rate of so cents apiece.
Badges were As cents, but are now and have been
for some time only 40 cents; and Corps own Off
GERS badges anyway and are instructed in Rules
and Regulations that when they disband must turn
over Corps property to the Department. What
shall be done in n of this kind?
Opinion.-When Corps is organized. it is by
the approval and authority of a recognized head,
and Is subject to the requirements and stipulations
OF the superior body, whose power it Is to create
One of the stipuiations is that should Corps dis
to the Department by whose authority it was
created. Coming originally through the Depart
ment, 1t is, under certain conditions. intrusted to
the and use of band of women for a certain
purpose. with the thorough knowledge and under
standing that, should this organized body fail in
their purpose and to exist all property its
possession Is thereby forfeited and must be re-
turned. Our Rules say the ten officers badges
ARE Corps property, belong to the Corps and
revert with the Office" showing plainly, the mo-
ment n Corps disbands these badges, well as all
other property. belong to the Department, and no
bill can be presented on their return.
Regarding the floor badges: Should any men,
Der in good standing mt time of disbandment have
asked discharge cards, the Corps would, before
granting them, demand their badges Is the law;
but all the members receiving transfers entitled
by existing laws to retain their badge during the
life Of the transfer as they are still members of the
badges must be returned. All badges to which
this Corps could lay claim would be through mem
DerS discharged, acting upon the SuppOSition That
all were in good standing and have received dis
charge or transfer.
There has never been a regular" price named
to be paid return of membership badges; but
am of the opinion il should conform to stipulation
covering badges of National officers in Sec. II,
article on badges, in Rules and Regulations, and
members returning badge be entitled to receive the
price paid for item.
OPINION VI. OCT. 6, 1891.
Case.-Two weak Corps in q town decided to
unite and form one strong Corps, as did also the
Posts to whom they were auxiliary. Both Corps
had good Presidents. elected last December
Mrs. A. and friends generously waved her po-
stion and elected Mrs. b. President of the new
Corps Now Mrs. A. desires Past Presidents
badge, and asks can she have a voice In next
Department Convention. She did not out
her term but excellent President. and did
what she thought was best for the good of the
Order and the Corps. 1t seems pity she
cannot have all the rights of Past President.
Can anything be done in such a case?
Opnon.-Thc article In Rules and Regulations
page 49, naming members of which Department
Conventions composed. clearly states the serv-
ice that must have been done by a Past Corps
President Past rank is secured In but two ways:
by rule and by exception. The rule Is full years
service. The exception, partial service, being n
provision for emergencies, the conditions being
explained upon which partial service is rewarded
with the same honor as full service, the amount of
work not being stipulated but he II little or much,
Is mil req ar ex Diras