The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-08-05
INSURANCE
FOR TYPOS
Interesting Data Contained IN
Reports of Officers of the In
ternationai typographical Union.

The annual reports OF the international
officers OF the Typographical Union have
been mailed from headquarters in Indian
aPolis TO delegates TO the International
convention OF the organization, which will
be held in ST. Joseph, No, August Gil.
The reports were also mailed TO the presi-
dents and secretaries of the various local
unions. This method is employed instead
OF reading the reports at the convention
of the organization
The report of the president, James NJ.
Lynch, takes up in an interesting manner
the more important happenings of the
year, and makes various recommendations
for the future.
| L nder the head of brief summary of
office work Mr.. Lynch shows that, during
the last year, there We're issued from the
president 5 department 1886 official
communications, 2i,437 circulars and 3,
'99 packages of printed matter relating
TO label advertising and organizing work
| Considerable space is devoted to the eff
Gent work that has been done by the or
ganization in its health campaign, and
the work it has accomplished in its war
against tuberculosis. President Lynch
says, as to unsanitary workrooms: "Our
unions Will be justified in making par
tIcular scales for these exceptionally I'M
healthful composing rooms, scales materi-
ally higher than those that apply to the
modern, healthful and up-to-date compos-
| ing rooms
Among other matters that are taken up
AT considerable length in the report of the
president are the label propaganda of the
Organization, the operation of its old age
pension and the proposal to establish an
| insurance feature
In regard to insurance, Mr.. Lynch says
| in his report that there will be submitted
TO the convention by the executive coun-
ell. acting under instruction from the Bos-
ton convention, report on the insurance
idea. He gives various arguments that
| have been advanced on both sides of the
question.
| The executive council goes at consider
able length into the matter of insurance
or burial benefits in its report. 1.-The in.
vestiGation of life insurance or the paw.
ment of an increased mortuary benefit, as
conducted by the council saws the re-
| port, cOnvinces the members of the
council that insurance for the members of
the International Typographical Union is
feasible and that the main question is as
TO the expense per member. This investi.
CATION also convinces the council that anv
sum paid to the members of the organiza.
ton as an insurance feature should be in
the nature of a death or burial benefit
! This Will leave us free from complication
with the insurance laws of the various
states. and will be a matter of great econ.
omv in the administration of the insur-
ancc funds
The council expresses itself in favor of
flat burial benefit of + 900 "A member.
or a graded benefit ranging from 5000 TO
5000 a member. according to length of
membership. 1t suggests. however. that
II might be well to obtain the sentiment
OF the membership as to the insurance or
mortuary benefit, and that this can be
readily accomplished on the ballot on
which the laws enacted by the convention
Will be submitted to the referendum vote
The report of the secretary-treasurcr.
j. w. Hays, goes into much detail con-
corning the condition of the organization.
ooth as TO members and finances. 1t
shows that the total expenditures during
the year ending May 81. 1909. were s45S.-
o6l.'3. and that balance of S25S. 72S ~
was left IN the treasury. 1t shows that
the number of burial benefits paid during
the year was 500, representing $3S.l75
rms was a smaller number of burial bene-
MS than for any preceding year since
1903. and was twenty nine less than in
1905. 1t shows that the average number
of members in good standing during the
year was ii.92l. and the average mem.
bership for the last three months AHA
In regard to the old age pension. the re-
port shows total expenditures of $69.-
11O.%3. and a balance on hand in the
fund. May 81, OF sl59.767.l7.
The average earnings per year per
member was 1897