Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-01
UNIONS RECEIVE
LEADERS, REPORT
PRESIDENT LYNCH MAKES
STATEMENT
AFFAIRS OF PRINTERS LEAGUE
SUMMARIZED
Condition of Typographical Workers
Organization Set Forth in Advance
Reports M ade by Officials to
Local Branches

The annual reports of the interna-
tional officers of the Typographical
union have been mailed from head
quarters in Indianapolis to delegates
to the international convention Of the
organization. which will be held in St.
Joseph, Mo, August 9-14. The reports
were also mailed to the presidents 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 happen
ings of the year, and makes various
recommendations for the future.
Under the head of brief summary
of office work Mr.. Lynch shows that.
during the last year, there were issued
from the presidents department 1886
official communications, 24,437 circulars
and 3799 packages of printed matter re-
lating to label advertising and organ
izing work.
Considerable space is devoted to the
efficient work that has been done by
the organization in its health cam
paign, and the work it has accom-
plished in its war against tuberculosis.
President Lynch says, as to unsani-
tary Workrooms: "Our unions will be
justified in making particular scales
for these exceptionally unhealthful
composing rooms, scales materially
higher than those that apply to the
modern, healthful and up-to-date COM
posing room."
Proposes Insurance Feature
Among other matters taken up at
considera BILE 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 ex-
ecutive council, acting under instruc-
tion from the Boston convention, re-
port on the insurance idea. He gives
various arguments that have been ad-
vanced on both sides of the question.
The executive council goes at consd-
erable length into the matter of insur-
ance or burial benefits In its report
"The investigation of life insurance or
the payment of an increased mortuary
benefit, as conducted by the council,
says the report "conVinces the MEM
bers of the council that insurance for
Typographical union is feasible and
that the main question is as to the
expense per member. This investiga-
ton also convinces the council that
any sum paid to the members of the
organization as an insurance feature
should be in the nature of death or
burial benefit. This will leave us free
from complication with the Insurance
laws of the various states, and Will be
matter of great economy in the adj
ministration of the insurance funds"
Treasurer Gives Statistics
The council expresses itself in favor
of a fiat burial benefit of $1,000 a men,
ber, or a graded benefit ranging from
5000 to 5000 member, according to
length of membership. 1t suggests,
however, that it might be well to OBJ
tain the sentiment of the membership
as to the insurance or mortuary bene-
fit, and that this can be readily ac-
complished on the ballot on which the
laws enacted by the convention will be
submitted to the referendum vote.
The report of the secretary treasurer,
]. w. Hays, goes into much detail con-
corning the condition of the organiza-
ton. both as to members and finances.
1t shows that the total expenditures
during the year ending May 81, 1909,
were $45S 061.73, and that a balance OF
S25S, ,72S.47 was left in the treasury. 1t
shows that sthe number of burial ben
efits paid during the year was 500, rep
resenting $3S,175. This was a smaller
number of burial benefits than for any
preceding year since 1903, and was
twenty-nine less than in 1908.
1t shows that the average number
of members in good standing during
the year was 44,921, and the average
membership for the last three months
47,174. In regard to the old age pen
sion. the report shows total eXpendi-
lures of $69, So, and balance on
hand in the fund, May 81, of $159767.lI
The average earnings per year per
member. were 1897.