Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-28
Things You Want to Know


The National Funeral Directors associa-
ton meets in Detroit in annual convention
today. The association has membership
Of approximately 1000, and a large pro-
portion Of these attend the annual meetings.
The most interesting matter that will claim
the attention of the convention is that Of re-
dueing the number Of funeral directors and
undertakers in the business. For many
months there has been widespread agita-
ton against the high cost OF funerals. The
unprofessional methods of advertising have
been a protest against the prevailing idea
that undertakers levy heavy toll on the
woe and distress of those who have lost
loved ones
The undertaken who regards his work in
the light of a profession. declares that there
is no other business more overcrowded. and
that with 2S,OOo undertakers in the country.
there is an average of only one funeral a
week for each OF them. He feels that there
ought to be some way to reduce the num-
Der OF undertakes to about half the pres
ent number and that in such reduction lies
the secret OF more REASONABLE funeral ex-
penses 1t is asserted that one of the rea-
sons for the public belief that the under
taker makes a huge profit out OF his bust
ness is the fact that in making his charges
for casket or coffin the undertaken often
includes in that charge his own services
and that of his assistants; whereas. he
ought to make a specific charge for the
casket and another for services and extras.
The question of account-rendering. and that
OF limiting the number of undertakers, are
the most important that will come up before
the convention.
Another matter that will be brought up is
fhaR o. to a.. O.,
forbid the burial of any American citizen
at sea. In addition, the undertakers would
require every steamship line carrying pas
sengers out of American ports to be
equipped with necessary facilities for bring
ing back to shore the body of any citizen
who may die at sea- Most of the lines out
of American ports now carry collins for
this purpose. The undertskers seek a world
wide abolition of sea burials.
At one time II seemed that the National
Association of Funeral Directors had
solved the question of an overcrowded pro-
fession. There is a companion association
known as the National Burial Case associa-
ton. About 1890 there was an agreement
entered into between these two associa-
tons, stipuating that the Funeral Direc-
tors association should buy no caskets OF
other funeral goods not made by members
Of the Burial Case association. In return
for this concession the Burial Case associa-
ton agreed to sell funeral goods to no one
but members of the Funeral Directors as.
ISOLATION. When a man who was not mem
Der OF the Funeral Directors association
| ordered goods from a member of the
Burial Case association he was advised thai
goods could not be sold him until he Joined
the Funeral Directors association. wher
he sought to do this, he was told he
would have to obtain the endorsement oil
! the members residing in his county. This
was seldom forthcoming, and the agree.
ment worked successfully in limiting tn,
| number of undertakers Uho could buy
funeral goods from any of the big houses.
Then some undertaken who was refused
admission in the association bethough
himself that this was a violation of the
Sherman antitrust law. A Kansas under
taker by the name of Knight started mat.
tiers by instituting suit against the Kan
sas Funeral Directors association, and
his triumph the the courts was the sigma
for similar steps elsewhere. 1t resulted II
an entire abrogaton of the working agree
ment between the associations. Since ther
| the effort to limit the number of under
takers has been made through Legislation
legislation has gone through in many o.
the states. although Governor Hughes o.
New York and Governor Harmon of Ohio
in their respective states, have vetoed bill
favored by the funeral directors.
1t is said that at no great funeral wal
such sad mistake made as at that o.
King Edward. In England the science Of
emblaming never has reached the perfec
ton attained in this country. The prepare
| ton of the remains of the dead king wa,
left to the physicians who had ATTENDED
him: Invitations had been sent out to tn,
visiting royalty to take a last look at thu
features of the departed sovereign on
certain day. Before that day arrived. how
ever. 1t became necessary to close the cas-
ket and seal II up. The invitations wer,
withdrawn. There was some correspon