Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-16
WOODMEN START Rate FIGHT
Camp No. 100 Of Omaha Levies Tax
to Finance Their Protest.
GO INTO COURT IF NECESSARY
Nathan Bernstein Named Delegate
to Minneapolis Meetinx TO Pro-
test and Formulate Plans 10
Make n Effective.

sown IN the ranks OF the Modern Wood
men OF America, action that may bring
about something OF the kind was taken
by the Douglas county members OF the
order last night when representatives OF
the various camps met and protested
against the decision OF the head camp
that at its Chicago meeting made a radi-
cal raise In the rates rs applied to the old
members. TO be effective January !. 1919.
Shortly aftsr the head camp took action
looking TO an advance IN rates, a com
mittee consisting OF members from evers
camp in Douglas county was appointed
TO formulate a protest and take such
action as might seem advisable.
Last night the members OF the commit
tee met and at midnight submitted a re-
port to camp 10. Modern woodnen Of
America. where members from nearly
every camp In the city had conEresa,ed.
Plans Tor Contest.
while In no wise does this report enter
into the question OF secession. II provides
that ways and means be adopted to pre-
vent the head camp from putting the
proposed advanced rates into effect. u
also provides for carrying the f1sht into
every woodmen camp In Nsbraska and
urge. co-on.rn,ioe ~ IN. m.rnh.r. An
the firh, that /, % h. cnrtIe, into the
courts. II necessary. II is probable that
an Injunction may be sought on the
grounds that Rhsn men joined the order.
ana have since paid the stipulated rates
according to age at joining. there was
an implied contract that the rates then
In force should be continued.
At the meeting last night a fund was
provided. the proceeds TO be used by the
committee in carrying the fight into
every camp In the state. urging upon
members the necessity Of speedy action
In getting together and joining In the
protest.
Effort st Delay Fails.
An attempt was made TO- delay action
upon the acceptance or the report. but Il
failed OF any support The report, after
a lengthy and impassionate discussion,
was adopted BY unanimous vote.
Nathan Bernstein. a member Of camp
No. 10. was unanimously elected dele
gate TO 60 TO Minneapolis. where Febru.
airy %. Modern Woodmen meeting. pa
tionai In It's scope. VIII be held TO take
action on what methods shall DO pursued
to prevent the new and proposed rates
from being made effective.
Mr.. Bernstein goes TO the Minneapolis
nesting unfettered with instructions and
is authorised TO take such action a. he
may deem proper.
At no time during the meeting were
the motives Of the head camp or Its Of
fieers discredited. but a majority OF the
speakers argued that the enormous in
crease as proposed looks liks move to
'freeEe' out the Old members. who have
now reached ages where there are but
few years between them and the grave and
who heretofore have been paying the
rate provided for at the age they had at
tanned when they Joined this order.
Deputies connected with the head camp
tried to show that as compared with old
line life companies. the rates proposed
by the head camp were equitable and
just. but they were silenced when the
members came back with the reply that