Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-24
SAUNDERS TO The WO0DMEN
Joint Debate Held on Subject Of
Increase in Rates.
]. J. BREEN ATTACKS THE PLAN
On Behalf of Officers Il Is Alleged
Younger Members Are Now Pay
Ing Insurance for Older
Ones.

A great deal Of interest was aroused
In the debate in Council Bluffs Thurs
day night between Senator c. q.
Saunders. counsel for the Iowa state head
camp Of the Modern woodmen OF Amer
lea. and Attorney J. ]. Breen Of South
Omaha. the latter attacking the plan
adopted at the Chicago convention for
increasing the rates and the former
defending It. Nearly the entire member
ship OF 100 OF Hazel camp No. III.
was present. Senator Saunders presented
the case and the others argued against
Il. He said In part:
The head camp OF the Modern Wood
men Of America at Chicago adopted a
number OF plans or options which revised
the rates and placed the society upon q
basis where Its insurance Will be as GER
tain and sure OF payment as any old line
life insurance company. The raise In
many cases Is quite heavy, especially with
the old members and this has naturally
resulted in a great deal Of discussion All
the earlier fraternal Insurance societies
were organized upon an inadequate table
OF rates, and as a result very consider
able number Of them have gone TO the
wall because the assessments became so
numerous that the young men withdrew
from the society and the old men having
the higher mortality remained until the
burden became so great that receiver.
United workmen In Pennsylvania got TO
the point where they were collecting
y1s per month for each thousand dollars
Of insurance, and then the society went
into the hands OF receiver, leaving
$4,000 OF unpaid death claims. i have
1855 and only eight years OF that time
have l paid the cost Of my Insurance.
The Modern Woodmen had most Of Its
early growth In the states Of Kansas,
Nebraska, Iowa. Illinois, Wisconsin and
Minnesota, and In these states are located
most OF the 1900 men who are above the
age of 80 years. The mortality at the
older ages is very high and the young
men of the society have not only been
paying the cost OF carrying their own
Insurance, but in addition thereto have
been paying a considerable part of the
cost OF carrying the older members.
! noticed an article in the Nonpareil
this morning written by Neighbor Huff.
IN which he complains that this plan Is
not fraternal. Mr.. Huff Is not at the
present time paying one-half Of the cost
Of his insurance in the Modern Wood
men Of America, and the younger mem
bers Of the society are paying the dif-
ference. He complains that the new
plan Is not fraternal, but II Is difficult
for me to understand how any plan can
be fraternal where one man asks another
10 pey for his insurance.
Hazel Camp at Council Bluffs has
drawn out of the benefit fund Of the
society $4,000 more chan II has con-
Iributed. One Of the leading camps In
Omaha has drawn in excess Of $500
more than Il has paid into the benefit
iund. The state OF Illinois, which has
more old members than any other state.
mas drawn S2.0o0.0O more out OF the
benefit fund than II has contributed.
The society was first organized at
Clinton. Ia, and In Clinton county the
camps have drawn more than $4,000
n death benefits in excess of the amount
led by the young men. and largely by
the newer states In the Jurisdiction.
When the membership In these newer
tates reaches the age where a con
siderable percentage is above 80 years
.hese states will then also become a
.oad and as a result double headers, 50
IS they are called, must follow and the
iociety must inevitably fall unless the
new plan goes into effect. Under the
1ew plan, each member pays the cost
d carrying his own insurance, except
hat the rates Of the younger men are
uaded per cent per month to help
carry the Insurance OF the men above
4 wears Of age. This contribution from
he young men Of the society will ag-
regate under the new plans. 81, 5000
1
men was placed for the purpose OF as
listing the old men in carrying their in
urance and no like example Of fraternity
/ nd charity has been seen before in the
i sorld's history. How can the old men
ay that the plan is not fraternal when
hey are receiving donation OF so 800. 90
rom the younger members?
A number Of options have been pre-
ented to the membership and am OF the
pinion that as they study the subject the,
| i'll realize more and more that the
/ cad camp at Chicago did the only thinr
/ hat 1t possibly could do and perpet
/ ate the organization Every insur.
nee commissioner in this country with.
i ut a single exception has said that tbs
nly safe plan for any fraternal society
pursue il that Of adequacy and that
| ny other course means death.
| The sentiment Of the big audience wa.
| IearIy in favor OF the negative side o.
he proposition. and the talk of Mr. Breer
as frequently cheered. but the senti
,ent that has been threatening seees.
Ton received a check when Senator
aunders pointed out Iowa and sixteer
/ ther states where seceders. IL they
ormed a new company. could not q,
ustness on rates any less than thoss
ordered b. the national delegates p;
| Chicago. The Iowa legal rate is nov
| , trifle higher than the new rate FIXED
II Chicago and the woodmen could no,
do business in the state now were IL not
or the fact that the company was or
sanized long before the state law wa,
enacted.