Semi-weekly herald., 1912-12-12
WO0DMfN
DIFFICULTIES
SETTLED
OLD RATES TO BE IN FORCE
IMMEDIATELY BY ORDER
or JUDGE SHIRLEY


ern Woodmen, who brought suit
against the society to prevent it from
| putting into effect the new ASSESS
ment rates adopted January last, have
won their fight. Judge Shirley, who
heard the case, signed decree which
contained an injunction restraining
the organization from collecting as
sessments according to new rates.
A. H. George. clerk of the local
lodge, received circular letter from
the head clerk of the society defining
the attitude of the head officers and
giving Instructions to local clerks as
to procedure to be followed as long
as the injunction is in force.
Portions Of the letter of interest to
all members of the order or all pros
pective members follow:
All Neighbors are advised that it
is the desire of the head officers that
no Neighbor shall suffer injury or
injustice to his membership rights be-
cause of his transfer to the new rates,
or because of his application for any
such transfer, made in compliance
with the new rate bylaws adopted by
the Chicago head camp.
The head clerk is authorized by the
executive council To take up all of
these cases, and, as rapidly as pos
sible, adjust individual conditions as
to rate payments, while said injunc-
tion is in force, to the terms of the
courts order-this upon basis fair
and equitable to every member who
may be affected--so that no one will
have just cause for complaint.
You are advised that, pending ap-
peal from this decision of the circuit
court, which has been taken, and while
such injunction is in force, the mem
oers who have not already transferred
to the new rates, or who have not
made application for such transfer,
will be permitted to pay their pres
eut (that is, old rates. Clerks of
camp will, for the time, disregard the
official instruction heretofore issued,
directing the re-rating of members on
Jan, /, 1913. No further applications
for such transfers should be COM
pleted by clerks of camp, deputies, or
individual members. Such applica-
tions can not be accepted by the so
ciety at this time.
Those members whose applications
for transfer have been acted upon,
and who now hold new certificates on
the new rates, may, If they so desire
and elect be permitted to pay, while
such injunction is in force, their for
mer rates, the same as they would
have paid had they not so transferred,
and the clerks will collect during
such time from such members, 30
eecting, the old rates.
Clerks of camp are advised that a
member who has transferred to any
Of the new rates, and is carrying a
new certificate, desiring to returEt to
his old rate, while such injunction is
in force, may surrender his new GER
| tificate, to be forwarded to the head
clerk either by the member direct or
| by the clerk of the camp. Upon re-
ceipt Of such new certificate with re-
quest therefor, the old certificate will
| be returned to the member, or, where
necessary for any reason, new GER
/ tificate on the old rate will be issued
and sent back.
If, under any of the new rates to
which any such Neighbor has been
transferred, he has paid more than he
would have paid under his old rate,
and he shall so elect to pay such old
rate, benefit fund credit slip for the
excess will be issued by the head clerk
and mailed to the clerk, with list of
the Neighbors to be credited with ad-
vance payments, as represented by the
total Of such credit slip, so that, in
making future remittances for such
members, the clerk may give proper
credit to each Neighbor for his excess
payment Such credit slip will be ac-
cepted by the head clerk, as usual, in
lieu Of cash, as benefit fund remit
tance,
Members who have joined the So
ciety since May /, 1912, and who are
rated under the new rates, will be
communicated with individually. and
, fully advised as to the present stu
alton. They will, II they so desire
and elect, be permitted to pay, while
such injunction is in force, the old
. rates at their respective entry ages
for the amounts Of insurance carried
New certificates, IL desired, or deemed
t necessary. will be issued on surrender,
to the head clerk. of old certificates
: in such cases.
Head Consul A. z. Talbot notifies
all clerks that special dispensaton
has been issued, reducing the MEM
3 bership fee from $5 to 81. This spe-
y cial dispensation is effective from and
e after this date, and until further no.