Semi-weekly herald., 1913-12-04


play here later today and then 70 to
Kobe for game.
WOODMEN MEET IN TOLEDO
TO DISCUSS INSURANCE RATES
United Press.
ROCK ISLAND, Ills, Dec. 3.-Ths
final desperate battle between the
head camp officers and the ranking
members of the Modern Woodmsn Of
America over the question Of IN in
crease in the rates of insurance In the
order, which during the past two
years has been marked a. the bitter
est struggle in the history Of fratsr-
nal orders in America, will be fought
out in the seventh trienniai meeting
of the order at Toledo, Ohio, June 16,
1914, according to announcement Of
the executive council from the head
camp officers here today. The coun-
ell, having set the date, is today max
>" biesest
order.
Fully 10000 members wnr attend,
drawn by the struggle which thsy
claim involves the very life of ths Or
/ gsnization.
The rate question WAS first raissd
III IL present form At the tsie4nIel
meeting at Buffalo In 1911. Action
was postponed until the winter, when
a special meeting Of the head camp
vas held in Chicago, and rsadjust-
ment Of rates voted. All the rates
are higher than those hitherto pre-
vailing, and those for the older mem-
bers Of the order are three to nins
times higher. Throughout the coun-
try and especially in the states Of
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri
the rates were strongly resisted. Sew
eral test cases were brought in cir
cult court, resulting in injunetions
against enforcement Of the new rates
en- the ground that they were not i'm
perotive to the financial safety Of ths
croer, that since the benefits Of the
organization are mutual and rscipro-
cal, the rates cannot be enforced
without the consent Of the majority Of
the membership.
The head camp in the summer Of
1913 proposed a referendum, sub
mitting seven different rate plans
for the selection Of the membership.
But the impression gained currency
that the referendum was . russ, and
the result was vote Of less than ons
per cent of the members. The sx-
ecutive council had been expected 10
take some action on the question at
its meeting here, but deferred It to
the triennial convention. Opponents
Of the plan declare the whole proposal
was move to transform the insur-
ance plan Of the order from frater-
nal to "old line" They contend that
the question will never be settled un-
til this movement has been downsd,
and that this can be done only BY re-
moving the present head camp Off
GERS and "electing others who repre-
sent the views Of the membership.
This they will attempt TO do at the
Toledo meeting.
Though the city Of Toledo win b.
filled with the Woodmen, the voting
delegation will not be large. Five
hundred and fifty members Of the
head camps, five hundred members
Of the local camp clerks association
and delegates from the Forrestsrms
make up the convention proper. Sec
ond in Importance to the executive
sessions of the delegates will Be the
Forresters drills, which head camp Of
ficials here estimate will include five
thousand uniformed men. Thsss,
composed Of drill squads Of sixteen
to twenty men from each camp, viii
live in a tented city and maintain mil
itary discipline. Before Toledo Was
awarded the meeting ahs was rpquir-
ed to enter obligations 70 turpigh
large parking place for ~ eszl&
Six thousand dollays ars % - 6iv-
en- as prizes to the winning teag6 n
the drill. United State aas9 -
GERS are to judge The eosqDS8 49,.
The executive council. vhlaa Vith
the Toledo authorities uill 1nxp
charge Of TIE immsnss assenIA1ty -
sists Of r. ". Parsons ef Axol1I
Wis, John G. Nasis = psese 49,
tin Goswin q xinneapslls ~ =