Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-09
RATE QUESTION
CHIEF TOPIC At
A.0.U.W. SESSION
Many Delegates to Convention
of Grand Lodge Voice 0ppo.
sition to Increase in
Insurance.
OTHERS SUPPORT MEASURE
Utica Man Says Higher Tariffs
Necessary for the Life
of the Order.
INSURGENTS ARE STRONG

Increased insurance rates was the
chief topic of discussion by the
Grand Lodge of the Ancient Order o.
United Workmen at the afternoon
session at the Hotel Fontenelle yes
terday.
An effort was made to reach vote
before adjournment, but at $50 it be-
came necessary to take up the nomi.
nation OF officers in order to comply
with the constitution and bylaws
These provide that nominations shall
be made on the day previous to cleo
ton.
Insurgents showed strength in the
debate over increased rates. Broken
Bow, Ord and other towns reported
their locals against higher rates
Broken Bow delegates said that ap-
proval of the higher rates might
sound the death knell of the order.
An Ord delegate said that the local
there had 257 members in good stand
ing the first OF the year, but since the
new rate, voted i'll January, the num-
ber had dwindled to ia.
Frank Cross of Utica defended the
higher rates, saying they were neces-
sary for the life of the order. He is
one of the older members of the or
der. He told delegates to the grand
lodge he was willing to drop out if
he found the burden too heavy, but
said that the higher rates were ia
vored by him nevertheless.
Says Absolutely Necessary.
IF the higher rate forces me out"
he said, "I'll be the last to say that
anybody forced me out. TIL say condi-
tions forced me out. / know that con-
ditions have Changed and that the
higher rate is absolutely necessary"
The eligibility OF John L. Sundean,
insurgent leader, for Office in the
grand lodge came into question. Sum-
dean lives in Minneapolis. He former
ly lived in Nebraska. He is sitting in
the grand lodge sessions now as DEL
egate from Wahoo. When he was
nominated for grand recorder, one
delegate asked il Sunbeam were really
a member.
Certainly he is a delegate here"
said Past Grand Master J. G. Tate.
The gavel banged and the buzz of
the meeting continued until Joseph
Oberfelder of Sidney arose and took
exception. "Mr. Sundean may be a
delegate here" he said, 'but he is not
a resident of Nebraska. He lives in
Minneapolis"
Name Is Stricken.
Thereupon Sundean's name was
stricken from the list Of candidates,
and he is not to hold all Office in Ne
braska.
Same at All Ages.
Actuary Miles A. Dawson Of New
York talked more than an hour in
defense of the higher rates adopted
at the special session last winter.
Dawson threw himself open to in
terrogation in the course of his lee
ture, but Sunbeam ventured to ask
but one or two questions, and after
that remained silent. Dawson con-
tinued his discussion during the aft
ernoon.
The rates adopted by the grand
lodge at the special session." said
Dawson, were computed in accord
ance with the National Fraternal con-
gress table OF mortality and 4 per
cent interest and were applied at the
attained ages of the members.
This means that if the mortality
was precisely the same at every age
as is shown by that table and if mean
time alk amounts collected, which are
not Immediately required to pay death