The labor standard., 1918-09-01
I. T. U. CONSIDERS
 FUTURE EXPENSE
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pointed to the committee on officers reports, the importance of which you can readily conceive when you remem- Der the amount of space officers re- ports" took up in your last Journay. I can assure you there was enough work on this committee to keep your delegate busy more than the allotted 8 hours per. And if you have not read the full report in your last Jour nal, you will be interested in the com mittees report in your next. Commit tee act as censors, and make recom- mendations.
 Propositions
 One hundred and forty-one proposi- tions were presented, great number of these being presented by one or two persons, who have an ingrowing idea that all of the laws of the l. T. U. should be changed or reconstructed. A great number of these were submitted by the delegate from Roanoke and the delegate from Duluth.
 The most important proposition that will be submitted to the referen- dunn will be one calling for five cents a week additional dues (1919) to take care of our members in service. This being so desire the indulgence of the union to read the explanation given by Secretary Hays:
 There was considerable discussion here yes- terday on the proposition of the International Union carrying it's members who are in the war service without the imposition of special tax for that purpose. Some figures were read as to what the International could do with the money it had in hand, and consider able stress was laid upon the fact that there was a million dollars and more in the funds of the organization.
 Nothing said to the fact that this money was in various funds that the money in the old age pension fund could not be used for the purpose of paying mortuary benefits without jeopardizng the pension fund; that the money in the Home fund would not stand for any decrease for the purpose of paying benefits to members who are in the service For the purpose of showing just what the result would be. have compiled few figures from the records of the International Union.
 For instance, this proposition for cents per week per member for the purpose of carry ing members in service based 10000 mem- bers. which we will undoubtedly have in the service within the next year. would produce the sum of $161,2 approximately for the
 
 the dues of these members, if there were 10000 in the war. would be $176.4oo. approxi- mately si5,000 more revenue than would be provided by this assessment.
 The new draft law going into effect will make a difference in the of the citizens who will be drafted into the war of fifteen years. The ages will probably be increased from 31 to 45 and probably reduced one year on the younger end making difference of fifteen years. There will be wider range in the age of the people who will be subject to draft than was covered by the previous law under which the draft made, and the range of age being wider, it is reasonable to suppose that the | lmber drafted will be greater. Ten thousand members in service makes an International Typographical Union rev. enue of s4oo0. .00o-a liability of s4.0oOOoO. If you have 10000 men in the army your liability is S4OO per man. Those people are in hazardous positions, and that liability must be taken of in way. We conser- vatively estimate that the casualties, if this war extends for any length of time. will run to 20 per cent. of the number of people in- volved and at a figures of 20 per cent the International Typographical Union will be com- pelled to pay out in mortuary benefits the sum of $s0O,O00. Those figures sound large; it is a larger amount of money than we have in the fund, and if you have to pay that out, the money has to be provided. With 10000 mem bers in the service not paying dues, the receipts of the mortuary fund would be de- creased at the present average to the amount of $5S.OS0 per year, that while there would be an increase to a large amount the sum to be paid out for benefits would at the same In the manner the receipts of the old age pension fund would be decreased practi- cally the amount. The Union Printers Home fund, which is running very close and on very small margin at the present time, would be decreased $24,000 a year, and s24.O0O decrease in the old age pension fund means that SPA .OOO would have to be paid out of the general fund to take of the Union Printers Home Taken on the average amount that was paid last year by the members of the International Typographical Union into all the funds of the organization, it would mean that there would be decrease in the receipts to the International Union of $176,40o- $176,40O has to be taken care of in some manner
 There is no institution on earth that can carry liability without in some manner having asset to cover it without becoming bankrupt institution, and that is the posi- tion the International Typographical Union is in If you want the members of the Inter- national Typographical Union through the large body to take of the dues of the members who to be in service in the armies of the allied forces. if you want to do that, you must meet the proposition on a practical basis, and the only practical basis is to provide a revenue sufficient to take care of the liabil- ity which you will assume. and the cents per week proposed in this proposition will, if any thing, fall under the amount that will be quired. ..
 Another proposition which will go to the referendum will be the sus- pension of conventions during the period of the war.
 Albany, however, was selected for the next convention city, but if the proposition is carried, it nullifies that action.
 A further proposition will be one raising the salaries of president and secretary-treasurer to $5,OOO per an mum.
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