The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1919-11-16
RADICAL CHANGES IN Law
AT SOVEREIGN GRAND
LODGE MEET WITH
OPPOSITION.
R A TES ENJOINED
Fifteen States Line Up FoI
Fight; Woodmen Here Act
i've; Convention Held In
st. Louis.

Woodmen of the World and t
are six hundred members in this e.
of Queen City Camp No. %, besid
the other camps in the county-are
very much concerned over the radical
and revolutionary changes made
the fundamental principles of thei
order at the last session of the Sow
ereign lodge held in Chicago, and
the more the changes are understood
the manner in which they were made
and the far reaching effect they have
on the very foundation of the order
the more widespread is becoming
their dissatisfaction. The matter
which concerns them most is the
changes--that is increases-ma in
their insurance rates and it not with
out the realm of possibility that Ms
sissippi may unite with number O.
other states, in fighting the radiea
increases which if proposed viii go
into effect next January. Already the
Woodmen Defense Association ha-
been organized in Alabama, with such
prominent citizens as Judge Weak
in its membership with the avowee
purpose of enjoying the order from
the enforcement Of is new rates and
the movement has received impetu
from West virgiaia, Illinois, Missouri
Oklahoma, Texas, Florida. In fact
fifteen states have lined up for thu
fight to defeat the drastic changes and
to ask for full investigation Of tn
affairs of the order. A meeting Q
the representatives of all these state.
Is to be held In s.. Louis on Movers
Der the Gath and plan Of prcceedlr
will be outlined for them. Alreaa
the order has been enjoined from put
ting into effect the rev rates in tn
State of Nebraska and once in tn
courts the whole matter will be aired
The necessity for the Increase o
rate is clothed in a general state
ment that it is made imperative by
insurance laws of the several states
in which the order operates, but this
is denied by those familiar with the
order whose resources are said to
meet the requirements of all insur
ance departments. The changes IN
the laws of the order were made a
the July session Of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge held in Chicago and the
claim is freely set forth that the lee
islation was railroaded through ths
body by the Sovereign Command
and his cohort of satellites and the
their adoption was wholly Illegal. TT
fact that the Sovereign Commander.
salary was raised from Sl2,500
s25, 900 and that all other salarir
we're similarly boosted and other
fices heretofore regarded as honoral
we're put on the pay roll has cause
the members to do some tall thi kin
But the feature which has arous
and is arousing the most oppos
IS the Increase of rates. Hund~a
of men have joined TIE
Ter in the past under the assam
hat it was purely fraternal be
iciary society. All of these
hey have paid its obligations with
dea that they were receiving pl
.ection and now they find under
operation of this law they are to ha
heir rates advanced, or are to he
heir certificates reduced or if the
-ates are to be continued they n
,ay lien in cash The table Of
.reases has just been published in
,fFicial organ of the order which eve
member receives and it is such
'adical increase that everywhere it i
,eing opposed.
The matter will be brought to TIE
attention of the order in this Ste q
With the idea of getting opposit
o the enforcement of the new RI
It an early date.