The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-31
BRIGHTER YEAR
AHEAD MODERN
W0ODMEN VIEW
Confidence Strengthened by Sg,000
Policies Written in Face of
Depression.

year 1921 in the history of the Mod
ern WoodmeD of America. the larg-
est fraternal beneficiary society in
America. was the regular quadren-
NAL session of the head camp in
st. Louis, Mo-. June 21-24. J. G.
Ray, head clerk OF the Woodmen,
said Eleven head officers and 4S1
duly elected delegates entitled to
the right to vote were registered.
A number of changes were made
in the bylaws and became effective
Sept 1. The minimum and maxi
mum age limits for membership,
which had previously limited appli-
cants to white male persons be-
tween the ages of II and As, were
changed to admit such applicants
between the ages of 16 and so, the
! rate in each case to be based upon
age at the next birthday of the ap-
plicant. and a table OF assessment
| rates for the new ages established
A number of occupations which
| had previously been classed as pro-
! hioited or hazardous were removed
from these classes. which action
was made possible by the continued
improvement in conditions under
which employees in these occupa-
lions perform their work, and the
employment OF modern safety de-
vices
Among other changes made were
those allowing suspended mem
Der 80 days from the date of sus-
pension, instead of so days, in
which to reinstate without a med
ical examination, extending to a
member under so years of age and
carrying less than the maximum of
$4,000 insurance, the right to in
crease the amount of his certificate
to the maximum amount, doing
away with the fee of so cents for
transferring membership from one
camp to another except where the
member transfers from a camp in
the jurisdiction in which he is re-
siding, and permitting a member
suspended more than six months
and under so years of age to rejoin
as new member without the pay
ment of membership fee.
The eighth session of the Ma
tional Camp Clerks association
was held in st. Louis June 1920,
Just prior to the converting Of the
head camp. Attendance of local
camp clerks at the st. Louis meet
ing was $50.
Camp Wins New HonOrs.
One of the features of head camp
week in st. Louis was the Forest
ers' encampment held in beautiful
Forest park. The degree teams OF
the local camps, known as Forester
teams, are thoroughly organized.
equipped and uniformed as a semi
rank, and encampmepts
are held quadrennially in connec-i
ton with the head camp meetings.
The encampment in st. Louis was
Camp Tanner in honor of
the society's director from Illinois, ,
and was tented city in itself, with ,
every modern convenience of a mil !
tary camp. The provisions for SAN ,
tation. the commissary department. !
community tent. postal service,
we're along regular military lines.
In the prize drills, scored by 7
United States army officers. a verv ,
nigh degree of perfection was at /
aimed by the contesting teams, as ]
the closeness of {
he scoring, the team of Independ- S
ance camp No. %. Rock Island. T
] G
lass, had a percentage of 1886, ! T
md was closely followed by a num- r
Ter of other teams. +
The drum and bugle corps of d
amp No. 26, this city, carried off t
Irst honors, and in addition a a
lumber of prizes were won by +
members of the team of camp No. n
s for individual proficiency in b
x-manual spell down drill. and
-uard duty.
During the first II months of
921 a total of 1878 benefit Ger
lficates were issued by the head
flee in this city to new members.
nd the December business will
oubtless bring the total to about
1900 for the year. At the outset
the year it was confidently ex-
ected that the total number of
ew benefit certificates issued for
le year would reach 100, 900 or
lore, but it soon became apparent
nat the countrywide condition OF | I,
Unemployment and consequent fl y
depression, which became d
reValent, would prevent the goal ~
cling reached, and under the con- -
ltlonS existing it is felt that the
rlting Of about $4,000 new mem d
ers during the year represents a
onderful achievement.
Paid s,713 Claims. Y,
From a financial standpoint, re- -.
,ipts handled by the head Office e
r the first II months of 1921 to- IN
led $23,857 ,391.24. Disbursements III
r death claims for the same per pf
d amounted to $15,049, 354.77, a
tai Of S,713 claims having been "
lid. For the same period in 1920 sc
total Of 1897 death claims were pr
lid, amounting to $15,221, 433.63, WI
us showing a falling off in the pI
ath losses, and indicating that IN
'alth conditions during this year
ere more favorable than, during gr
20. tn
The number of members 20 years sc
more of age VINO took advan- re
ge Of the 70-year disability bene- du
feature for the first IL months OIL
1921 was 416, and the total dis co
rsed on that account was S217.-i
9.2O. That this feature is being
ken advantage of to a larger ex- m;
ut than previously is indicated in
the fact that during the same ro
riod Of 1920 only $50 such claims ad
re paid, amounting to $780, ito
Dos. III
On Dec 1. 1921. the balance in cia
2 benefit or mortuary fund in ella
pository banks was s4.2Il 224 ia
d the amount invested in honde "a,