Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-13
EAGLES


 Norwich Aerie, 367, held it's meeting Monday night with a large representation of members. The meeting was taken up I mostly by racort from various commit tees The auditing committee made a very good showing financially and there was 8. gain in membership. The committee on old age pensions reported progress and as soon as the proper literature Is received lis going to start an old age pension club. Norwich Aerie in response to the request of the national commission on old age pen siohs of this fraternal order has ap2oint- ed John Shugrue, chairman. Victor Pay ment, II. Silyerstein, N. Sullivan, J. Lei riet as the local committee. This commit tee will immediately begin steps to or ganize old age pension clubs in this com munity. The purpose is to arouse public sentiment in favor of old age pensions in the hope that the next legislature will pass an old age pension bill that will be alo- proved by the governor to become effective at an early date. Non-Eagles as well as Eagles and other organizations will be in- vited to participate in the formation of the club which will be civic organization rather than purely fraternal one. Aft CT the committee has worked out its plans announcement will be made in the local press.
 This action of the local aerie, simply carries out a detail of the plan formulated and adopted at the national convention of the order, the Grand Aerie of 1921. The Eagles have ever been forward in originat- ing and supporting measures to promote the welfare of the people, particularly those who do the hard work of the world, and, as a rule, are not well paid for their services. Among theSs Eagle-supoorted propositions are the laws providing con- pensation for accident and occlt, ,ational diseases, maximum hours of labor for wo- men and children, healthfuI conditions for working and living and pensions for wi doWed mothers.
 It was, then to be expected that this 1 fraternity should promptly esoouse the cause of the disabled veterans in our in dustrial systern-the men, who having spent the vigor of their youth and the strength of their manhood in productive | labor, find themselves "scrapped" at 50 or 65, being no longer able to carry on'' with the swift-noving machinery of the present age.
 The problem is not confined to this country. It confronts the entire civilized world, and nearly every nation, except the United States, has made efforts to solve it. In some cases the proposed solution takes the form of Voluntary or compulsory insurance. But the stern facts show thai this does not meet lae requirements Of the case So, the most humane and progres. sive nations are adopting the old age pen. ion tlan. It it this plan that the Eagles
 are supporting because, wherever tried it has proved to be the most just, benef cent and, in proportion to the good ac
 complished to the good accomplished, thu
 least costly.
 Accordingly, the last grand aerie, b, unanimous action, not only declared il
 favor of old age pensions, but provided
 working educative prd1aganda for secur
 ing the enactment of laws establfshin,
 state-paid old age pensions. A nationa old age pension commission was appoint ed with Past Grand Worthy Presiden Frank B. Herring, editor of The Eagl Magazine, as chairman, to devise way and means for such propaganda, an
 $S5,000 was appropriated to enable sai l commission to carry on the work Thi commission has prepared and Is distrfh l uting pamphlet which sets forth the ne cessity for such pensions and shows wha has been done by various nations alon
 the line of helping the aged victims of ou 1 industrial system
 One of the suggestions made is the tor
 nation of such clubs as the local aeri
 proposes.
 The universal responses indicate ths thoughtful men and women everywfer both employers and working people, unio 3 labor mad noh-union labor are lining u 3 back of the proposition, because they rt , cognize that it is & need created by the ir
 dustrial conditions of our time due to mas 3 production in this age of machinery.