New Britain herald., 1929-10-24
G00,00 in Order

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 "The Fraternal Order of Eagles | has a membership of more than ! GO0,OOO men. More than 90,000 of this great army have joined with us ' during the past year. What is the 1 compelling motive that induces these men to band together? What are the mutual interests that draw them to ! this-the fastest growing fratcrnal organization in the United States?
 Surely there must be something l within this order that reaches out, with tremendous attraction, to so i many thousands. Surely there must be something that grips their imagi- nation and satisfies their natural, human desires.
 Tn the last analysis, it is our high purpose which strikes a re- sponse in the hearts of men the country oyer. And truly, no frater- nity grows if it is not actuated by a 1 noble aim. Both as an order and as | individuals, we endeavor to conduct ourselves in adherence 10 the great principles of Liberty, Truth, Justice | emu ltItlIl llcS our great motive.
 The Practical and the Ideal Progress comes not alone through material benefits Therefore the Fraternal Order of Eagles blends the practical side of life with the ideal. Satisfaction and content ment are not alone the product of wealth. They must come, as well, from unselfish labor in the interest of all humanity. The glorious pro- duct of that labor is friendship, more desirable than riches. 'As Eagles we recognize and preach the furthering of wholesome ideals which bind men together in q real brotherhood. We have estab- lshed ourselves certain goals, all of which are concerned with the uplift and betterment of all mankind.
 "Who are these G00,O00 men who have given their loyal support to our program
 They are, first of all, Americans. They may have been born under an other flag than the Stars and Stripes. But they are giving their , loyalty and reverence 10 the land of their adoption-thc United States. They are Americans in spirit. When the World War came, our members demonstrated, Loyalty and generous ly their real AmeriCanism. In 1917- IS out of a membership of 32lO00 ir this order, 47,000 of our young men went into service.
 How did the Fraternal Order Of Eagles, as an organization, respond to the sacrifice of these young men? By determining, even before any of these were on theiE way 10 the fields of France, that their devotion should be substantially recognized. An i'm mensc patriotic fund was raised. Out of it. the F. 0. E. paid to the de- pendents of each member who laid down his life, the sum of $4,000. This could not bring back these vic tims of war. But it could, and did, soften the misery and alleviate fi- nancial distress in hundreds of fam lilies bereft of a wage earner.
 The Eagles are proud of this record. We have paid out of this patriotic fund more than $1,300,O00. We shall continue to send out these checks of gratitude so long as any Eagle in good standing at the time of his service dies as a result of sick ness or wounds incurred during the war
 Membership in the Fraternal Or der of Eagles has it's immediate and practical benefits.
 One Of them concerns that dis tressing time when sickness strikes down the wage carner or afflicts his wife or children. Immediately upon the call of a member, the aerie phy- siCian visits his home, ministering to those who are ill. The member does not pay him. The aerie does so, out Of it's own funds.
 And what of the uphill fight aft CT the battle with sickness, in those worried weeks of recuperation, when the pay envelope fails to come in? When household bills are mounting when little savings are being ex- austed? What do the Eagles do to prove their substantial friendship at such a time? After the first week of illness-even for so long a period as twelve weeks in one year-the member receives a sick benefit of sufficient size to remove the fear and worry over many of these ac- cumulating bills. How real this ben eft has been to thousands of Eagles is shown in our figures. Since the year of it's finding, in 1898, the Fra terEal Order of Eagles has distribu- ted more than $30,000,000 in sick benefits. And it has paid physicians more than $10,000,000 for their services,
 Finally, when death, the inevit- able, comes 10 call a member, the Eagles perform a last sorrowful duty. No Eagle, it is our pledge, fhall ever sleep in Potter's Field From the funds of the order there