Twenty-one Highest. The following shows the twenty-one (21) lodges that initiated the largest number of members during the months of July, August and September, 1914: Lodge No. of Lodge Members No. formation has come to this office that in same. I trust that all financial secretaries will be guided by the law and insist that all members liable for assessments pay same. 80 No. No. of Members 42 129 11 56 534 15 200 275 102 Forum Representation in Grand Lodge- assessments, but don't run Insurance. down the cheapest and best insurance in the world by adding your local and protective assessments onto those of your policy. MEMBER LODGE 86. Regarding article in the August issue entitled "Representation in Grand Lodge," by "Member, Lodge 789," would say that when each lodge or sometimes the delegate himself paid the delegates Germany's Organized Enginemen. expenses our lodges with but few exceptions made it a rule to be represented at every convention, but the small lodges experienced difficulty in sending their representatives. I remember one brother from Florida who paid his own expenses and part of the railroad fare to get a Remembering that Germany is a counfew minutes at the convention to relate some of their hardships that the Brotherhood knew nothing about. Svensk Lokomotivmanna och Maskinist Tidning (The Swedish Enginemen's Journal), gives, in one of its latest isues, some very interesting data about the German Enginemen's organization assembled in convention last June. try with an area not fully as large as the State of Texas, it is indeed interesting to learn that their enginemen have an orAlmost ever since the law was passed ganization representing, at the beginning by the Buffalo (1904) Convention pro- of April this year, 50,032 members. viding that the Grand Lodge pay the Formed in the early sixties by three delegates, one brother and another has foresighted engineers, Maass, Schirmer been writing about our conventions be- and Scotti, it could a few years later, or ing too large, but, young brothers, let me in 1867, register 217 members, not a tell you it does my eyes good to look over very large body in numbers, but great in the list of delegates and see it growing determination. Through a never-ceasing year by year. It means our order is campaign of organizing their organization standing the test and is growing. I am had in 1891 reached the first ten thounot what you call an old member by any sand, and thirteen years later, or in means, I do not wear a 25-year button, 1904, 20,420 members. Since then, or but when I first took my obligation in rather since 1909, when at the Stuttgart No. 1 we only had 28,000 members; now convention the constitution was amended we have nearly three and one-half times to admit the firemen, the growth of this, that number. And I certainly hope we our sister organization in the great will be 100,000 strong at the coming "Fatherland," has been remarkable inDenver Convention, and, brothers, you deed. From December, 31, 1913, till may be sure we have room in our city (Denver) for all delegates. April 1st of the present year, the membership increased from 45,827 to 50,032. Now in regard to insurance, Member, Like our own organization, the Lodge 789, writes that when he joined in "Verein Deutcher Lokomotiffuhrer 1905 he paid $5.50 for dues every three Reichsverband" maintains a department months on a $1,000 policy, and that with of benevolence and legal assistance to its an increase in membership his dues also members. True to German thoroughness, increased or that the same policy that a movement is also on foot to establish cost him $5.50 in 1905 would now cost departments of sick benefit and fire inhim $7.20. Of course, I do not know what surance. this brother pays for local dues or what The German enginemen are pointing extra assessments he may have to pay, with pride towards their magnificient but one thing I do know; he does not, Home of Recreation, erected by their ornor do I have to pay $7.20 for a $1,000 ganization at a cost of 300,000 marks, or $1,500 policy. If the brother will and their valuable library containing look on page 248 of the August Magazine over 1000 costly volumes. This indeed is a he will see that the assessment on Class pleasure to note, as recreation for the B members, that is, for a $1,000 policy, body and literature for the mind are the is $1.10; and on page 388 of the Septem- prime factors in our modern industrial ber issue and he will see that it is the life, in our endeavors to reach a higher same, or for any other month during the goal. "Be intelligent and stand united," year, which would make it $3.30 for were the words with which Chairman three months. There are, of course, other Sperlbaum closed his remarks at the FEDERATED BOARD OF THE O. R. C., B. OF L. F. AND E., AND B. OF R. T., LODGES, TOLEDO, ST. LOUIS AND WESTERN RAILROAD convention. "Unity and intelligence are vote under such circumstances, is as bad necessary now more than ever and only or worse than not voting at all and liaby standing united can we reach our ble to do more harm than good. None goal, forward and upward." JOHN E. BJORKHOLM, Nominations and Elections of Local sition. Brothers the annual nomination and election of local lodge officers is close at hand and the future welfare of the Brotherhood and its members depends in a large measure on your selection of men to fill the various lodge offices. At this time I feel impelled to make the following suggestions to our members everywhere. First-Vote for men of the best standing among the men with whom they work, and with their neighbors. Second-Vote for men who take an active and sincere interest in our Brotherhood-men who are known to "deliver the goods." of these qualifications by themselves go to make a loyal, true or energetic Brotherhood man. Fourth-Vote for men who are fearless and straightforward in their living, actions and manners, and who would represent your interests creditably before anybody or meeting. Do not let anyone tell you how to vote, use your own brains and judgment and vote accordingly, but be sure to vote, as it is up to you to help correct any mistakes and delays of the past, and bring about improvements and promote and maintain the best of feelings among brother members-with whom we spend the greater part of our working lives. TO BROTHER JOHN E. LYNCH There's a brother in Missouri whom Men who never from the straight and Of such men our noble order has a creditable list; We've a lengthy roll of honor of those That the workers-yea, the toilers shall Men who frown upon the glitter of the By the bribers to induce them to less That our Brotherhood is proud to do full Now this brother, on our members, has a double claim for he Has been long affiliated with our orderlet me see, Fully thirty-seven years his name has been upon our roll, And here's hoping it will stay there 'till Of the heroes who've departed for the Missouri whom Representation at Conventions. In the April issue of the Magazine, a member of Lodge 789 says the number of delegates at our conventions is too large, and refers to the convention held in Washington, D. C., as an example. He says it is "too expensive," but he does not state why it was too expensive. I was there, and at St. Paul, too, and know a few of the reasons why conventions are so expensive. I don't believe that reducing the representation will materially reduce the expenses, unless the tion of delegate. The fact that a delegate sends home to his lodge the daily proceedings of the convention is not evidence that he is attending the sessions as he should. I will admit that it is a tiresome job to sit throughout the sessions for the several weeks it requires to hold the convention, but in comparison with what the brother at home firing a modern engine has to contend with, the delegate has no room for complaint, particularly in view of the much better pay he is receiving. Another reason why some think the delegates themselves are interested in delegation is too large, is because there keeping the expenses within the proper are so many new delegates at each convention. limit. From my experience of about The representation question has been thirteen years as a member of our Brothargued time and again, but no one so far, erhood, I personally believe that unless a has succeeded in proposing a plan that lodge has an exceptionally large number met with the approval of a convention, of members who are acquainted with the It is not my purpose to propose a plan, usages of the different offices to be filled, nor to offer any offense to anyone, but I they should continue to re-elect their offidesire to make a few suggestions which, til such time as another is thoroughly cers as long as they are available, or, unif adopted by the delegates personally, would I believe be of great benefit in the qualified. Especially is this true with despatch of the work of conventions. Each respect to the convention; almost any lodge should in my opinion be represented mit that it took about all of the first conmember who has been a delegate will adat conventions and when a delegate goes vention to educate him in the convention to a convention he should devote his entire time to the sessions each day, unless usages, rules, etc, and if he was to be of prevented by sickness or excused by the real value as a delegate the oftener he convention. It is absolutely necessary attended the more use he would be. Now that he attend the sessions promptly if he is to be able to discuss and vote intelligently on the matters that come before the convention. If this would be adhered to by the individual delegate-with the proper regard for order and quiet necessary to be maintained in such bodies there with the true spirit of fellowship there would be fewer amendments offered to the new laws proposed, as well as to the reconstruction of the old laws, and the number of days in session would be materially shortened. Again, the holding of any caucuses during daily sessions instead of after adjournment or the gathering together apart from the convention of groups of delegates to discuss subjects other than the general body is considering is a detriment to the convention in more ways than one. The only remedy is for the local lodges to wake up and get a proper understanding as to the cause of the long duration and great expense of our conventions. The only way out of the matter is to select members as delegates who are properly appreciative of the necessity for expediting the business of the convention and keeping the expense as low as possible. The matter of merely having a pleasant, entertaining trip or a consideration of the superior compensation should never constitute a motive for accepting the posi in conclusion again I desire to assure all our brothers that I have meant no offense to anyone, but I trust that what may be said on the subject by others will aid in sending to the next convention a delegation of our brothers who will go in their hearts, and with a sincere respect for the obligations they have taken as members and as officers to the end that the great army of the "Tried and True" may justly rejoice in the work of its rep resentatives in convention assembled. Our Insurance, A. B. HEDGES. Member Lodge 430. Articles have appeared in the Magazine in the past few years relative to our insurance. I am forty-eight years old and could not get a job on any road. I lost out on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad about twenty years ago when I was firing out of Birmingham, Ala. At that time no lodge was located there, and I judge there must have been about 200 firemen running out of there on the different roads. Some of the boys, including myself, wanted a lodge in Birmingham, so we had Brother Hanahan, then Vice Grand Master, come, and a lodge was or |