The Security News from Topeka, Kansas • 4

May, 1920 THE SECURITY NEWS EDITORIAL COMMENT HARVEY F. SONGER, EDITOR Copy must be in Editors hands tenth of month Address communications regarding this paper to HARVEY F. SONGER, Editor 123 West 8th Topeka, Kan. WE DO NOT PRINT POETRY, DEATH NOTICES OR RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT A USEFUL LIFE IS CLOSED. The period of usefulness of another member of our field force has been cut short by the death of Brother J.

M. Stacy, who departed this life at Denver, on March 5, last, after a brave struggle with tuber-culosis developed from an attack oi influenza. Brother Stacy was manager for the order in the Fresno, district at the time he was taken sick, having started work at Fresno on June 1, 1918. He fully intended to return to that field, had he recovered. Besides his many friends he leaves to mourn their loss a J.

M. Stacy. son, Henry Stacy, for two years served in the engineering department of the navy, and his widow, Sister Daisy Stacy, who will carry on our field work in the Fresno district. GLEANED FROM THE HONOR ROLL. A new face appears at the head of the Orders Big Ten in this issue.

Topeka Council No. 2 was oiganized February 18 and had at the close of business March 31, 2533 beneficiary members. The watchwords of this council are Loyalty, Harmony and Progress, and they are enjoying splendid meetings and bringing in a crowd of new members each week. President B. Hypes is conducting a campaign for 3,009 members, and with the help of District Manager.

Benjamin and the members, expects to speedily realize his ambition. Sit Columbia Council No. 50 enjoyed a substantial increase for the month and is crowding Free Silver for second place. Harmony 618 of St. Louis passed Los Angeles 737 and took fifth place with an increase of 48 for the month.

Harmony is getting the habit. Pueblo 768 is crowded out of the Big Ten for the first time in twelve years, but the margin is so small that they should easily stage a comeback. Eureka of Joplin again passed Denver 750 and took second place in the Second Big Ten, while Parsons went around three councils and landed in fourth place. The smallest council in the Big Twenty now has over 1100 members. A year ago we were begging for enough 1000 councils to make a second Big Ten.

Now we are soon to have a third ten that meets the four-figure requirement. Lamar 2526 lead the Colorado Big Ten with a gain of 54 and moved up a notch. They say theyre going higher next month. The Texas bunch all did nicely, but Houston 2937 carried off the honors for the month. Garfield 508 of Chicago came back into the thousand crowd with a net increase of 39 for the month.

True 305 of Council Bluffs, Iowa, keeps a cornin. A gain of 32 for the month moves them closer to their mark of 1000 set the first of the year. Advance of Toledo and Woodland of Cleveland were the leaders in Ohio, with an increase of 80 and 60 respectively. Washington 1617 came back to second place in the Indiana Big Ten with 37 additions. Higher yet next monthis their promise.

Red Apple of Yakima lacks but 8 members of 800. The first of the year they had but 500. Now they are talking 1000 and were wagering they get them, for that bunch cant be beaten. ARE SETTING A FAST PACE. (Continued from Page 1.) We can, with justifiable pride, point to our record of the past, and particularly to the derful showing made in 1919.

Our net increase of 35,760 last year established a record almost double any previous high mark and gave us an honored position among the great fraternities of this country. When J. M. Kirkpatrick was installed as national president at Toledo, Ohio, in 1916, we had 165,000 members, and he asked for the co-operation of district managers and members in attempting to reach the quarter million mark by June, 1920. Under his wise leadership, and by the aid of a loyal and united membership, this number has been reached and passed, and we will enter the coming session of the national council with at least 265,000 members.

Lets make May the greatest month in our history. Just a little effort from each of us would put it over so far that the national officers would have to sit up nights to keep up with us. Think it over. Pick out some one youd like to have in your council and carry the invitation to. them.

If you have the spirit youll win, for your friends and neighbors need the protection of our society, and they. 11 take 4 it when you tell them the wonders of the Security Benefit Association. THE GROWTH OF FRATERNALISM. When one remembers that the fraternal beneficiary system has covered but a half century, it is difficult for him to realize its wonderful development. The first society was organized in 1868 by men whose hearts were filled with fraternity, and who were impelled by their desire to serve their fellow men.

They possessed little practical knowledge of the business side of the institution founded, and so their plans were faulty. Taking no cognizance of future needs, they depended upon each days business to take care of the days demands, and so were destined to pass through trying times before they reached the safe ground of adequacy. But the passing years have seen the solution of the many perplexing problems, and the fraternal system of today is recognized as an institution whose permanency is assured, and whose influence for the betterment of mankind is one of the most potent forces of our modern civilization. The fact that the people wanted and sorely needed the protection which they could only secure through these co-operative societies led to an unprecedented growth in the various organizations. Despite the bitter war waged by old line companies and agents, natural enemies of the fraternal systems, the fraternal societies prospered beyond the fondest dreams of their founders.

And because they were mutual organizations which each member felt he had an inherent interest, difficulties were surmounted that Would have wiped out any purely commercial institution. During the past few years, when every society had to meet the new conditions imposed by legislative enactment in the various states, the fidelity and loyalty of the membership of fraternal societies has been fire-tested and has proven pure, unalloyed gold. Through the troublous period of re-adjustment, the growth has been consistent and unfailing. The triumph of fraternity in 1919 challenged the admiration of the world. It was during the twelve months of last year that every society must make the changes necessary to meet the requirements of the law.

It was during this time if ever that dissatisfaction and disruption might have been looked for was looked for and hoped for by the enemies of the system. And yet it was during this time that the fraternal societies witnessed a most marvelous growth. The total number of members added to the fraternal societies during 1919 was 1,334,852, an increase of 394,624 over the previous year. The total membership of the combined societies at the close of the year was 9,951,331. The protection carried by this vast army of fraternalists amounted on December 31 to the first time in the history of fra-ternalism when the protection exceeded ten billion dollars.

The income from the combined societies for the year was $183,529,125, while the disbursements totaled $175,351,319, a goodly amount 9f which was due to the influenza losses early in the year. The total benefits paid by all societies since organization reached the enormous sum of $3,263,800,928. These figures are, staggering to our ordinary minds, but they show the immensity and importance of the great system of which we are a part. Our society is an acknowledged leader among the fraternities. There are not more than half a dozen of the two hundred societies that are larger than our own, and none have a prouder record of achievement.

We are in the forefront of this wondrous army and face a future of infinite possibilities. The record made by our executive officers during the past four years is one to be proud of. and that their energy and ability is cumulative is evidenced by the fact that the year just dosed was by far the greatest in our history. Every indication points to yet greater accomplishments in 1920. Under the leadership of National President J.

M. Kirkpatrick, our efficient district managers, faithful officers and loyal members are conducting a campaign that should and we believe will make this the Banner Year of the order. Let us all do our part in this great forward movement, so that we may fully enjoy the fruits of our societys victorious achievements in that snirit of jubilation which comes from the con seriousness of a duty well performed. K. C.

BANNER ALSO GAINED. In the last issue of the Security News, we told you that nine councils of the Big Ten showed a gain for the month. We should have said all the Big Ten gained in membership, as our records were wrong on K. C. Banner No.

282 of Kansas City. Instead of 1495 members this council had Heres apologies to Banner Council, and our best wishes for a continued growth..