travel, they are not an object of prepossessing appearance, and yet these men through the long hours of the night have faithfully performed their duty. Sober, cool and vigilant they have brought their charges to the end of the journey in safety. The travelers scatter to their homes or pass on to other scenes, praising the railroad for the admirable system of their road and comfortable accommodation afforded; while perhaps the greater portion give not a thought to the brave engineer and fireman whose faithfulness guarded them from accident and death. There are obligations between man and man which can never be compensated by dollars and cents, let the pay be just and liberal, but let there be likewise a remembrance that they, the loyal engineer and fireman, have risked their lives for us, and a prayer for the benediction of God be upon them. Fraternally yours, WM. S. HINDS, Div. 289. Statutory Regulation of Hours in Train Service. RALEIGH, N. C., Dec. 6, 1904. EDITOR JOURNAL: There recently appeared in the Review of Reviews an article by Edward A. Moseley, Secretary of the Interstate Commerce Commission, on railroad accidents in the United States, which would be profitable reading for every man in railroad service, and especially to the men in train service, as well as the officials directly charged with regulating this service. We do not know what experience Mr. Moseley may have had in railroad life, but some of the conclusions he reached are of prime importance to us who go to make up the train service. His proposed reforms are divided into seven items, of which the third is one to which I desire in this letter to invite especial attention. In it he suggests the introduction of rigid laws governing the hours of labor of railroad employees engaged in train service. How often do we allow our greed for a large check to send us out on the road when we well know our physical condition is not such as to give the service the railroad company has a right to expect, and how many of our ranks have lost their limbs or lives by reason of a dulled brain caused by long hours on duty, misreading an order or overlooking a train! If traced to their first cause, no doubt very many of the delays, broken drawtimbers, slight derailments, etc., involving small cost, are fairly charged to this reason also. We can largely correct these things ourselves by all insisting on having the time our contracts allow us for rest. More than this, the man who spends his time off duty browsing around the streets or at the race track or gambling when he ought to be asleep, is just as unsafe as the one who stays on his engine long hours to make a large check. Think of a man who tries to make 5,000 or 6,000 miles a month in freight service, and then when his dulled mind stumbles into some trouble bellowing about his hard luck or of unjust discipline. The cost of living in the last few years has increased very much faster than our rate of pay, and very many of us are trying to keep up our standard of living by making more miles than ever before. Get a November copy of the Review of Reviews and read this article very carefully for yourselves. HENRY M. REECE, Div. 339. Grand Lodge of B. of L. F., by Bro. W. S. Grand Lodge, Ladies' Auxiliary to the B. Discount on merchandise. L. A. to O. R. C. Divisions. Station No. I........ Total... MISCELLANEOUS. Amt. $12.00 I 00 12.00 5 00 15.00 12 00 5 00 $185.00 Amt. $ 5.00 575 10 00 20 75 $2,500 00 FOUNDER GIA. TO B. L. E Ladies' Department » Communications for publication must be written on one side of the paper. Noms de plume are always permissible, but to receive consideration must be signed by the full name and address of the author, and addressed to the Editress, MRS. M. E. CASSELL, 922 Dennison Av., Columbus, Ohio, not later than the 8th of the month. The Editress reserves the right to revise, reject or use matter sent in, governed entirely on its merits. Perseverance. BY GEMINI. Agone the old year, with its care and its sorrow, Its pleasure, which never to us shall return; No thought for the past, we but hope that the morrow Will far brighter prove as of new joys we learn. The future now beckons, with witching endeavor, Happy New Year to All. FRATERNAL SISTERS: We have been so busy since our return from the land of flowers that time has flown away as if on wings. The thought that it is time for Christmas and New Year greetings comes as a shock that startles us into a realization of the things that are. Our organization has grown to unexpected dimensions, and as we review the records of our Subdivisions we feel that the members have advanced with the organization, and are better fitted for the duties of this life by the associations that result from organization. Since the convention we have added to our chain twenty-two links, which are as follows: Div. 324, at Fort William, Ont. Div. 342, at East St. Louis, Ill. We congratulate ourselves that this is the best growing record the order ever made in the same length of time. We hope the good work will go on until every Division of the B. of L. E. has an Auxiliary and every Brother's wife becomes personally interested in the Auxiliary. I have been greatly interested and pleased with the letters written by our Sisters for our department of the JOURNAL, and hope they will continue the exchange of thought on subjects of interest to the order. At our late convention the subject of insurance claimed our most earnest attention. The thought that we must provide against heavy assessments in the future by changing our present system was presented to us. We as a body were unpre pared to decide so importaut a question, so it was left until later. Meanwhile we must think, study and plan for this feature of our order, which we prize so highly; bearing in mind that that form of insurance is best which, for its proper continuance, takes the least amount of money from our members. When V. R. A. officers present their views through the pages of our JOURNAL, as I hope they will in the near future, do not hesitate to ask questions and express your views; it is for the benefit of each member. Remember every member is a shareholder in this institution and should shoulder her share of the responsibilities. Our V. R. A. is a very important feature of the Auxiliary, but not the most important. I hold that the fraternal tie is the tie that binds true hearts together. It elevates us above the selfish desires that are so human and makes us feel a nearer kin to God. We realize that the strength of our order is in the members individually. We know the temptations to discouragement are many, and the member who resists them is the winner of many battles. We urge you to keep up the struggle until every member of your Division will strive to help another up the hill of life before thinking of her own elevation. Before these lines go to print Christmas will have passed. Allow me to express the hope that yours will be a merry one and that the coming year may be full of blessings. Full well we know that "Into each life some rain must fall, but if we strive to brighten the lives of those who are under the cloud, our sky will clear and we will reap the harvest of a mind at ease. Yours earnestly and fraternally, "A Happy New Year." This is a greeting which is not bounded by latitude or longitude, and there are few places in the civilized world where it is not annually heard. In all sincerity I join the great host of well-wishers and extend to our many readers a salutation which has for centuries been the expression of feelings of friendship and good-will. Standing on the threshold of the New Year, there is something pleasant, and yet something sad, in "thinking of the days that are no more." The threads that run through the web of life are of many colors. Last year there were welcomes and farewells, smiles and tears, sunshine and darkness, successes and failures, encouragements and discouragements. But if it be true that "the best of prophets of the future is the past," we can each learn something from our past experiences that will better fit us for the duties of the coming year. So, when the year is dying and the midnight bells "ring out the old, ring in the new," let us, like the god Janus, from which the month of January is named, look forward as well as backward, and by the light of past experience accomplish more than we have ever done, not simply by diaries and resolutions, but in the consciousness that "a life spent worthily should be measured by a nobler line-by deeds, not years." Let us all join hands and hearts and make for each other a "Happy New Year." M. E. CASSELL, G. V. P. Voluntary Relief Association. As we stand at the entrance of the New Year with the salutations of joy and peace still ringing in our ears, we naturally ask, "What next?" The Book of 1904 is closed, the transactions and records cannot be erased. Whether they have been to our credit or disgrace, each will learn, for results return to remind us of the wisdom or weakness of every act. Our only real successes are measured by the degree of self-mastery we have attained; and if we have reached any peaceful and spiritual height, it has been through honest and upright endeavor to do justice to all. As far as any of us have placed self first, regardless of the rights and needs of others, in the same degree have we built a rotten foundation which will not serve in a permanent structure. This rule for growth for the individual holds good when applied to club, lodge, or church. As members of the V. R. A. we have reason to be thankful for the degree of prosperity which is ours. In one year we have gained two-thirds as many new members as in the two years previous, and though there have been more forfeitures than we desire, the net increase is encouraging. The laws enacted last May are, as far as can be judged, a great improvement and when thoroughly understood by all, the machinery will work with less friction than ever before. This year will be the most important in the history of the Association, because for the first time the delegates have referred a question, viz: " Rating of assessments according to age," and next fall the members will vote upon it. The resolution recommending the adoption of age rating was made not as a passing thought or fad, but after a careful study of conditions. After medica examination and age limit were required, confidence in the V. R. A. was strengthened and though it was prophesied that no one would join, a larger number of applicants have asked admission than ever before; and the result has been most salutary. But now another fact confronts us-a rapidly increasing death rate-1904 having recorded an increase of nearly 70 per cent over the number found in 1903. The question, "What causes this?" is most pertinent and the answer is that as the average age of the members increases, the death rate increases also. There is no need for a panic over this matter, the V. R. A. never was in such good condition as today, but it harbors a system of assessing which, in time, will ruin the Association. It works in a circle as follows: The average age increases; more deaths follow; more assessments must be called to liquidate the claims; more forfeitures will result which nearly always occur among the younger members; this increases the age average and decreases paying members, so again we must increase the number of assessments called in order to pay claims. After the above is repeated enough the result will be a membership composed of those who are too old to join other associations, the death rate will be so great and consequent assessments will be so high that no one can pay them. Then will follow the inevitable. Age rating aims to assess each one according to the burden her membership brings the association, thus bringing justice to all, and the sooner the V. R. A. substitutes such a system for the present unjust one, the better. I urge each Division to cause this arti cle as well as transactions of convention, pages 245 and 246, to be read in open meeting, and some time be devoted to discussion. I will be pleased to answer all questions asked by individuals, or better still, by Divisions, where my letters could be read aloud and discussed. Each member should enlighten herself on this subject that her vote may be intelligent and thus bring the greatest strength and prosperity to our beloved order. "The world advances, and in time outgrows The laws that in our fathers' days were best; And, doubtless, after us some purer scheme Will be shaped out by wiser men than we, Made wiser by the steady growth of truth." MARY L. ROBERTSON. A New Year's Wish. Dear, eager little boy, As you are growing tall? It is not strength of muscle, To stand by what is right- TORONTO, Nov. 28, 1904. Some time has elapsed since Div. 161 has contributed anything to the pages of the JOURNAL, but the fact of being silent so long makes us none the less active. In fact we are kept quite busy struggling along by ourselves. We regret very much that our Grand Officers do not think it worth while to visit, cheer and encourage us. We feel that this is not as it should be; we help support the Grand Office, and feel we are entitled to a visit from them at least once a year without being invited. True, we have the Fourth G. A. V. P. and she is doing splendidly without the least incentive to help her. Not many can or would be willing to leave home at any time when there is nothing in it to recompense them for the time and trouble, while those who receive salaries do not come near us. We do not forget the fact that Canadian Divisions are in the minority, but if there were an incentive for a Sister to go about and work and visit there would be many more in a very short time. Last week we received copies of the new by-laws and report of Convention. On reading them over we noticed a woful lack of consideration for Canadian Divisions. I always understood our society was international, but when a vote had to be taken whether we receive the most minor office in the list of Grand Officers we consider we weren't even shown courtesy, not taking our rights into consideration in the least. We have had many visitors since Convention and the same questions have been brought up. We have arrived at the same conclusion that as our just due we are entitled to more than the most minor office as well as a voice in Executive Council. I trust before next Convention we will have many more Canadian Divisions, and at that Convention our interests will not be entirely overlooked. We are not writing up this article for controversy of any kind, simply for the rights of Canadian Sisters and Divisions. Trusting Sister Editress will not consign this to her waste basket we remain, Sincerely yours, CANADA. A Bazar Description. 66 When. Div. 33, Moberly, Mo., does anything out of the common, she wants her Sister Divisions to know it. She does not believe in hiding her light under a bushel." Query-why a bushel-that always puzzled me. Wonder if no other article would do as well to hide it under. Well, the one thing we are especially proud of now is, that we have a $300 piano bought and paid for in the last year by entertainments. The last payment was made in November, from the proceeds of a bazar. This was rather a unique affair, and as we are always glad to get new ideas for entertainments we very naturally conclude you are also, I will tell you about our bazar. We had booths representing the six working days of the week, and in each one were articles for sale, appropriate to the day represented. Monday, washing day, this booth was very little decorated except with clothes pins. There were for sale clothes pin aprons, laundry bags, gingham aprons and soap; refreshments, sandwiches and coffee. The Sisters presiding were dressed in the costumes of the day, with sleeves rolled up, kitchen aprons and no collars, too much hard work for frills on blue Monday. Tuesday, ironing day, was all trimmed in white, for tables, patent ironing boards draped in white and for sale with small nickel-plated shirtwaist irons and stands, waxers, ironing aprons, holders, etc. Popcorn was the refreshment served. The ladies wore dark dresses, white caps and aprons. Wednesday, mending and darning day. This booth |