THE WORKINGMEN'S LEAGUE 207
objectives. Dues were fixed at $1.00 a month. An initial contribu
tion of $10, payable also in goods, was required of all members.
Weitling considered this initiation fee a mere loan, for he was
certain that the benefits of the organization would quickly repay
the initial investment. To complaints that dues were too high the
founder replied that workers could be expected to devote one
thirtieth of their pay to "the cause of the future" and demon
strated that they spent much more money in one evening in their
lodges or churches.
The new constitution consisted of 270 paragraphs, neatly sub
divided. Part I described the insurance and pension funds in de
tail. A yearly pension of $150 or free admission to the colonies of
the organization was promised every member when he should
reach the age of fifty, provided he had belonged to the Bund for
ten years. Plans were announced to provide homes for injured and
maimed workers and for admission of their families to the colonies.
Sick benefits were fixed at $3.00 a week, death benefits at $20. A
fire-insurance fund was contemplated when the membership
reached 3,000. In the meantime, the Bund guaranteed to pay up
to $100 in each case of fire damage. Of the monthly dues of $1.00,
2 5 cents was assigned to propaganda and fire-insurance purposes,
2 5 cents for sick benefits, and 50 cents for the pension fund. Mem
bers also were encouraged to invest their surplus cash with the
central treasury, their deposits to be used for the good of the cause
and to be returnable on demand. Administration of these various
funds was to be carried on practically without cost to the mem
bers, or would be financed by voluntary gifts and by the sale of
publications. The pension fund was to be invested in real estate
and primarily in the property of such colonies as the Arbeiterbund
might establish. The fund accumulated for the payment of sick
benefits would be used to finance co-operatives, and Weitling ex
pected a return of twenty five per cent from that investment and
stipulated that all profits above that figure should be paid into the
common treasury of the Bund. The constitution made members
subject to assessments, however, if the return from their local co-
barré
(Barré)
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