y8 ASSOCIATION OF IRON, STEEL AND TIN WORKERS [210 



of the amount which the member would be entitled to in 

 case of death, and is deducted from the death benefit due 

 the member at death. To be eligible to total disability 

 benefits, the member must have been in continuous good 

 standing for six months, and the disability must not be 

 caused by " intemperance, debauchery or other immoral 

 conduct." Up to 1917 the union has had but one case of 

 total disability. 



Upon the death of the wife of a member who has been in 

 good standing continuously for six months immediately 

 preceding his wife's death, the sum of fifty dollars ($50) is 

 paid to the member. This amount is deducted from the 

 amount of the member's death benefit. The object of the 

 payment of a wife's death benefit is, of course, the defrayal 

 of the cost of burial. It is stipulated that the money shall 

 be paid only in case, " at the time of her death, they are 

 living together as man and wife," and also that " if the 

 member dies first, the insurance on the wife ceases forth- 

 with."" The preliminar>' good standing is computed from 

 October i, 1908, so the law did not actually become opera- 

 tive until April i, 1909. There is no way to ascertain the 

 mortality rate of members' wives, but the average age at 

 death for the period of seven years is thirty-eight. 



The following table shows the operation of the wife's 

 benefit from 1909 to 1916, inclusive : 



" Constitution, 1908, p. 36. 



