The matter of securing endowed beds for the use of Museum 

 employees was taken up again in 191S by the Board, but it was 

 not found possible to conclude a satisfactory arrangement. 



In order to keep the Pension Fund intact, the Trustees of the 

 Museum, at a meeting held early in 1918, agreed to reimburse 

 the Fund for such amounts as it might be necessary to pay on 

 account of casualties occurring among the subscribing members 

 in the national service, to a total amount not exceeding $5,000. 

 As estimate showed that So, 000 was the approximate maximum 

 liability of the Fund on account of war losses, the provision 

 was a guaranty of the integrity of the Pension Fund. It served 

 also as a further evidence of the liberality and interest of the 

 Trustees in affairs touching the welfare of Pension members 

 and their families. 



The Pension Board, having in mind the health of subscribing 

 members of the Fund and of other employees, have suggested 

 to the Trustees of the corporation the desirability of retaining 

 a physician, whose duty it should be to make free periodical 

 examinations of employees, with a view to the prevention and 

 correction of aihnents. While such an arrangement would 

 involve considerable expense, it is anticipated that the benefits 

 to and the increased efficiency of the employees would be an 

 adequate return on the investment. 



As a result of the greatly increased living expenses and the 

 high wage levels prevailing in industrial occupations, some of 

 the subscribing employees in 1918 requested leave of absence 

 for the period of the war, with a view to earning more money. 

 While the Museum authorities would have welcomed the 

 opportunity of assisting these employees in any legitimate way, 

 they felt that to permit such leave of absence would be unjust, 

 as the members, although absent from their work in the Mu- 

 seum, would none the less remain liabilities against the Fund, 

 and with undoubtedly increased risk. This would amount to a 

 discrimination against the greater number of subscribers. It 

 was therefore found necessary to reject such applications for 

 leave of absence, and to notify the members of the Fund that 

 only military or naval service, compliance with the rulings of 

 the Draft Board, illness, or such other reasons as the authorities 

 should find just and proper, would constitute valid basis for 

 leave of absence. 



