even confirmed the Mileage Clause it had so strongly attacked, and began a movement on behalf of firemen with religious zeal. By that time, however, the N.U.R. was distinctly out of touch with the negotiations of the Society, and the Conference of 1918 recognised the advantage of independent action by adopting the following resolution :-
"That this Conference re-affirms the decision of the 1917 Conference, that in future this Society will not be hampered by the presence of the N.U.R., and seeing that we have now established our claim to represent the locomotivemen and electric trainmen, we hereby decide that no agreement can be arrived at between this Society and the N.U.R., other than the complete transfer of their members who are eligible to join this Society, which is in accordance with the Trade Union Congress resolutions of 1906 and 1915."
This was adopted by 49 votes to 3.
The Conference of 1918 devoted considerable attention to its auxiliary benefits, notably the Orphan Fund and the Benevolent Fund. Many benefits were increased without increase of contributions, and in the case of the Orphan Fund, the benefits were allowed after a shorter period of membership and to continue for a year longer than previously. Strike pay was increased 100 per cent. at once, and the protection sum for delegates and other representatives of members was greatly improved. Protection members had their benefits increased and a death benefit and retiring allowance were voted for all who voluntarily pay an additional penny per week. A notable alteration in the whole system of the Benevolent Fund was made by the Conference, for instead of the "calls" of fourpence per member for each casualty, the Fund was placed on a contributory basis of threepence per week, thus giving an assurance of £38 for threepence per week, a proposition that easily eclipsed the capitalist insurance corporations, although the occupational risks are above the average. The sum of £38 has been
