Page:North Dakota Reports (vol. 48).pdf/310

 J. J. Mulready, and W. F. Burnett, for appellant.

L. A. Simpson, and J. W. Lee, for respondent.

, J. This is an action upon a policy of life insurance. Trial was held before the court upon stipulated facts. On April 6, 1918, the defendant, a fraternal beneficial association, issued its policy of $1,000 upon the life of the insured, payable to his father, the plaintiff. Then the insured was a blacksmith at Tolna, N. D., aged 21 and unmarried. The application for insurance, signed by the insured, contained an agreement that if he “should hereafter enter the occupation of a soldier in time of war” his membership in the order would become null and void. and the rights of himself and his beneficiary in life insurance waived; further, that he agreed to be subject at all times to all laws, rules, and regulations of the Grand Lodge, existing or thereafter to be adopted. Law 200 of the order provides that no person shall be admitted to membership who “is engaged in the occupation of “‘soldier in time of war.” Law 222 provides that any member who shall hereafter enter any of the prohibited occupations enumerated in Law 200 shall forfeit his membership, and that “his beneficiary certificate shall become null and void without the action of any lodge or officer thereof.”

At the time when the policy was issued there was in force a regulation (adopted pursuant to a resolution of the advisory board of the Grand Lodge on September 1, 1917), which provided that any insured member, if he shall enter the service of the United States army may keep his insurance certificate in force and effect to the extent and upon the terms mentioned in three options: (1) That any member may, after first receiving a war permit, continue in force his entire insurance (not exceeding $2,000) upon the payment of an extra war premium of $50 per $1,000; (2) any such member, after first receiving a war permit, may continue his insurance (not exceeding $2,000) to the extent of 20 per cent. of the amount thereof; (3) any such member may avail himself of option 1 as to $1,000 and option 2 as to another $1,000.

It also provided that any such member desiring to avail himself of the options, shall make, within 30 days after he has been mustered into the service of the United States, application to the Grand Recorder for a war