The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-27
Annual Session of the Grand
Lodge of the Pacific
District.
RETIRING OFFICERS REPORT.
Important Recommendations In Re.
gard to Financial Concerns
of the Order.

| The thirty-third annual session of the
District Grand Lodge. No. 4. l. o. B. b.,
convened in B'nai Birth Hall yesterday
forenoon. This district embraces all the
Pacific States and Territories, and so wide
spread is the interest felt in this session
that scarcely lodge is unrepresented.
After the routine opening business,
Grand President Abraham Jonas read his
annual report. After treating of the gen.
eral satisfactory condition of the order the
| report contained number OF important
recommendations. The Youths Auxiliary
was highly Endorsed and the members of
the parent lodge were urged to visit the
auxiliaries frequently and to do all in their
power to aid and encourage them. 1t was
also suggested that the youths be COM
compelled to cease their connection with
auxiliaries upon reaching the age of 81 in
order to join the regular b mai b rith.
The reports of several minor committees
which had reported to the grand president
were approved The action of the board
of hall directors in rem owing the free
school from the B'nai b rith building was
deplored, as the extra expense thus in
Cured made it impossible to continue the
school. The Grand Lodge owns ma
jority of the stock in the building, and the
president recommends that some way be
provided by which their wishes may be
respected.
The principal subject of discussion in
the report Is the proposed change in tbs
endowment plan. The order at present
pays $1,000 to the benetieiaries OF deceased
mem bers. 1t has become an agltated
question as to whether the order will be
able to stand this in the future, and
committee appointed at the last session
rendered report recommending that In
stead of the present uniform ass essments.
the members be assessed on graduating
scale according to age.
The presidents report does not touch on
this feature of the endowment, but it re-
! quests Immediate consideration OF the
question. 1t does, however. recommend
| optional endowment for single or married
men; that members be allowed to leave
one-half of their endowment to whom they
| please, and that members over 20 years OF
| age be exempt from assessments, the lodge
| paying them and deductlng the amount
| from their endowmentS.
There are a number of minor re COM
mendatlons, such as that the bond OF the
treasurer be reduced from $1,000 to $4,000,
/ that the fee for charters for new lodges be
reduced from $50 to $25 that the individual
lodges levy per capita tax to be used in
San Francisco for the library and in other
places for like objects or public gatherings
in the interest of the order.
The report concludes with an account of
the visits the grand president has made to
various lodges during the year.
! The report of Grand Secretary Jacob
/ Levison shows that there are now thirty
three B'nai Birth lodges in the district
and three youths auxiliaries. This repre-
sents total membership of 22l3 benefi-
ciary and 242 non-benefciary. The finan-
cial portion of the report shows the bal
ance in the treasury to be $1403 II. This
| is exclusive of the widow nd orphan bene-
ficiary fund, which at present is $l27 ,435 81.
The average age of decedents of the past
year was 81 years, months and II days.
The average duration OF membership was
over twenty-three years.
The report of Grand Treasurer julius
Platshek tailed exactly with the financial
portion of the preceding report. Both
were referred to a committee consisting of
n. w. Bender, William Lewis and H.
Black
S. H. Schocker, Simon Hochstadter and
Benjamin Harris submitted a report as
trustees showing the general financial
condition of the Grand Lodge. Benjamin
Harris also submitted minority report of
matters upon which he asserts he had not
been advised by the other trustees. Both
| reports were submitted to q committee
consisting of III. P. Bush, +. Sporting, L.
| Levy, j. Rothschild, S. Zekind and L.
Bernstein. Reports of the committees on
laws, legislation and intellectual improve
ment were also read and referred to COM
mittees.
The committee on library urged that
more encouragement be given that feature.
The board of relief, through its president,
Arthur NJ. Plato, suggested that its means
and scope be extended.
The session adjourned at 6 o'clock until
8 o'clock, when discussion of the report
was had.
The evening session was entirely de-
voted to discussion of the proposed
changes in the endowment plan.
No conclusion was reached and the con-
yention adjourned till to-day at 2 P. NJ.