Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-09-23
Question of Caring for Those
III With tuberculosis 0ccu-
pied Session Thursday
Morning
WILL REACH DECISION AT
MEETING THIS AFTERNOON
Delegates Are Divided As to
Whether 1t Is Duty of the
Sovereign Lodge to Have
One Institution

A long, hard fight on the question OF
whether tuberculosis sanitariums for
Odd Fellows should be established, sup
ported and controlled by the sovereign
grand lodge, or whether the grand lodge
in each state should ne held responsible
for providing facilities for the treatment
of this disease, occupied practically the
entire Thursday morning session of the
sovereign grand lodge Of Odd Fellows in
the hall of representatives at the state
capitol.
On a vote by reclamation the advo-
Gates of letting each state. look out for
itself appeared to be in the majority.
but an aye and nay vote was called for,
and on the question of whether the cali
was in order the grand sire reserved his
ruling until the afternoon session, which
convenes at . o'clock. This left the
question unsettled for the time being.
Both sides claim a majority.
COMMITTEE REPORT.
The question was brought on by the
report of a special sanitarium commit
tee, which in a general way conten-
plated the sanitariums being estatlish-
ed by the sovereign grand lodge. The
fight was made on the adoption of this
report.
Those in favor of adoption argued that
it would be directly in line with the
principles of Odd Fellowship for the
sovereign grand lodge to take care of
tubercular patients, instead of leaving
IT to the states. Also. it was contended
that the last sovereign lodge, held in
Seattle in 1909, virtually committed itself
to this policy. The opponents of the re-
port contended, on the other hand, that
ii is the duty of each state to take care
of its brethren afflicted with tubercu-
losis. and that to this end local santa
RUINS could best cope with local condi-
lions.
The chairman of the sanitarium COM
mittee, Grand Representative George
Huddleston, of Alabama, was one OF
the leaders in the fight to adopt the re-
port Grand Representative Leedy, Of
Indiana, strongly supported him. Several
speeches were made on this side OF the
question. Arrayed on the states right
side were also a number Of strong speak
ers. led by Grand Representative Hawkes..
of Pennsylvania.
Aside from the sanitarium fight there
was little business of Importance before
the session The most notable was a re-
port from one of the standing commit
tees recommending certain changes In the
qualifications for members of Rebekah
lodges At once strong opposition arose
against the report and it was not adopt
ed.
For perhaps an hour towards the close
of the session a delegation of Rebekah
sisters were busy in the lobby in the in
terest of a movement that is afoot to
establish a national Rebekah assembly,
similar in many respects to the Sovereign
Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows, which is
the national assembly of this branch OF
the order. What the Rebekahs are after
Is a hearing, and 1t is altogether probable
they'll get it at the afternoon session. as
they. took charge of Deputy Grand Sire
Cockrum when he was passing through
the hall and presented their case to him
in the strongest language possible.