The Denver star., 1915-09-11
BIG MEETING OF
PYTH|AN KNIGHTS
Many Thous 1nds Attend Ses-
sion al Ohio Capital.
GOVERNOR WILLIS WELCOME

Supreme Lodge Receives Remarkable
Tribute From State and City Officials
In Speeches Filled With Words Of
Eneouraesmsnt-P For Chairman
Robert 3. Bareus and Committees.
Columbus, O.-The sessions Of the
supreme lodge, Knights of Pythias, re
Gently held in this city. were preced
ed by public reception at the Cham
Der of Commerce auditorium with a
packed house that greeted Governor
Frank b. Willis, whose speech the race
cannot forget very soon. 1t was one
Of the strongest and most outspOken
utterances for the rights of man, ire
| spective Of race. creed or color, we
have heard. He was applauded again
and again. He has endeared himself
to the colored people Of Columbus. If
he continues to stand for the rights of
| the race in the future as he has in the
past there will be nothing too good for
| Governor Willis that the colOred peO-
pie can do for him in the United
States.
of the local committee, one Of the lead
ing attorneys at the Columbus bar. de-
| serves great credit for the success of
the arrangements. He first introduced
| Supreme Chancellor S. w. Green, who
told his audience that he was not ex-
pected to make a speech and that they
| usually had preliminaries, and he hap
pened to be among the preliminaries.
He said: Eighteen years ago the su-
preme session met in Columbus. and
the lieutenant governor was the best
we could get. l am glad we have got
back to Columbus and are big enough
to be welcomed by the governor of
Ohio" Governor Willis was then in
troduced by Mr.. Barcus in his usual
fine flow of language that bespoke OF
his mastery attainments and very apt
ly and felicitously referred to the gov
ernor as the next president Of the
United States.
The governor said in part Il was
prepared to stand for all the nice things
that your chairman stated, all but his
last statement about the presidency.
which knocked the pins from under
man for what he was good enough to
say relative to the position that has
been taken in this state by this ad-
ministration concerning the production
| Of certain photo plays. i should not
have mentioned the matter here except
| that the chairman has alluded to 1t.
but since lie has referred to 1t l take
| this opportunity to say that so long
as l have any influence with this ad;
| ministration there will not be produced
in the state of Ohio any photo plays
that are calculated to reflect upon any
| class of our citizens. AS the chairman
| has very properly stated, 1t Is entirely
proper for the races to live together In
| peace and harmony, but 1t Is not pos
sible IL we allow the production upon
the stage of picture plays of this char
acter and do not propose to stand
| for It,"
Hon. George J. Karb, mayor Of Co
| lumbus, was introduced by the chair
man. In appropriate words he extend
| ed cordial welcome to the knights
and visiting friends and recommended
} that they should visit the engineering
works recently installed by the city
| before leaving the city and have eX-
| planned to them in detail the operation
| of these plants. He further declared
that the knights of Pythias and the
| members of the Court of Calanthe and
visitors were welcome to the city In Its
| entirety, and If there was anything
| they desired to call upon him and the
| governor and they would both see that
] they got it. which remark was received
| with great applause.
| 1t was stated by many who have at
tended the supreme session and en-
campment for years that never before
| in the history of the encampment has
there been such hospitality extended
| them as it was in Columbus by both
white and colored citizens. All Of the
public buildings were decorated pro
fusely with American flags. and also
| the cluster lights on all Of the prin-
eipal streets were decorated. The
three daily papers gave unlimited
space to the publication Of news items
relating to the supreme session and
encampment. The Ohio State journal,
the leading and only morning paper
published in this city. contained a lead.
ing editorial under the caption of 1.-The
| Pythian knights"
The convention was a success in ev-
cry particular. The executive commit.
tee, consisting Of Robert B. Barcus
chairman; w. II. Woods, vice chair.
man; ]. W. Harris, secretary; DIR. w
A. Method, treasurer, and w. H. Fer.
guson, corresponding secretary, assist
ed by W. L. Anderson Of Cincinnati
deserves great credit for the manner
in which 1t conducted the convention
| for It has been stated by the chair
man that there will be no bills left. un.
paid.
| Mr.. Isaac Farley, member OF the
| 1eneral committee de6erYea much cred