Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-03-30
MANCHESTER ROW
SPLITS WOODMEN
Efforts to Gust Supreme Guar.
dian of Circle Divides Or
der Into Factions.
AT CONVENTION

Efforts to oust Emma B. Manches-
ter, supreme guardian Of the Wood
men Circle, from this position at the
convention to be held at Memphis,
Tenn, beginning April 2. have split
the Woodmen people into two fac
tions, particularly i'll Nebraska.
Mrs. Manchester blames the move
ment entirely upon Sovereign Com
mander Fraser of the Woodmen Of
the World, and says he has made a
scurrilous and untruthful attack upon
her.
The Fraser faction charges that
Mrs. Manchester has been ina con-
spiracy against the Woodmen of the
World or Mr.. Fraser personally,
The eleventh biennial convention of
the Woodmen Circle of Nebraska is
now on in Lincoln and the fight is
cropping out there. Whether it will
come openly and personally upon the
floor or not, the shadow of the strife
will be evident in the fight of the re-
spective factions for representation at
the supreme lodge meeting in Mem
phis April 2. Mrs. katherine Rem
ington of Omaha is candidate for
delegate to this national convention
and belongs to the faction opposed to
Mrs. Manchester's reelection as su-
preme guardian.
After Mrs. Manchester's Job.
Mrs. Tola MCGOWAN OF Grand
Island is the candidate for the fac
ton favoring Mrs. Manchester.
Mrs. Manchester has been supreme
guardian of the Circle for eighteen
years. She holds that she has built
it up from a state of virtual bank
ruptcy to the position of one of the
strongest fraternal orders in the
world.
Mr.. Fraser holds that the Wood
men of the World has financed the
Woodmen Circle. Mrs. Manchester
denies this and declares the Wood
men of the World have never con-
tributed one dollar to the promotion
of this order since she has been su-
preme guardian.
Charges Duties Hampered.
Mr.. Fraser and his friends hold that
Mrs. Manchester has tried to hamper
Mr.. Fraser in the discharge of his
duties as sovereign commander. Mrs.
Manchester, on the other hand, de-
nies this, and says the only attempt
that has ever been made to break off
friendly relations was made by the
sovereign commander himself.
Mrs. Manchester declares there are
seven members who are in open re-
volt against her as supreme guardian.
She declares it is conspiracy to un-
horse her from this position and give
it to another.
Their grievances are largely men,
tai apparitions," says Mrs. Manches-
ter.
Thus the fight continues. Mrs.
Manchester has gone so far as to is
sue little pamphlet to the members,
setting forth her position as prelim-
mary to her regular Official report,
which she is to make at Memphis.
Part of Convention Bolts.
Lincoln, Neb., March 29.-(Special
Telegram. )-Woodmen of the World
in their state meeting here today got
into a controversy which resulted in
a part of the convention "insurging"
and leaving the convention hall.
State Manager Ed Walsh made
motion to make the reelection Of
Earl R. Stiles of Omaha unanimous.
G. w. Haskell of Lincoln demanded
a roll call and did not get it. o.
Beezley of Lincoln launched into
speech declaring that steam roller
methods were being used and de-
manded square deal. Then many
other delegates took up the fight, but
Stiles was reelected.
Refuse to Seat Unit.
The trouble was renewed when the
convention refused to seat Charles
Unit of Omaha, clerk Of Alpha
Camp of that city, who came as an
alternate. He left the hall and
followed him.
The Woodmen Circle also had a
little scrap over the election of
delegate to the supreme lodge, the
anti-Manchester crowd winning with
the election Of Mrs. Remington of
Omaha. The Manchester faction de-
clared that the majority faction had
taken undue advantage by holding
tho atact,o,, a., Al