The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-11-03

Editor Star: Am mailing you a
copy of the Washington Star of yes
terday which contains several mark
ed items which should be of interest
TO your readers.
| invite particular attention to the
article, "Fraternities to Aid in Camp
Recreation" am glad the secre-
tary of war now takes a more liberal
view of the situation, for | had many
protests filed with me by members
of several fraternal organizations in
Florida against the position hereto
fore taken by him in allowing only
the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton and the Knights of Columbus to
erect recreation buildings inside the
lines of training camps. | have all
along urged the secretary to allow
other well known organizations the
same privilege, and trust that here
after a better feeling and great good
will follow as a result of the confer
ence the secretary had on yesterday
with representatives of these other
organizations.
Yours very truly,
Duncan u. Fletcher,
The article from the Star is as fol-
lows:
Plans by which all of the big fra
ternal organizations will participate
in the recreational activities for SOL
diers within the training camps and
cantonments were agreed upon at a
conference in the war department
today.
Heretofore the activities for the
recreation and social welfare of the
soldiers within the camps have been
exclusively intrusted to the Y. M. c.
A. and the Knights of Columbus. The
scope of the work has been broad
ened so that now the war department
officially recognizes the desire of the
national fraternal organizations to
cooperate in activities for the sol
diers.
Approved by War Secretary
Following a conference between
Secretary of War Baker and the ex-
ecutive heads of the big fraternal
organizations of the country, which
was held in the Office of the secretary
of war yesterday afternoon, and al
which Secretary Baker stated he de-
sired to start anew the plans for rec
reational and other activities, an
agreement was reached this morning.
This received the unanimous vote OF
the heads of the fraternities and met
with the approval of the secretary of
war.
This. agreement was drafted last
night at the Scottish Rite house of
the temple by committee appointed
at yesterdays conference comprising
George Fleming Moore, sovereign
grand commander of the Scottish
Rite of Freemasonry for the southern
jurisdiction of the United States, as
chairman; Senator Morris Sheppard
of Texas, representing the Woodmen
of the World; Frank C. Cloudy, grand
sire of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows; Supreme Treasurer P. I'll
Callaghan of the Knights of Column.
bus; John j. Brown, supreme chan
cellor of the Knights of Pythias; DR.
J. G. Pace of the Modern Woodmen
4 VI 1LlSElCds dIiQ <auO1 hTduSs repre-"
senting the B'nai Birth.
Scope of Fraternal Activity
The project worked out by Mr.
Baker in conference with represents
tives of the societies is as follows:
Camp commanders will be directed
to permit the construction of build
ings on available land within the
camp sites by any fraternal organic.
ton Individually or group of organ
1 iations acting together; facilities OF
/ the camp for social and fellowship
meetings will be extended and &C.
credited representative from the
various societies will be authorized tc
visit the camps and arrange for en-.
] tertainments for the men, either al
the buildings thus erected or in near.
by communities.
It was agreed, however, at the con.
ference that no limitations or secret
meetings Or any kind were to be car.
ried on by any society within the
camps; that existing we'll recognized
societies only should be accorded
the recognition, and that propaganda
work among the soldiers in behalf OF
any new society is forbidden.