The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1918-06-28
ACT OF S. C C.
M. DECLAR-
Ed VOID,
Highest Authority in
the Order is the
B. N. C.
WAR EMERGENCY USED
As A TRUE PROTEST

Under the rules and regulations of the
Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in
America, the B. M. C, is the highest
authority in the Order, and in it alone
is lodged the power and authority to
legislate for all branches of the Order.
Its functions and authority cannot be
questioned or impaired by any other
branch of the Order. 1t has the in.
herent right to meet and legislate for
every branch of the Order-to ad-
journ and fix the time and place OF its
own meetings; and there is no
authority in the Order that can
change its mandates. 1t is the Crea-
tor and every other branch of the
Order its creatures, and the Sub
Committee OF Management crea-
ture of the b. NJ C.-has no power
or authority to change or, in any
way, impair any act of its creator.
Therefore,
l. The act of the S. C. M. in Jan
uary, 1918, attempting to change the
meeting of the B. M. c. from the
second Monday i'll September 1918,
to the second Monday in September,
1920, is void, for the reason that it
is arbitrary, without authority and
against the General Laws of the Or
der.
2. The power to fix the time and
place OF meetings OF the B. M. G..
is lodged alone in the B. M. C. itself
under the General Law, and no other
branch or individual member of the
Order can change the General Law
except by proposition to the b.
M. C.
3. The act of the Subcommittee or
Management is revolutionary and de-
structive OF the just ends OF the Odd
Fellow government ana strikes at The
very life of the Order.
A. ii the .i9th B. M q. dos no.
meet at the. time witch the 18th
b. NJ c. fixed for 1t tosaneet, the B.
M. c. can never legally meet any
more, for the reason that the power
lodged in the B. IN. C. TO fix lis own
meeting and to select its own place
and time Is not delegative author
ity; 1t Is inherent; and if the Order
neglects to carry out its constitu-
tional authority, its authority will
cease and there will be no authority
to convene B. M. c.
8. If the Subcommittee of Manage.
ment is permitted TO infringe upon
the rights and authority of the other
branches OF the Order, to change the
Z mandates of its creator and Dos rpone
its meetings from one year TO an.
other thereby lengthening its own
term OF Office without the consent of
the people, it may continue to do so
from year to year and the people
may never have the opportunity to
meet again in a B. M. c. to legislate
or select officers for themselves.
6. If the Subcommittee, the execu
tive branch of the Order, sets the
precedent of postponing the meetings
OF the b. NJ. c., what will prevent
the executive committees of the Dis
trict Grand Lodges from postponine
the District Grand Lodge sessions
from year to year, thereby perpetu
ating themselves in office and Great
ing new opportunities for graft ant
greed?
T. Following this German propa
ganda to the last analysis, taking tn,
executive branch Of the Order as
precedent, what would prevent tn,
officers of the subordinate lodges O
the Order from perpetually postpon
ing meetings from time to time a
would best suit their whims, notion
and selfshness to the utter destruC
tion of the will Of the lodges whicl
pay the taxes and bear the burden
OF the institution?
The act of the Sub Committee 0
Management, postponing the 10th L
M. c. to 1920, is not binding upo
any subordinate branch Of the Order
and it is the duty of every subord
nate branch to disregard the arbitrar
and void action of the S. c. NJ, an
elect delegates and send them t
New York at the proper time, hol
the b. M. c. and elect a set of officer
who will obey the will of.the people
serve their interest and not usur
the powers of representative govern
ment The Order of Odd Fellow
is republican in form of government
and It's rules and regulations are Ell
acted by Representatives chosen
the people. The officers are servants
and not masters-creatures and nc
creators; and when the servant b,
comes greater than the master it
time to discharge the servant
The act of the Subcommittee
born of the desire to die in offic,
/, 1t is nothing more than a desperat
effort to perpetuate itself in Office {
the expense of the people and den,
ing at the same time the right of I'll
people to review their conduct. S,
let the subordinate branches through
out the country elect delegates an
file credentials with the Grand Seer
tary as usual and have them in Ne
York on the second Monday in Sc
tember, and hold the B. M. G. accor,
ing to the rules and regulations {
the Order. If the Subcommittee
there, of course the Master will pr
side. II he is not there, the chose
representatives Of the Odd Fellows j
America will proceed to elect sue
ofiicers as are necessary to transa,
the business Of the people The
elect a set of officers who will carr
out the will of the people instead {
promoting their own selfish ends an
greed.