The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1918-09-26
THE NINETEENTH B. M. G.
FROM THE INSIDE
BY New York Odd Fellow

question OF HlSIOfy-d JnlnB Oh
the past. The conditions under
which it convened, the things ac-
complished necessarily mark a
new era in the history of the G.
U. O. o. F. in America. A reel
tai Of some of the things that led
up to the meeting, or transpired
between the eighteenth and nine
teenth biennial sessions, may be
of some interest not only to the
Odd Fellows in America, but to
the public in general, for The rea-
son that the Order of Odd Fellows
is a public institution, filing a
place in the economy of Negro life
in America. 1t is, perhaps, the
largest and most progressive Sc
cret order among Negro people.
That it has already, under the
leadership of the Morris-Needham
regime, drifted into the hands of
autocracy and graft to the detri-
ment of the best interests of soci-
ETY., is unquestioned. The Eigh-
teenth B. Nj. c. adjourned in
Washington City in 1916, to con-
vene the Nineteenth biennial ses-
sion in New York City in 1918, but
for reasons purely selfish, the S.
M. c. attempted to postpone the
New York session. The members
of the Order throughout the juris-
diction fatty refused to abide the
illegal order of postponement, tax
ing the position that the commit
tee acted without authority, and
the act of postpOnement was,
therefore, void. The Subj Commit
tee advertised and proclaimed that
the Subcommittee was greater
than the B. NJ. C. They advanced
the pernicious doctrine that the
creature was greater than the ere
ator, and that all questions of final
adjudication had to be submitted
to England, and, because of Bro
ther Morris pull with the English
brethren, whom they regard as
the most illustrious American,
would settle the question the Sub
Committee s way, in spite of all
the laws of the Order in America
or the courts of our country.
Hence, at the July meeting, the
Subcommittee unanimously reaf-
firmed the January act of post
ponement. 1t was necessary to re
affirm the January act, for the rea
son that members of the Sub Com
mittee had begun to debate in
their minds that they had acted
WITHOUT authority.
Grand Master Morris assured
them that he was their leader and
one of the best lawyers in Ameri-
ca-they had always trusted his
advice, and that he had never as
yet taken upon himself load that
he could not get away with,
and that if they would stand by
him that he would deliver the
booty; that he would extend their
Offices two years without consult
ing the people who elected them.
That he had written the 1915
edition of the General Laws, and
written into that book just such
laws and regulations that sustain
ed him, because the master is
greater than the Subcommittee.
The Subcommittee had only such
power as the Grand Master gave
it, the b. M. c. only such power
as the Grand Master gave it, and
the subordinate lodges themselves
had no power at all, and merely
existed by his authority; that the
English brethreI had assured him
that whatever course he pursued
they would sustain. Therefore, he
further assured them that the
much-advertised b. NJ. c. was
merely the dying whim of Ben Da-
Wis and Georgia and that there
would be no meeting. But as time
approached, his fears grew fright
fully. in common with the other.
members Of the Sub-Compitts<
They consulted attorneys, aAd the
attorneys told them that unless
they had meeting they would not
have any standing in the courts,
and that the Ben Davis faction
would be the right officers Of the
Order and that the courts Of this
country would sustain them in the
control Of the property, the edicts
of foreign committee to the con
trary Notwithstanding. This was
late in August. and the committee
grew restless and again approach
cd his kaiserism with fears Kaiser
Morris admonished them, that he
was the kaiser. and tha his i'm
perial lordship had said there