The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1918-07-11
The s. G. M. Acted Without Au-
thority; Therefore It's Act of
Postponement Is Void.


of the Grand United Order of Odd
Fellows in America, the b. Nj. c.
is the highest authority in the Or
der, 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 inherent right to meet and
leglSlate for every branch of the
Order--to adjourn and fix the
time and place of its own meet
lngs; and there is no authority in
the Order that can change it's man
dates. 1t is the Creator and every
other branch of the Order its crea-
lures, and the subcommittee of
| management creature of the
b. NJ. C.-has no power or author
ity TO change or, III any way, inn
pair any act of its creator. There
fore,
l. The act of the $. {. NJ. in
january, 1918, attempting to
change the meeting of the b. NJ.
c. from the second Monday in
September, 1918, to the second
Monday in September. 1920, is
void. for the reason that it is ar
bitrary. without authority and
against the General Laws of the
Order.
,. The power to fix the time and
place of meetings Of the b. NJ. c.
is lodged alone i'll the b. NJ. c.
itself under the General Law, and
no other branch or individud!
member of the Order can change
the General Law except by a prop
Osition to the b. NJ. c.
B. The act Of the Sub -Comittee
Of Management is revolutionary
and destructive of the Just ends
of the Odd Fellow government
and strikes at the very life of the
Order.
T. Ii the 10Th B. NJ. {. does not
meet at the time which the 18th
b. NJ, G. fixed for it to meet. the
B. NJ. {. can never legally meet
any more, for the reason that the
power lodged III the b. VI. c. to
fix It's own meeting and to select
its own place and time is not a
delegative authority; it is inher-
ent and if the Order neglects to
carry out its constitutional author
ity, It's authority will cease and
there will be no authority to con
vene a b. NJ. c.
). If the subcommittee of
Management is permitted to in
fringe upon the rights and author
ity of the other branches of the
Order, to change the mandates of
its creator and postpone its meet
lngS from one year 10 another
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 peo.
pie may never have the opportun.
ity to meet again in b. M G. to
legislate or select officers for them
selves.
6. If the Subcommittee. the
executive branch of the Order,
sets the precedent Of postponing
the meetings Of the B. NJ. C., what
will prevent the executive com
mittees Of the District Grand
Lodges from postponing the Dis
trict Grand Lodge sessions from
year to year, thereby perpetuating
themselves in office and creating
new opportunities for graft and
greed
7. Following this German prop
aganda to the last analysis, taking
the executive branch Of the Order
as a precedent, what would pre-
vent the officers Of the subordinate
lodges Of the Order from pe"pctu-
ally postponing meetings from
time TO time as would best suit
their whims, notions and selfish
ness 20 the utter destruction of
the will Of the lodges which pay
tie taxes an1 hear the burdens of
the institution?
The act Of the Subcommittee Of
Management, postponing the 10Th
B. NJ. G. to 1920 is not binding
upon any subordinate branch of
the Order, and it is the duty Of
every subordinate branch to dis
regard the arbitrary and void ac-
tion Of the S. G. NJ, and elect del
egates and send them 70 New
York at the proper time, hold the
b. NJ G. and elect a set Of officers
who will obey the will Of the peo-
pie, serve their interest and not