The Pulaskian. (Pulaski Heights [Little Rock], Ark.) 1915-1929, 1920-10-07

"
the express provisions of the consti-
tuition, they considered that the board
had acted in good faith and for the
best interests of the organization.
d. e. Beauchamp, chairman of the
Law Committee, said that while the
board might have exceeded its au.
thority, the Grand Lodge itself. be.
ing the law-mazing BODY, had full
authority to purchase any character
OF security it might deem proper.
After a warm discussion, lasting for
more than half day, the Grand
Lodge by vote of OF to 50 defeated
a resolution directing the Board of
Directors to sell the Fraternal Build
ing and turn the funds back into the
treasury of the Order.
This action broke the back of the
opposition and from that moment on
the Grand Master Workman and his
associates were unopposed in their
policies for the upbuilding of the or
der and the development of the in
terests of the membership. During
the last four years the board had
invested SIS, 700 of the funds of the
order in certain stocks which they
had considered good. However, the
committee considered otherwise and
directed that these stocks be sold, to
which Mr.. Frazer and other members
of the board offered no objection.
However, there was no condemnation
of the action of the board in making
this investment, it being admitted by
all that a mistake in business iudg-
ment had been made and that no act
had been committed detrimental to
the interests of the society.
DIR. John was given every oppor-
tunity to present his cause. He had
under the orders of the court en-
ployed a special firm of accountants,
O. r. Ewing & Company of Mem
phis, to make an audit of the books
and accounts of the Grand Lodge.
This audit was submitted to the Law
Committee by DR.. John the second
day of the session. 1t clearly showed
that there had been no misappropria-
ton of funds whatever and that the
business of the Grand Lodge had
been conducted in an orderly and
businesslike manner. Some amuse-
ment was caused when it was an
nounced that the audit showed that
the Grand Lodge instead of having
been defrauded by Mr.. Frazer, owed
him 500, which he had not been
claiming. Three members who had
been leaders in the opposition were
denied seats in the Grand Lodge be-
cause of their activities in the circu-
lation of unauthorized and deroga-
tory circular letters in violation of
the constitution, which provides that
all such matter circulated among
the subordinate lodges shall first be
submitted to the Grand Master Work
man for approval, and that all re-
course through the judicatories of the
order be exhausted before an appeal
is made to the civil courts This ex-
cluded from the floor Claude II.
Monk of Pine Bluff and ]. H. Clark
of Jonesboro, former deputy grand
masters. 1t was found the Grand
Medical Examiner had forfeited his
right to a seat in the Grand Lodge,
but that he might be given an oppor-
tunity to present his cause, he was
by courtesy granted seat and given
every opportunity to present his evil
deace. The Law Committee reported
that it considered the bringing of the
suit ito be ill-adyised and a great
injury to this jurisdiction" and fur
Their that it "deplored the fact that
the suit was brought and deprecated
the action of DR.. John in the circu-
lation among the members and
lodges Of circular letters in violation
of the general laws of the order;
from the evidence submitted, both
documentary and oral, the committee
fails to find that there has been any
misrepresentation of any funds Of the
order" Notwithstanding charges to
the contrary, neither Grand Master
Workman Frazer nor Supreme Grand
Master Will M. Narvis, who presid-
ed for him portion of the time,
employed steam roller tactics" An
overwhelming majority Of the repre-
sentatives was clearly with him on
every proposition. DR.. John has
stated since the adjournment that he
has not finished with the suit and it
is qui.e probable that there will be
further Interesting developments in
the courts before the matter IS finally
disposed of, but the suit brought by