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 MESSAGE OF ADOLF KRAUS 
 
 President of the Executive Committee 
 
 / 
 
 
 OF THE 
 
 INDEPENDENT ORDER OF B'NAI B'RITH 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CONSTITUTION GRAND' LODGE 
 
 CONVENTION 
 
 AT 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C. 
 
 APRIL, 1910.
 
 MESSAGE OF ADOLF KRAUS 
 
 President of the Executive Committee 
 
 OF THE 
 
 INDEPENDENT ORDER OF B'NAI B'RITH 
 
 TO THE 
 
 I 
 
 CONSTITUTION GRAND LODGE 
 CONVENTION 
 
 AT 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C. 
 
 APRIL, 1910.
 
 MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 To the Constitution Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of 
 B'nai B'rith, in Convention Assembled: 
 
 For your worthy consideration, the following report of matters 
 affecting the Order, and of its activities in relation thereto dur- 
 ing the five preceding years, is respectfully submitted by the 
 undersigned. 
 
 Shortly after the last Convention of the Order adjourned, 
 through the efforts of the President of our Country, a Peace 
 Conference was held at Portsmouth between the representatives 
 of the Governments of Russia and Japan. When the Russian 
 Government selected its representative, your Executive Com- 
 mittee was of the opinion that, although the Kishineff petition 
 signed by leading men of this Republic, regardless of creed, had 
 no visible effect upon the Russian Government, another attempt 
 should be made to bring to the notice of that government the 
 eentiment of the American people concerning the atrocities 
 which were being continuously committed in the land of the 
 Czar against our unfortunate co-religionists, and that even if the 
 effort should again be unsuccessful, it was worth while under- 
 taking, on the theory "Steter Tropfen hoehlt den Stein." 
 
 I therefore requested Baron Schlippenbach who was then the 
 Russian Consul at Chicago, to arrange if possible, an interview 
 with the Russian envoy, in order that we might again present 
 through him, to the Russian Government, our grievances. 
 
 The Baron kindly undertook the task, and on August 2, 1905, 
 wired me from New York, as follows : 
 
 "You and party will be received with pleasure. At your arrival will 
 appoint time. I think Friday evening, after the return from Presidential 
 call." 
 
 2095192
 
 MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 To the Constitution Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of 
 B'nai B'rith, in Convention Assembled: 
 
 For your worthy consideration, the following report of matters 
 affecting the Order, and of its activities in relation thereto dur- 
 ing the five preceding years, is respectfully submitted by the 
 undersigned. 
 
 Shortly after the last Convention of the Order adjourned, 
 through the efforts of the President of our Country, a Peace 
 Conference was held at Portsmouth between the representatives 
 of the Governments of Eussia and Japan. When the Russian 
 Government selected its representative, your Executive Com- 
 mittee was of the opinion that, although the Kishineff petition 
 signed by leading men of this Republic, regardless of creed, had 
 no visible effect upon the Russian Government, another attempt 
 should be made to bring to the notice of that government the 
 sentiment of the American people concerning the atrocities 
 which were being continuously committed in the land of the 
 Czar against our unfortunate co-religionists, and that even if the 
 effort should again be unsuccessful, it was worth while under- 
 taking, on the theory "Steter Tropfen hoehlt den Stein." 
 
 I therefore requested Baron Schlippenbach who was then the 
 Russian Consul at Chicago, to arrange if possible, an interview 
 with the Russian envoy, in order that we might again present 
 through him, to the Russian Government, our grievances. 
 
 The Baron kindly undertook the task, and on August 2, 1905, 
 wired me from New York, as follows : 
 
 "You and party will be received with pleasure. At your arrival will 
 appoint time. I think Friday evening, after the return from Presidential 
 call." 
 
 8 
 
 2095192
 
 On August 3, 1 wired to Messrs. Jacob H. Schiff, Oscar Strauss, 
 Simon Wolf, Julius Bien and J. B. Klein, requesting them to 
 meet me in New York on the Friday following, for the purpose 
 of calling on M. de Witte. On the day appointed, Baron 
 Schlippenbach and Mr. Gregory Wilenkin, the latter a financial 
 agent of the Eussian government and official interpreter to M. 
 de Witte, called to see me at the hotel in New York, and when 
 it was ascertained that the gentlemen to whom I had wired, with 
 the exception of Bro. Klein, were unable to meet us in New 
 York, it was agreed we should be notified of a later time when 
 M. de Witte would meet us. The meeting took place at Ports- 
 mouth, on August 14, 1905. There were present at that inter- 
 view, Count Witte, Baron Rosen, Russian Ambassador, and Mr. 
 Gregory Wilenkm as official interpreter, on the one side, and 
 Messrs. Schiff, Strauss, Seligman, Lewisohn and myself on the 
 other. Mr. Wilenkin is a Russian Jew. 
 
 The conference lasted for several hours and the subject matter 
 thereof in its various phases, was thoroughly discussed. 
 
 Opinions as to Count Witte may differ. I am free to state 
 that he made a very favorable impression on me. 
 
 Subsequent events proved that our efforts, like the Kishinef! 
 petition, were of little benefit to our people, excepting in so far 
 as they may have constituted a link in the chain of events which 
 must ultimately, even in Russia, end in liberty of conscience for 
 our people. But 1 will say without hesitation, it is my belief 
 that if Count Witte could have prevented the subsequent ma&- 
 eacres, they would not have taken place. 
 
 Our efforts on behalf of the Russian Jews were gratefully 
 recognized by what might be termed the older generation of 
 Russian Jews in this country, but not so by some of the younger 
 element which looked for the salvation of the Jews of Russia by 
 means of a revolution. Our action was denounced by them in 
 fiery speeches. They wanted to know by what right we inter- 
 fered. They expected to gain their rights through revolution 
 and the Duma, and not through means which suggested to them 
 the bowed head and the bended back.
 
 Nearly five years have gone by since then. The revolution. 
 if it is revolving at all, is doing so in discreet but ineffectual 
 silence, and the Duma continues to do the will of the Czar. 
 
 Those who know the gentlemen who were present at that in- 
 terview, know well, that none of them went there with bowed 
 heads or bended backs, but spoke in a manly way, as citizens 
 of one country to the representative of another. Not one of them 
 has seen fit to pay any attention to the clamor made by the mis- 
 guided young men against their action, and it is with some hesi- 
 tation that I at this late day refer to anything that was said. 
 Yet in view of the fact that I instigated the meeting, I think 
 it is due to the other gentlemen to say, that no manifestations 
 of humility were indulged in by any of them. If anything, 
 the Conference at times took almost an extreme opposite 
 direction. To illustrate : Mr. Schiff at one time turned to M. de 
 Witte, now Count Witte, with the following question : "Will you 
 please tell me why you as a Eussian have all the rights in that 
 country which are given to any one, and why this man (pointing 
 to Mr. Wilenkin), has no rights whatsoever? Is it because you 
 as a man are a better man than he ?" 
 
 At the interview Count Witte informed us that it was the in- 
 tention of the Government to grant a National Assembly to 
 which the Jews would have a right to elect and be elected. That 
 was the first information received in this country of the then in- 
 tention of the Russian Government in that regard. 
 
 Although great relief was expected from this National Assem- 
 bly, none came. The historical facts concerning this so-called 
 National Assembly need not be here dwelt upon. 
 
 On my return home from Portsmouth, I received the follow- 
 ing letter : 
 
 ' ' NEW CASTLE, N. H., August 17, 1905. 
 
 ' ' Dear Mr. Kraus : I am officially instructed by his Excellency, Mon. 
 de Witte, to inform you and the gentlemen who met him with you, that 
 after your departure he cabled to St. Petersburg in order to inquire 
 whether any changes were made in connection with the articles concerning 
 'the rights of the Jews to elect and be elected in the proposed National 
 Assembly.' His Excellency received by cable answer that no changes 
 
 5
 
 took place and that the project is approved by his Majesty, the Emperor 
 of Russia, and will be published very shortly. Therefore this cable con- 
 firms Mon. Witte's statement that the Jews will have the same right as 
 the rest of the population to elect and be elected in the National 
 Assembly. I remain, 
 
 "Sincerely yours, 
 
 "GREGORY WILENKIN." 
 
 That appeared very encouraging. The Peace Conference be- 
 tween Russia and Japan was signed. M. de Witte returned home 
 and was honored by the czar, who conferred the title of Count 
 upon him and appointed him Premier. 
 
 Revolutionists kept the Government busy for a while, and the 
 terrible massacres of that year took place, instigated, according 
 to general belief, by government officials. The civilized world 
 was horrified, but the conscience of the Eussian government was 
 not awakened. The horrible deeds committed demonstrated to 
 ns how little we could do to aid our unfortunate brethren in 
 that land. I sent the following telegram : 
 
 "CHICAGO, November 6, 1905. 
 "Jacob H. Schiff, New York: 
 
 "It seems to me useless, in present condition of Russia, to make any 
 appeals to that government or ours for the purpose of stopping the mas- 
 sacres, and that the only question to be considered is, what can be done 
 to alleviate the Russian Jewish distress? Do you agree with me? If 
 not, please give me your views. If you do agree with me, shall I invite 
 all National Jewish Organizations in this land to co-operate in a general 
 appeal for funds? If you think this is right, will you act as National 
 Treasurer? Please wire. 
 
 "ADOLF KRAUS. " 
 
 Failing to receive an answer that day from Mr. Schiff, on the 
 following day I wired to the Presidents of each of the National 
 Jewish Organizations for consent to attach their names to an ap- 
 peal for funds. Consent was promptly received on the same day. 
 On November 8, I sent the following appeal by wire, and it was 
 published by the Associated Press: 
 
 "The victims of the awful riots and massacres in Russia are not all 
 numbered with the dead. The living, starving survivors who have lost 
 their bread-winners, and the maimed, mutely appeal to a pitying world
 
 for aid. Therefore each community is hereby requested to organize at 
 once and without further notice, for the purpose of raising funds to aid 
 these destitute living victims. Funds, when collected, may be forwarded 
 to Mr. Jacob H. Schiff, of New York, for proper distribution. ' ' 
 
 ADOLF KRAUS, 
 President Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. 
 
 SAMUEL WOOLNEB, 
 President of Union of American Hebrew Congregations. 
 
 MRS. HENRY SOLOMON, 
 President Council of Jewish Women. 
 
 DR. H. PEREIRA MENDES, 
 
 President of Union vf Orthodox Jewish Congregations in the United 
 States and Canada. 
 
 DR. JOSEPH STOLZ, 
 President of Central Conference of American Rabbis. 
 
 DR. HARRY FRIEDENWALD, 
 President of Federation of American Zionists* 
 
 MAX STERN, 
 Grand Master Independent Order B'rith Abraham. 
 
 SAM DEL DORF, 
 
 Grand Master Order B'rith Abraham. 
 
 On November 7 a meeting was held in the city of New York 
 at which Mr. Schiff was elected treasurer, to receive the contri- 
 butions. The organization there formed, sent out an appeal for 
 funds about the same time that our appeal was issued. There 
 was collected by the Order in the seven American districts, the 
 sum of $44,143.97, which was forwarded to Mr. Schiff. This 
 does not include the personal contributions of members to the 
 local committees in the different cities, which no doubt exceed 
 the contributions made through the Order by a very large sum. 
 Money was raised also among the Jews in all lands, to alleviate 
 the suffering of our co-religionists in Russia, in so far as money 
 could do it. 
 
 As to the responsibility for the murders, robberies, and in- 
 human and unmentionable crimes committed against the Jews 
 of that land, it may perhaps be sufficient to say that the Govern- 
 ment in Russia has full control over the press in that country 
 and can suppress and does suppress any newspaper which pub- 
 lishes anything not satisfactory to the government; and yet the
 
 anti-semitic press of that land freely and without any punish- 
 ment invited the people to commit those crimes. The same press 
 threatened a new massacre for Easter, 1906. Judging from the 
 past, I could not help but believe that, if precautions were not 
 taken against it, another massacre would take place at Easter, 
 and so on February 15, 1906, I wrote the following letter to 
 Count deWitte: 
 
 ' ' CHICAGO, February 15, 1906. 
 
 ' ' Count de Witte, St. Petersburg, Russia. 
 
 1 ' YOUR EXCELLENCY : You will doubtless remember the interview held 
 in Portsmouth between yourself, Messrs. Schiff, Seligman, Strauss, 
 Lewisohn and myself. And when in the city of New York three of us 
 bid you a safe return to your home, you stated that we might write you 
 at any time on the subject of our previous discussion. Accordingly, I 
 now avail myself of the permission so kindly given. 
 
 ' ' It is useless to dwell at any length on the terrible massacres of Jew 
 in Russia, for the details are much better known to you than to me. 
 Your Excellency will perhaps remember my suggestion that if those who 
 eo wantonly massacred the Jews, or aided and abetted in the murders, 
 were swiftly and adequately punished, it would be such a warning to 
 others, and such a clear declaration as to the position of the government 
 as would tend to diminish greatly the probability of a repetition of the 
 horrors. That we have not read of any strong measures taken to punish 
 the perpetrators of the late crimes, may be due to the fact that the 
 government felt its first duty was to subdue the riots, or it may be due to 
 the insufficiency of the information which the press has been able to ob- 
 tain. But, whatever the cause, the fact has caused widespread alarm in 
 this country that the massacre of Jews in Eussia is to continue, and the 
 opinion is becoming prevalent that no Jew's life is safe in that great 
 country. As a result of the growing opinion that if the lives and prop- 
 erty of Jews are not to be safeguarded in the land in which their an- 
 cestors have lived for generations, and of which your Excellency is Prime 
 Minister, a movement is being seriously contemplated, if it can be ac- 
 complished according to law, for the removal of the Jews from Eussia, 
 or at least of as many as possible, to other lands where they will be per- 
 mitted to die a natural death. If the plans for such a movement are 
 put into effect, the Society over which I preside will take an active part. 
 The immensity of such an undertaking is fully realized and it should 
 be executed only s\s a last resort. 
 
 8
 
 "I am, therefore, emboldened to address myself to you for the in- 
 formation upon which our action may depend, if it will be deemed proper 
 in your Excellency 's judgment, that such information should be given, and 
 it is this: Now, since it appears that the government has restored peace 
 in its land, is the government in position to protect the lives and prop- 
 erty of Jews, equally with that of the Christians, and to punish officials, 
 who fail to do their duty in not taking the proper measures for the pro- 
 tection of the Jews, so as to prevent further massacres! 
 
 "I desire to avoid, by the question I have asked, any offense to 
 your Excellency, for it must be taken for granted that it is the intention 
 of the government to protect the lives of all of its subjects. My apology 
 for the inquiry is the fact that Jews have been massacred in the past 
 in your land, and that reports are now published in the newspapers here 
 that it is contemplated to have the greatest massacre of Jews in your 
 land at Easter time the world has ever seen, and that it is generally 
 believed that unless the government is in position to stretch out its 
 mighty arm and to fully protect the Jews, the Jews in Russia are 
 doomed. 
 
 "I have the honor to remain, 
 
 "With respect, 
 
 "ADOLF KBAUS, 
 "President Executive Committee Independent Order of B'nai B'rith." 
 
 On March 14th following, I received the following cable from 
 St. Petersburg: 
 
 "Adolf Eraus: 
 
 "1 am sure you have no doubts that I cannot approve violence, no 
 matter against whom it is directed. The deplorable events which have 
 taken place were the result of riots. You may be persuaded Government 
 will use all possible measures to prevent violence against peaceable in- 
 habitants, without regard to what nationality they belong. 
 
 "COUNT WITTE." 
 
 The following day the Associated Press published a dispatch 
 from St. Petersburg to the effect that the Czar was reported to 
 have been shocked and amazed at the revelations of Jewish op- 
 pression made to him, and as a result Premier de Witte was 
 able to force the Minister of the Interior, Duronovo, to issue in- 
 structions to prevent further massacres of the Jews, and to prose- 
 cute all persons guilty of instigating them.
 
 On March 16th I cabled to Count Witte thanks for his cable 
 of March 14th and stated that unless instructed to the contrary, 
 I would publish his cablegram. On the 17th, the correspondence 
 was published. There was no blood shed on Eussian Easter. 
 
 On April 25th the Chicago Daily News published the follow- 
 ing cable from its correspondent in St. Petersburg: 
 
 "The publication of a letter written by Adolf Kraus, of Chicago, 
 and Premier Witte 's reply thereto has caused a sensation in Bussia. 
 The entire press recognizes the Chicagoan'g communication as states- 
 manlike and humane. ' ' 
 
 "A gentleman who is prominent in Jewish circles and is a member- 
 elect of the first Douma, which is soon to assemble, said to the Daily 
 News correspondent to-day: 'Mr. Kraus' letter was timely, in that it 
 induced the authorities to take measures for saving the lives and prop- 
 erty of Jews in Eussia.' " 
 
 Favorable comments upon the action were published in most 
 of the European papers. Since then Premier Witte has been 
 removed from office. Whatever opinion our people may have of 
 Count Witte I am confident that nothing was gained for human- 
 ity by his removal from office. 
 
 Shortly after the massacres took place, a movement was started 
 in this country to raise a fund for the purpose of enabling the 
 Jews of Eussia to buy weapons to defend themselves against at- 
 tacks and to sell their lives, when attacked, as dearly as possible. 
 That movement found many sympathizers, for there is an inher- 
 ent desire in all men to give an opportunity to those attacked to 
 defend themselves. 
 
 The question was presented to your Executive Committee for 
 action, and after a careful consideration, the following resolutien 
 was unanimously adopted : 
 
 "We condemn and denounce the atrocities and outrages com- 
 mitted upon our unfortunate co-religionists in Eussia, and pledge 
 our best efforts to promote all legitimate measures for their re- 
 lief. We, however, favor only the employment of moral forces 
 and legal instrumentalities, and discountenance any organized 
 effort upon the part of our co-religionists outside of Eussia, which 
 
 10
 
 would directly or indirectly tend to aggravate the present dis- 
 orders of that country." 
 
 That this position of the Executive Committee was sound, 
 was subsequently demonstrated when the government of Eussia 
 caused the houses and synagogues of our co-religionists to be 
 searched, and finding some guns and ammunition, confiscated 
 the same and used that fact as an argument against granting 
 just laws to our people, claiming that the arms and ammunition 
 found was evidence of their revolutionary tendencies. 
 
 One of the results of the Pogrom was that many children 
 were made orphans. To the credit of the Jews everywhere be it 
 said that every community was willing to take care of some of 
 them. Our Government kindly consented to allow the Pogrom 
 orphans to be landed. The lodges were more than willing to 
 take care of the orphans. Arrangements were made in different 
 cities to find homes for those unfortunate children. But the 
 lodges in the American Districts were not given a chance to take 
 care of them, as it was found that their services in that regard 
 were not needed. The children were promptly taken care of. 
 
 In visiting the Orphan Home in Hamburg, maintained by 
 the local lodge there, I saw the brethren point with pride and 
 affection to two of the Pogrom boys in that Home the only 
 two boys assigned to that city. They stood first and second in 
 their classes. 
 
 In this connection extract from the report of the B'nai B'rith 
 Grand Lodge of Germany is of interest. It reads as follows : 
 
 Of the 120 Pogrom-orphans who had to be taken to a new home, 53 
 found loving shelter in southern and westera Germany, through the in- 
 tervention of the Grand Lodge, while five other orphans were placed in 
 Ahlem, by the Alliance Israelite Universelle. The rest came to America. 
 
 In order that these children, who were bereft of their parents, should 
 not find themselves as utter strangers in the new home, heed was taken 
 at the assignment that brothers and sisters should be placed, if pos- 
 sible, in one and the same city, or at least near one another. In this 
 considerate manner family ties were kept intact, as much as the existicg 
 conditions would permit. So were six children o.f one family from 
 
 11
 
 Byalistok, the youngest of whom was one year old, all placed in Frank* 
 furt o. t. M., another six brothers and sisters from. Byalistok, in Ahlem, 
 and four brothers and sisters, from Ekaterinoslav, in Ihringer, a small 
 provincial town on the Kaiserstuhl. And not only the tender family 
 ties were considered, but also in regard to religion the wishes of the rela- 
 tives were respected as much as possible. 
 
 Naturally our work for and our interest in these children has not 
 ceased with having placed them. They are still continually under the 
 protection of the Grand Lodge. For the Conference at Frankfurt o. t. 
 M., held on the 4th and 5th of January, 1906, has bestowed the honor- 
 able duty upon the Grand Lodge to watch over the present prosperity 
 and the future fate of these orphans. For this purpose the Grand 
 Lodge has aranged record books wherein everything concerning the chil- 
 dren placed in Germany is recorded, and has appointed correspondents in 
 the places of the asylums, who submit reports to it at least once a year, 
 regarding the physical and mental development of the children. The 
 reports received up to date are very favorable. On all sides the facts 
 are emphasized that the children have speedily adapted themselves to 
 their new surroundings and have made remarkable progress in German; 
 that by their conduct at home they have given no cause for complaint 
 to their foster parents and in school they are praised by the teachers 
 for application and ability. * 
 
 Thanks to the efforts of the Lodges one of the present Pogrom or- 
 phans, a charming little girl, Marika the nameless, three years old, was 
 taken in charge by a childless married couple and later, when the girl 
 will reach legal age, she may be adopted. The rest of the children are 
 placed in Altona, Breslaw, Koeln (Aix-la-Chapelle), Dortmund, Leipzig, 
 Magdebug, Eybnick and Wisbaden. * * * * 
 
 There is a saying of our old teachers which reads as follows: "To 
 him who begins a good work should be said, ' Carry it to an end. ' " At 
 the Conference at Frankfurt we were entrusted by the respectiye or- 
 ganizations with the care of the Pogrom orphans. Two years Bgo we 
 succeeded in providing for 53 children; we will now do the same with 
 equal zeal for the still remaining 12 children. 
 
 In its report of 1907, page 100, the Hilfsverein expresses itself in the 
 following manner regarding our relief work for the Russian orphans: 
 "The greatest part of the children, nearly one-half of all the orphan 
 children, 58 in number, were placed in Germany. Thanks to the en- 
 compassing care of the Grand Lodge for Germany, it became possible 
 to find places of shelter for all these good children. All the individual 
 lodges supported the Grand Lodge most zealously in its endeavor to 
 create good shelters for the children. They are also well cared for by a 
 number of Jewish communities, especially by Frankfort o. t. M., in 
 
 12
 
 which city alone 12 Russian orphans are receiving the best of care. 
 
 On Sept. 21, 1909, the press published that a great massacre 
 of Jews had taken place at Kiev. We acted promptly. The fol- 
 lowing telegrams need no explanation: 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 21, 1909. 
 Adolf Kraus, Chicago. 
 
 Washington papers report massacre at Kiev Russia. Suggest that you 
 cable Berlin and keep me advised. SIMON WOLF. 
 
 CHICAGO, Sept. 22, 1909. 
 Justizrat Timendorfer, Berlin. 
 
 Newspapers report great massacre Kiev. Consult Hilfsverein, cable 
 me whether massacre authentic, whether American help needed. 
 
 KRAUS. 
 
 WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 1909. 
 Adolf Kraus, Chicago. 
 
 Renewed cablegrams from Berlin reaffirm yesterday's statement State 
 Department at my request representing Union and Order cabled Rock- 
 hill at St. Petersburg secure confirmatory news. Will keep you advised. 
 
 SIMON WOLF. 
 
 BERLIN, Sept. 23, 1909. 
 Kraus, Chicago. 
 
 Auf unserer Veranlassung hat Hilfsverein in Kiev angefragt und 
 drei Antworten erhalten dass nichts daran ist. WOLFF. 
 
 The Berlin representative of the Alliance Israelite Universelle wired; 
 
 BERLIN, Sept. 23, 1909. 
 Kraus, Chicago. 
 
 Kiev keine Stoerungen vorgekommen. KLAUSNER. 
 
 CHICAGO, Sept. 23, 1909. 
 Simon Wolf, Washington. 
 
 Hilfsverein cables Kiev keine Stoerungen vorgekommen. 
 
 KRAUS. 
 
 13
 
 WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 1909. 
 Kraus, Chicago. 
 
 State Department says important demonstrations in suburb of Kiev 
 on eighth of September which the police quickly suppressed. No Ameri- 
 cans killed or anyone else seriously injured. SIMON WOLT. 
 
 IMMIGEATION. 
 
 One of the natural results of the Pogroms was a large emi- 
 gration of the persecuted Jews to other lands, principally to this 
 country. With the large immigration, new problems have arisen 
 and will from time to time arise, but which will in due course 
 of time, as the immigrants become assimilated, be properly 
 solved to their welfare, as well as to the welfare of our country. 
 
 There are among all classes of men, narrow-minded individu- 
 als who, enjoying the rights of freedom under a just government, 
 are not willing that others should have equal opportunities. 
 Some of them are actuated by selfish motives, others by what 
 they term patriotic motives, but in each case the motive is ill- 
 considered. 
 
 Among those who may be considered well-meaning but ill- 
 advised, are those who, while claiming to aim to exclude the for- 
 eign criminal, favor immigration laws so strict that they would 
 also make the landing upon our hospitable shores, of law abiding 
 people, who are fleeing from persecution, impossible. This coun- 
 try always has been and always should remain the haven of the 
 oppressed and persecuted, but it ought not to be the "holy of 
 holies" to which the criminals of other lands can flee and find 
 refuge. Any restrictive law which will keep out of this land the 
 criminals of other lands, idiots, insane persons, paupers, persons 
 afflicted with a loathsome or dangerous contagious disease, an- 
 archists, or persons coming here for immoral purposes will meet 
 with the hearty approval of all of us, but laws which are cal- 
 culated to keep out of this country healthy immigrants, of good 
 moral character, simply because they have not a certain amount 
 of capital are contrary to the spirit and traditions of our coun- 
 try. The so-called Dillingham-Gardner Immigration Bill more 
 
 14
 
 fully referred to in our Report of 1906-7 was one which con- 
 tained many objectionable features. 
 
 Reports from Washington seemed to indicate that the bill 
 was about to become a law. I wired the American districts of the 
 Order to obtain from their leading citizens, regardless of creed, 
 their views upon the pending bill and have them wired to their 
 respective Congressmen. Protests against the bill poured in so 
 rapidly to Washington that the pending bill was defeated. The 
 Liberal Immigration League of which our distinguished mem- 
 ber, Edward Lauterbach, Esq., is President, in their annual re- 
 port, generously gave much credit to our Order for the defeat 
 of that bill. 
 
 One of the problems which we have to contend with, arising 
 out of the great immigration, is what to do with the unfortunates 
 who are not classed as undesirables and yet are ordered de- 
 ported by the Government. It often happens that certain mem- 
 bers of a family are admitted, while- others are refused admission. 
 The feelings of the members of the family thus severed can easily 
 be imagined. Many of the orders of deportation are based on 
 the theory that the person ordered deported may become a pub- 
 lic charge, owing to feeble health or advanced age. This objec- 
 tion may be overcome if proper security be given to the Govern- 
 ment that such person will not become a public charge. 
 
 We have undertaken to protect as far as it is in our power 
 desirable immigrants who, without such protection, would be 
 sent back to endure new miseries and hardships. In this work 
 Bro. Simon Wolf has rendered the Order and humanity great 
 service. In the last two years he perfected appeals in 95 cases 
 of immigrants, affecting 213 persons, who intended to come to 
 Chicago, but were ordered deported, and in 76 of those cases, af- 
 fecting 173 persons, he succeeded in having the judgment of the 
 lower Tribunal reversed and the immigrants were permitted to 
 land. In one case, the order permitting an immigrant to land 
 came from Washington after the steamship on which the immi- 
 grant was, had started on the return European trip. A Revenue 
 
 15
 
 Cutter chased the steamer, caught up with it and took off the 
 immigrant, and he was landed. The happiness of that man, 
 after landing on American soil where all his children reside 
 must be to Brother Wolf a great recompense for his arduous 
 labor on behalf of the immigrants. 
 
 One of the well recognized problems arising out of the immi- 
 gration question is how best to remove the immigrants from the 
 large centers of population in order to avoid over-crowding, 
 and enable the new arrivals to get a good start in life. This work 
 was originally undertaken by the Order under the leadership 
 of the lamented Leo N. Levi, who, through the lodges in the 
 cities in the West and South, established committees to take care 
 of the immigrants. The names of the persons constituting these 
 committees were transferred to the New York Industrial Ee- 
 moval Office, under whose auspices the bulk of the removal work 
 is now done. The removal office forms no part of the machinery 
 of the Order. However, the lodges, whenever called upon, have 
 always cheerfully aided the removal committee, and in many 
 cities the work of taking care of immigrants is almost exclusively 
 in the hands of members of the Order. 
 
 This problem, what to do with the newly arrived immigrants, 
 is of such increasingly serious importance as to commend itself 
 to the earnest consideration of the convention. The constant ac- 
 cretions to the already badly congested districts in the seaport 
 towns, towards which these immigrants are naturally drawn, 
 makes a continuous and more difficult problem of that which 
 might otherwise, in the efflux of time find its own solution. Some- 
 thing should be done to distribute these immigrants before they 
 become permanently settled in such districts. I recommend that 
 the matter be referred to a committee to consider, and if possible, 
 
 16
 
 formulate some practicable plan whereby this desirable result 
 may in some measure be attained. 
 
 CONFERENCE OF ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
 One of the results of the Pogroms was an agitation favoring 
 the creation of some organization to represent, speak and act on 
 behalf of the Jews of this country. Those who were loudest in 
 demanding the creation of such an organization, would, under 
 normal conditions, have been the first to denounce the move- 
 ment; but in the very helplessness of our people against the 
 desperate condition of our persecuted brethren, any movement 
 which might have given the remotest chance for relief, was ea- 
 gerly grasped at, and consequently the idea of creating such a 
 body was given serious consideration. In the opinion of your 
 Executive Committee, it was not deemed necessary that such a 
 body be created. Later when the Executive Committee of the Or- 
 der met in Chicago, other organizations were invited by wire to 
 meet with them; and on December 17, 1905, representatives of 
 the following organizations presented themselves at the Con- 
 ference : 
 
 Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. 
 Union of American Hebrew Congregations. 
 Central Conference of American Rabbis. 
 Federation of American Zionists. 
 Order B'rith Abraham. 
 Independent Order Free Sons of Israel. 
 Sons of Benjamin. 
 
 National Conference of Jewish Charities. 
 National Russian Relief Association. 
 Industrial Removal Office. 
 Chicago Russian Jewish Press. 
 Independent Western Star Order. 
 17
 
 At that meeting the following resolution was adopted : 
 
 "Resolved, that we are opposed to any amendment of the law 
 which shall increase the head tax on immigrants." 
 
 The following was also adopted : 
 
 "Kepresentatives of National Jewish Organizations convened 
 for conference in the city of Chicago, stirred by horror at the 
 massacres in Russia, are convinced that if the humane sentiments 
 of sympathy which actuate the hearts of all men without distinc- 
 tion of creed or nation, were expressed as it should be and as it 
 has not as yet been adequately expressed, such outrageous mur- 
 ders and persecutions would soon come to an end. We call upon 
 all who deplore these inhumanities to make their sympathy ef- 
 fective by urging those in influence and authority in Church and 
 State to bring about concerted action by the nations to declare 
 such atrocities as have been perpetrated upon the Jews in Rus- 
 sia to be violations of the principles upon which the intercourse 
 of the nations is founded. They are contrary to the law of God 
 and man as interpreted by the teachings of Religion, and as 
 rooted in the moral consciousness of this enlightened twentieth 
 century." 
 
 Resolutions were also unanimously passed, thanking the Exec- 
 utive Committee of the B'nai B'rith for calling the conference. 
 
 By this meeting it was demonstrated how easily and quickly 
 united action could be obtained by existing organizations and 
 therefore it was believed that the clamor for a new organization 
 would cease. It was also believed that the creation of a new body 
 would lead to duplication and therefore to waste of energy ; that 
 to unite existing organizations for prompt action on behalf of 
 our persecuted brothers in foreign lands was commendable, but to 
 create a new body "to promote the welfare of Judaism" and to 
 speak for American Jewry would be not only inexcusable, but dan- 
 gerous; that in short, American Jews needed no organization to 
 speak for all of them. It was found however that the agitation for 
 the creation of a new body did not cease. The question was once 
 
 18
 
 more presented to the Executive Committee and by it considered, 
 and the following resolution was adopted : 
 
 "Be it Resolved, that the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith 
 while rigidly maintaining its separate identity in the fulfillment 
 of the tasks it has undertaken, nevertheless, stands ready to co- 
 operate temporarily in all critical emergencies with other recog- 
 nized Jewish organizations for the achievement of immediate re- 
 sults in matters affecting the Jewish cause. At the same time, 
 this Executive Committee deems it antagonistic to the principles 
 of the Order and subversive of its mission to enter into any 
 permanent alliance or federation with other institutions limited 
 in their scope and lacking the universality which has ever char- 
 acterized the B'nai B'rith." 
 
 "While in Europe, I made arrangements with the leading Jew- 
 ish organizations of England, Germany, France and Austria 
 for the prompt mutual furnishing by cable of any information 
 required ; and they will advise us as to any matter in which our 
 assistance may be required. 
 
 It may not be amiss to state that while we are here in session, 
 an International Conference is being held in the city of London 
 to determine the best means of combating the White Slave Traf- 
 fic. To that Conference we were invited, and we have a repre- 
 sentative there in attendance. 
 
 SAN FRANCISCO DISASTER. 
 
 On April 18, 1906, the city of San Francisco was visited by 
 an earthquake of exceptional violence, which was followed by a 
 conflagration lasting about three days. As soon as the news of 
 the disaster reached us, I sent telegrams and received answers as 
 
 follows : 
 
 "CHICAGO, April 18, 1906. 
 "Lucius L, Solomons, 508 California Street, 
 
 San Francisco, Cal.: 
 
 "Press brings meager reports of great calamity in your city. Am 
 ready to make appeal for help to the Order or all our people as may 
 be needed. If help wanted wire as fully as possible." 
 
 "ADOLF KBATTS." 
 
 19
 
 CHICAGO, April 19, 1906. 
 
 (To Each District) : 
 
 "Wire forthwith each Jewish community in your District to collect 
 funds for relief of sufferers in San Francisco. Such funds to be sent 
 to Treasurer of your District. As soon as Belief Committee in San 
 Francisco appointed to take charge of money will advise you. You 
 can wire at expense of Executive Committee." 
 
 "ADOLF KRAUS." 
 
 "SAN FRANCISCO, April 21-22, 1906. 
 
 "Adolf Emus, Grand President Const. Grand Lodge B'nai B'rith, 
 4518 Drexel Blvd.: 
 
 "Destruction complete, earthquake and fire destitution among our 
 people awful. What can you do for immediate relief? Wire five hun- 
 dred fourteen Devisadero St." 
 
 "BEN SCHLOSS, 
 "Grand Prest." 
 
 "CHICAGO, April 23, 1906. 
 
 "Ben Schloss, 514 Devisadero Street, 
 San Francisco, Cal. : 
 
 "Wired you appoint yourself, Solomons and Voorsanger or others 
 as well known Committee to distribute funds and wire me names and 
 addresses. Have received no answer. Wire also name New York cor- 
 respondent of Oakland Bank so money may be wired you. ' ' 
 
 "ADOLF KRAUS." 
 
 "SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., April 26,. 1906. 
 
 "Adolf Kraus, Constitution Grand Prest. Independent Order B'nai 
 B'rith, Chicago, III: 
 
 "Completely burned out and property destroyed. Our members im- 
 poverished and suffering for everything. What can you do? How much 
 and how quick? Answer wire five fourteen Devisadero St. ' 
 
 "BEN SCHLOSS, 
 ' ' Grand Prest. District No. 4. ' ' 
 
 20
 
 "SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., April 26, 1906. 
 "Adolf Kraus, Constitution Grand President Independent Order B'nai 
 
 B'rith, Chicago, III.: 
 
 "First dispatch received from you this minute. Committee Ben 
 Schloss, Doctor Jacob Voorsanger, M. S. Levy, Lucius Solomons, Edward 
 Tauszky. Draw through any New York bank on any San Francisco 
 bank. Can arrange to cash credits." 
 
 "BEN SCHLOSS, 
 "Grand President District No. 4." 
 
 We received and forwarded promptly to the sufferers the sum 
 of $22,006.29. This was a special fund from the members of 
 the Order to the San Francisco members, to enable such as needed 
 the assistance to begin the battle of life anew. 
 
 AID TO ROUMANIAN SUFFERERS. 
 
 Shortly after the San Francisco earthquake, a report reached 
 us of the persecution of Jews in Roumania. I received from a 
 source, unnecessary to mention, but which I consider reliable, the 
 following report: 
 
 "In the beginning of March of this year, signs of an Anti-Semitic 
 movement were noticed along the Moldavia. The authorities remained 
 passive er.d so it came about that one day several hundred peasants 
 entered tho little town of Poduloaci near Jassy and plundered accord- 
 ing to their hearts' desire. All stores kept by Jews were destroyed and 
 robbed, and the Jews, including women and children, were maltreated. 
 One Jew received serious injury. The rioting began at one o 'clock in the 
 afternoon. At three in the afternoon a major in charge of 100 men 
 of cavalry stationed in the town, fired three revolver shots into the air 
 and immediately as though this had been a signal agreed upon, the 
 plundering stopped. 128 Jewish families in that town suffered 3t loss 
 of 100,000 francs, which, considering the poverty of the people, was a 
 considerable sum. A very few days afterwards a similar occurrence 
 was reported in the City of Botosehani, only in a greater degree. 1,159 
 families lost their property amounting to half a million francs, 21 Jews 
 were wounded and had to be taken to the hospital. 
 
 "After that tha Anti-Semitic movement spread with lightning rapi- 
 dity over the entire Moldavia. After Botosehani, where the poor Jews, 
 for fear of personal violence, hid in cellars for two days and where 
 Jewish merchants did not reopen their stores for ten days, the Jews 
 
 21
 
 in the town of Vordugeni were attacked in which 408 Jewish families 
 suffered the loss of 611,000 francs. The Jews in the Towns of Buccecea 
 and Bedeni were attacked. In the district of Botochani 1,8S6 Jewish 
 families were plundered of property valued at 3,000,000 francs. In the 
 District of Jassy the Jewish inhabitants of Bivolari and Tziganaschi, in 
 all 107 families, suffered a loss of 100,000 francs. Similar treatment 
 was accorded to the Jews in Pungesti, Negresti, Panciu, Ivesti, Bacesti, 
 Lespezi, Rosnov, Bozieni, Buhusi, Blagesti, Draguscheni, Bujor and 
 Eogojeni. In the Walaehia similar attempts were made by the peasants 
 but only in the City of Alexandria, inhabited by about 20 Jewish fami- 
 lies, was the attack of an Anti-Semitic character. In that city the 
 plundering was done by reservists. The destruction there was so 
 thorough that a Jewish merchant who had a large porcelain and glass- 
 ware store was compelled to borrow glasses from a neighbor for Pass- 
 over. The damage to those few Jews who lived in that town amounted 
 to about 200,000 francs. Their little Synagogue was destroyed and the 
 Shochet who attempted to save the Torah was seriously injured. 
 In all there were Anti-Semitic outbreaks in 16 Roumanian districts. 
 The total number of families affected is 3,302. The damage is estimated 
 at 2,679,050 francs and the total of persons injured is 45. 
 
 "Immediately after the outbreak of this Anti-Semitic movement the 
 Jews living in the villages sought refuge in the larger cities, but 
 when they wanted to return to their villages, the authorities did not 
 permit them to do so. The position of those fugitives is critical as 
 they have no prospect for work. The authorities not only did not allow 
 the Jews to return to the villages in which they and their ancestors had 
 lived for generations but even ordered them to leave the rural districts, 
 including in that order, those who had done the state service in the 
 army. Even Jews who were drafted in the army to quell the riots, 
 when they returned to their respective villages, were ordered to leave. 
 
 "The question presents itself to us, what shall we do with those who 
 are driven from their homes? 
 
 "On the 5th of May a conference took place in Vienna of the repre- 
 sentatives of Organizations of other lands and representative Rou- 
 manians, to consider what aid can be given. It was decided to raise 
 500,000 francs. 125,000 francs has been forwarded from the United 
 States from Roumanians residing there, 25,000 francs was contributed 
 from Roumanians here. It is expected that Austria, Germany, France 
 and England will contribute equal sums. It was decided to make good 
 15 per cent of the loss, to each of our co-religionists. From the Rou- 
 manian government nothing is to be expected." 
 
 22
 
 From documents in my possession, I am convinced that the 
 claim made by the Government of Roumania, that the uprising 
 of the peasants was general and not directed against the Jews, 
 was not well founded; that the peasants and the Jews lived 
 peaceably together, but that the peasants who were robbed of their 
 labor by the nobility and officials, were instigated by such op- 
 pression to indulge in an Anti-Semitic movement and that there, 
 as in Russia, the Jew had to suffer from the ignorant and un- 
 educated for the sins which others committed against them. 
 
 I issued a call for aid and the Lodges contributed over 50,000 
 francs, which was promptly forwarded to Dr. Adolphe Stern, 
 President of the District Grand Lodge No. 9, and member of the 
 Executive Committee from that District. The money was thank- 
 fully acknowledged and was put to good purpose. For names of 
 donors see Report for 1906-1907. 
 
 ATTACK ON JEWS IN JAFFA. 
 On March 30, 1908, I received the following cable : 
 
 "PORT SAID. 
 "Adolf Kraus, Chicago. 
 
 Atrocities against Jews at Jaffa by local Governor, 12 Russians, 1 
 American wounded, some fatally. Induce Government, instruct Amer- 
 ican Ambassador Constantinople intervene energetically. ' ' 
 
 This cable was signed by two members of the Order. Their 
 names are suppressed for reasons which can easily be under- 
 stood. Subsequently I received a letter giving details of the at- 
 tack made against the Jews in the City of Jaffa, stating that it 
 took place on March 16th; that owing to governmental super- 
 vision of the telegraph offices they were unable to send informa- 
 tion out of Turkey, and so had to send a messenger to Port Said, 
 from which place the cable was forwarded. On the same day 
 that I received the cable, I sent the following telegram : 
 
 23
 
 "March 30, 1908. 
 "Hon. Elihu Root, Secretary of State, 
 
 Washington, D. C.: 
 
 "Just received cablegram signed by two leading and reliable co- 
 religionists of Jerusalem and Jaffa, that atrocities have been com- 
 mitted against Jews of Jaffa by Local Governor that 12 Russians and 
 1 American were wounded, some fatally. Respectfully petition the Gov- 
 ernment to cause an investigation to be made by our Ambassador at 
 Constantinople, as to the attack on American citizen, as such action 
 may check further atrocities." "ADOLF KRAUS." 
 
 I also telegraphed the information to Bro. Simon Wolf, who 
 called upon the State Department to urge compliance with my 
 request. I received the following reply from the Department of 
 
 State. 
 
 "April 2, 1908. 
 
 "Mr. Adolf Kraus, President Executive Committee, Independent Order 
 
 B 'nai B 'rith, Chicago, III. : 
 
 "I have to acknowledge receipt of your telegram of the 30th ult. 
 informing the department that atrocities have been committed against 
 Jews in Jaffa by the local Governor, in the course of which one 
 American was wounded, and asking that an investigation be made by 
 the American Ambassador. In reply I have to say that on March 31 
 the Ambassador at Constantinople was instructed by telegraph to in- 
 vestigate and report regarding the matter. 
 
 "I am sir, 
 
 "Your obedient servant, 
 
 "ALVEY A. ADEE, 
 "Second Asst. Secy." 
 
 Soon after the investigation was ordered by our Government 
 the local Governor of Jaffa, who was an Anti-semite, was removed 
 from office by the Sultan of Turkey and a new Governor, friendly 
 to the Jews, was appointed in his place. 
 
 The President of one of our Lodges, on the date of June 13th, 
 wrote me as follows : 
 
 "For your successful assistance in the Jaffa affair I desire to thank 
 you, not only in the name of our lodges, but also desire to express to 
 you the heartfelt thanks of all the Jews here. The fact that the 
 
 24
 
 United States government demanded official information by cable was 
 in itself sufficient to make a deep impression at Constantinople. And 
 that government lost no time in disposing of the affair. A similar in- 
 quiry was made by the Secretary of the German government on the 
 petition of the Hilf sverein der Deutschen Juden. ' ' 
 
 On May 12th, the Department of State sent me the following 
 letter : 
 
 "Sir: In further reply to your telegram of the 30th of March last, 
 regarding the attack on Jews at Jaffa on the 17th of the same month, 
 in the course of which an American was wounded, I have to inform you 
 that the Ambassador Leisehman's report on the subject has been re- 
 ceived, and shows that the disturbance was little more than a street 
 or bar room fight and that the supposed American, Abraham M. Gold- 
 man, as to whose American citizenship there appears to be considerable 
 doubt, was only slightly injured. 
 
 "I am sir, 
 
 "Your obedient Servant, 
 
 "ROBERT BACON, 
 ' ' Assistant Secretary. ' ' 
 
 Our Ambassador's report indicates that our people at Jaffa 
 are easily alarmed. It is evident that our country's Ambassador 
 did not attach much importance to the occurrence. However, the 
 fact remains that the people of Jaffa by the occurrence, gained a 
 new Governor who appears to be a just man. 
 
 WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC. 
 
 About three years ago, a certain monthly magazine charged 
 that a portion of the inhabitants of the so-called Ghetto in the 
 city of Chicago make their living by trafficking in women. The 
 charge came as a surprise and was looked upon as a venomous 
 libel. It would be too much to expect that the Jews should be 
 entirely free of offenses of which non-Jews are guilty, but the 
 charge that the trafficking in women in the city of Chicago was 
 largely in the hands of Jews, was so outrageously overdrawn 
 that none believed it. An investigation disclosed as usual, the 
 grain of truth in the husk of falsehood. The sinners were many 
 and there were Jews amongst them. 
 
 25
 
 A meeting of the leading members of the Order in that city 
 was called, for the purpose of devising means of stamping out the 
 traffic in the city of Chicago. It was found that there was no 
 adequate law in the state of Illinois to punish the offenders. 
 A committee was appointed to draft a suitable law. The law was 
 introduced in the next State Legislature and was unanimously 
 passed. Several other states have since then adopted the same 
 or a similar law. A vigorous prosecution was begun against of- 
 fenders and they were rapidly sent to jail. In the city of Chi- 
 cago, of the arrests and convictions, about 20 per cent were Jews 
 because owing to published articles in the magazine, the detec- 
 tives concentrated their first efforts in attempts to arrest the Jews 
 engaged in that traffic. 
 
 In my opinion, the combating of White Slavery is one of the 
 most important of our undertakings. One State after the other 
 is passing laws to punish panderers. Congress has undertaken 
 to pass stringent laws. The people are aroused and justly so. 
 It will not do for us to point to past records and deny that there 
 are Jewish panderers or call for strict proof. Our efforts must 
 be to the end that there shall be no Jewish panderers. Not even 
 one should be tolerated. They must be sent to jail and to do 
 penance. They must be ostracised. The Jews of the city of 
 Omaha, under the leadership of members of the Order, succeeded 
 in abolishing pandering in that city without adequate laws, by 
 refusing those engaged in that traffic, all religious rights, even 
 the right of burial in a Jewish cemetery. We owe it to ourselves 
 as citizens of this country and to generations yet to come, to let 
 no guilty person escape. 
 
 B'NAI B'RITH NEWS. 
 
 The President of the Order, in his report to the Convention 
 of 1874, said the following : 
 
 "The time has come when provision ought to be made to establish 
 a permanent medium of interchange of views and ideas between the 
 various official branches of our Order and the members. The Order 
 has reached an extension, geographically and" numerically, beyond the 
 
 26
 
 boldest anticipations of its early friends; its principles and policy are 
 being more clearly defined; the objects it is in pursuit of are no longer 
 concealed behind a vapory cloud but are brought out in bold and promi- 
 nent relief; neither are we satisfied with hollow promises and pompoua 
 phrases in place of energetic measures for the realization of our educa- 
 tional and civilizing aspirations. The establishment of merely formal 
 authorities, and the holding of periodical conventions are not strong 
 enough to hold the vast body of men together, to keep the spiritual 
 and fraternal bond intact, and the harmony unbroken. The hopes, as- 
 pirations, aims and purposes of the Order require a medium, wherein 
 they can be embodied, defined, discussed. We must have a press organ, 
 which would offer to every official body such as Lodges, Grand Lodges, 
 and the general executive authority, the means of rapid and constant 
 communication with each other, and between them and the members at 
 large. We cannot hope to keep the interests of the individual member 
 awake to our common objects without giving him the opportunity to be 
 beard and understood by the members of the Order without the circum- 
 locution imposed by official authorities. * * * Our civilizing aspira- 
 tions must be cultivated; impulses of a higher nature must be brought 
 to the home of every individual member; he must be kept in constant 
 communication with the brotherhood at large, whether he attends lodge 
 meetings or not; the fire of enthusiasm of love and humanity must be 
 kept alive, and this can only be done through a press organ, to be estab- 
 lished by the coming General Convention, with the aid and support of 
 the whole brotherhood." 
 
 I do not deem it necessary to add anything to what was said 
 twenty-six years ago as 'to the necessity for such an organ. Your 
 Executive Committee for a short time published the "B'nai 
 B'rith Bulletin." The "Bulletin" was the pioneer which pre- 
 pared the way for the B'nai B'rith News, now approaching its 
 second anniversary. Whether or not it comes up to the standard 
 of what Bro. Bien thought of an official organ 26 years ago, I 
 cannot tell, but I do know that he expressed to me great satisfac- 
 tion both with the character of the publication and the results 
 he professed to believe were being achieved by it. 
 
 At present a number of Lodges subscribe for the paper and 
 pay 20 cents a year for each member. That sum, however, is not 
 sufficient to cover the cost of its publication. Some lodges have 
 refused to subscribe for the paper. The rule seems to be that 
 
 27
 
 those lodges which need it most, decline to subscribe for it, 
 to save the expense. 
 
 I recommend to this Convention that the action of the Execu- 
 tive Committee in establishing an official organ for the Order 
 be approved, and that provision be made for the regular for- 
 warding of copies of it to every member of the Order in America, 
 and to the Lodges in other countries as the Executive Commit- 
 tee may deem proper, and that the entire expense be borne by 
 the Executive Committee. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE ORDER. 
 
 The President of the Order in 1874 urged as of great im- 
 portance : 
 
 "That the Convention appoint a commission whose duty it shall be 
 to write and publish an authentic history of our Order, under such 
 conditions and regulations as in its wisdom it may deem proper a 
 history, not only of the numerical growth and wealth of the Order, but 
 also of the development and realization of its great fundamental prin- 
 ciples, which would establish forever its true tendencies and its ultimate 
 object." 
 
 Subsequently Bro. Bien himself undertook the work of writing 
 the history, performing it in his usual, able and interesting man- 
 ner, but unfortunately he covered only the first fifteen years of 
 its existence. The history begun by him should be continued. 
 Your Executive Committee has been fortunate in securing the 
 promise of one of its members, Dr. Calisch, to complete this work 
 provided the members in the different districts would aid in fur- 
 nishing data which do not appear in the records of the various 
 conventions. I recommend that the secretaries of the various 
 districts be requested to furnish Dr. Calisch with such data ap- 
 pearing upon their records as he may require. This can readily 
 be done by those secretaries whose predecessors have preserved 
 the records of the proceedings. Further assistance would also 
 be given if such members of the Order as may be aware of inter- 
 esting personal reminiscences of leading members of their Dis- 
 trict, dead or alive, would kindly write of them to Dr. Calisch. 
 
 28
 
 EUKOPEAN LODGES. 
 
 In February, 1909, I visited Europe, returning to this country 
 in August. 
 
 I desire here to express my gratitude to the General Commit- 
 tee of District No. 1 for the courtesies extended to me on my 
 departure for Europe, and to all the brethren from the American 
 Districts to whom I am indebted for their expressions of good 
 wishes on that occasion. Whether it was because of their good 
 wishes, or of the great steady steamer and pleasant weather, or 
 possibly, of all combined, in spite of the fact that I am not a 
 good sailor, I enjoyed the ocean trip both going and coming very 
 much. 
 
 Were I to describe my impressions of the character of our 
 membership in the European Districts, I could do so only in 
 terms of highest praise. The reception accorded me as 
 President of the Order, attested their profound respect for and 
 sincere faith in the ideals of an institution of which they are 
 proud to be members. 
 
 A hospitable reception will naturally prejudice one in favor of 
 his host. I have tried not to allow myself to be influenced by the 
 hospitality bestowed upon me, and have endeavored to judge of 
 the work and of the members in an unbiased manner. 
 
 Membership in the Order there is not held cheaply. New 
 members are not sought by the Lodges, but membership in the 
 Order is eagerly sought and highly prized, and many applica- 
 tions are rejected. The lodges as a rule charge large initiation 
 fees and high dues. In many places whatever charitable work is 
 done, is done by the Lodges. It is not deemed necessary to cite 
 here what institutions are there maintained, for that informa- 
 tion has been published heretofore in pamphlet form. Without 
 desiring to reflect upon any of the American Districts, I cannot 
 help but feel that the older Districts can learn much from the 
 younger ones. 
 
 The admirable characteristic of members in Germany and 
 Austria is their cheerful willingness to give any amount of per- 
 
 29
 
 sonal service to the Order and humanity. The duties of mem- 
 bership are not attended to in a slipshod manner, but all their 
 work, be it maintenance of Labor Bureaus, Toynbee Halls, 
 Orphan Asylums, or whatever else, is attended to with as much 
 enthusiasm and willingness as if their individual fortunes were 
 dependent upon their success. 
 
 When I arrived in Hamburg, Committees from seventeen 
 different cities were sent by their respective lodges to greet me. 
 In Berlin the President of nearly every lodge in Germany came to 
 attend the banquet, and to extend invitations to me to visit their 
 respective cities. No sacrifice of time or labor seemed too much 
 for them. Delegates from lodges from great distances were sent 
 to every city I visited. 
 
 During my visit, a Lodge was instituted at Zurich, Switzer- 
 land, by the President of District No. 8, and nearly all the lodges 
 of Germany sent delegates to be present at the institution of the 
 new lodge. In some instances, two or three lodges joined to- 
 gether in sending a delegate. Of the 72 lodges in Germany, 
 nearly all were represented at that meeting for no other purpose 
 than to show their interest in the work of the Order. When the 
 roll call of the German Lodges was called for greetings from the 
 respective lodges, the delegates responded briefly. In the lodges 
 of Districts 8 and 10, when a candidate is to be initiated, the 
 members appear in the lodge room in full dress. The greatest 
 care is taken by the committee investigating candidates, that no 
 unworthy man be admitted to membership. The word "brother" 
 means something to the members there. It is not an idle word. 
 The word embraces not only the brothers, but the brothers' 
 families. 
 
 This brings to my mind a scene I witnessed in Vienna which 
 made a deep impression upon me. I visited what is known there 
 as a "Trauerloge." A member of "Wien Loge" had died. A few 
 days afterwards memorial services were held in the lodge room. 
 The lodge room was heavily draped in mourning, a life sized 
 picture of the deceased hung over the President's chair. The 
 members assembled in full dress, with black ties and gloves. The 
 
 30
 
 lodge was called to order and the monitor was sent out to escort 
 the family of the deceased into the lodge room, the organ mean- 
 while playing solemn music, all the members standing. The 
 widow and children were brought in front of the President's 
 chair and seated in chairs provided for them. The members 
 then took their respective seats. The President called upon one 
 of the members present to deliver the Memorial Address. A 
 more able, eloquent and sincere address I have never listened to. 
 It lasted about twenty minutes. Then the President called upon 
 one of the distinguished lawyers of Vienna, a past-president of 
 the lodge, to step forward. The President then informed him 
 that under the rules of the lodge, he was appointed guardian of 
 the deceased brother's family, and asked him in the presence of 
 the family and the brethren assembled, whether he would promise 
 to accept the position and to watch and guard over the welfare of 
 the family. This the brother readily agreed to do, and the 
 President then told the widow that whenever she needed any ad- 
 vice, or aid, she should call on the guardian appointed by the 
 lodge, or send for him, and that through him, her wishes would 
 be communicated to the lodge. Thereupon without further 
 ceremony, the lodge adjourned, the members standing while the 
 family retired, after which the members also retired. 
 
 On inquiry, I found that the deceased brother was a very 
 wealthy man ; that he left minor children, and that although no 
 financial aid would in all likelihood be needed by the family of 
 the deceased, it -became the duty of the Lodge Guardian to see 
 that the family was protected and guided until the youngest 
 child became of age, and to report to the lodge at least once a 
 year how every member of that family was getting along. 
 
 Our Order since its infancy has gone through many changes. 
 I believe we have now reached the time when certain other 
 changes should be made. 
 
 The Order in its inception, following the vogue of the secret 
 organizations then existing, created high sounding Hebrew titles 
 for its officers ; used regalias ; conferred degrees ; paid sick bene- 
 fits ; and subsequently it undertook to insure the lives of its mem- 
 
 31
 
 bers. Gradually, changes were inaugurated. The high sound- 
 ing titles were abolished, regalias and degrees are now un- 
 known, the last to fall by the wayside being the insurance feature. 
 Gradually, out of an organization which to some extent was 
 created for self-protection, grew the great altruistic society, 
 stretching out its helping hand from the shores of the Pacific 
 ocean to the land in which our patriarchal ancestors dwelt, and 
 back again, to assist with all its great strength in the develop- 
 ment and elevation of the mental and moral character of the 
 people of our faith. 
 
 But the question presents itself, can an organization which is 
 held together only by the common desire of its members, to give 
 assistance to others be expected long to endure? Does not the 
 cement of organization require in the mixture some other in- 
 gredient to make it lasting ? Men are not yet perfect, and work- 
 ing always for others and never for one's self, is likely to be- 
 come irksome. 
 
 I recommend to the consideration of this Convention, the 
 advisability of attempting legislation that would create some 
 benefit to the member or his family to be derived from mem- 
 bership in the Order. I am not in favor of legislation that 
 would confer upon members any pecuniary advantages, but I 
 should like to see the By-Law of the Vienna Lodge as to the ap- 
 pointment of lodge guardian adopted and followed by every lodge 
 in the Order. In our labors for the cause of humanity, we 
 should not overlook our own families. A man joining our ranks 
 should not look for any benefit to himself, but he should have 
 the right to feel that, when by an inscrutable Providence he is 
 called hence, the widow and children he leaves behind shall, by 
 virtue of his membership in a true brotherhood, receive a broth- 
 er's watchful care. 
 
 In order properly to enable us to carry out such Legislation if 
 enacted, the character of our membership must be carefully 
 guarded. We are not a political body, and the question of the 
 number of votes is of no importance. 
 
 Class initiations need not be discouraged, but the character 
 
 32
 
 of each candidate should be carefully studied before he is ad- 
 mitted to membership. When a committee is appointed to in- 
 vestigate a candidate such committee ought not to be permitted 
 to report to the lodge until it has met, exchanged views and can 
 conscientiously recommend election. One bad man in a lodge 
 may be enough to destroy the usefulness of the whole lodge. We 
 should not look to quantity but to quality. The election of a 
 member into our Order should be generally recognized as the 
 equivalent of a certificate of good character. 
 
 In this Democratic land of ours the wealth or social station of 
 a candidate should have little bearing. The sole test to mem- 
 bership should be character. Ten thousand members, more or 
 less, each of whom can be depended on to do his duty, and 
 recognized by his neighbors as a good and truthful citizen, will 
 be much stronger and represent more than would 100,000 indiffer- 
 ent members admitted for no other reason than simply because 
 they applied for membership. We have a good membership but 
 let us build upwards and not downwards. Let our organiza- 
 tion be democratic in its relations and activities, but aristocratic 
 in character. 
 
 CONDITIONS IN GALICIA. 
 
 The condition of the Jews in Galicia is deplorable. The pov- 
 erty among the very large Jewish population of that land is in- 
 describable. According to the last census there are 811,371 Jews 
 in Galicia of which one-third consists of beggars and the great 
 majority of the other two-thirds of so-called "Luft Menschen." 
 The country itself is poor, has but few industries, and in the few 
 industries that do exist, the Jews have very little chance for 
 work, owing to the anti-semitic agitation carried on by the Polish 
 Trade Societies to which Jews are not admitted. 
 
 Owing to their extreme poverty, consumption rages among the 
 Jews of Galicia. In Silesia, German-Poland, the annual death 
 rate is 13.01 in every 1,000 Jews; in Galicia, Austria-Poland, it 
 is 20.09. Consequently there are annually 5,744 more deaths 
 
 33
 
 among the Jews in Galicia than there would be among an equal 
 number in Silesia. Lack of work and means causes lack of food 
 and unhealthy habitations. Result: the unusual large death 
 rate. Constant misery caused by poverty weakens not only the 
 body but the morals of a people. Hence it is not strange that 
 among the Galician Jews, the recruiting agent, finds many not 
 too reluctant additions to the army of the "White Slaves." 
 
 The 10th District of the Order furnishes money to establish 
 industries in order to give employment to the unfortunate; but 
 it is considered that the girl who can earn by a hard day's work, 
 one krone, 20 cents in our money, is earning good wages. The 
 German Hilfsverein, the Austrian Hilfsverein and the German 
 Grand Lodge are also aiding to some extent the unfortunate 
 among our people in that land. 
 
 We are fighting the "White Slave" traffic. Let us help to close 
 up the markets which furnish the victims. 
 
 From the fund which we contributed towards the relief of the 
 sufferers by the Russian massacre, there is a certain amount still 
 in the hands of Mr. Schiff as treasurer, which, under the laws he 
 cannot very well dispose of. With the consent of the Executive 
 CommiD^ee, I asked Mr. Schiff to return to us our proportionate 
 share of the amount still on hand (about $6,000) in order that 
 we might send it to District No. 10 to augment the fund being 
 raised for the establishment of industries to furnish work to 
 the Galician Jews. I stated to Mr. Schiff also that the 
 Order would indemnify him against any loss because of such 
 payment. Mr. Schiff has agreed to this. I therefore recommend 
 that this Convention pass suitable resolution to indemnify Mr. 
 Schiff against any loss which may accrue to him through pay- 
 ment to us of our share of the funds in his hands, and that the 
 money when paid over, be forwarded to the Grand Lodge of 
 Austria, to be used as aforesaid. 
 
 NEW LODGE IN LONDON. 
 
 While in Europe, I requested Bro. Siegmund Bergel, of Mon- 
 tefiore Lodge, Berlin, to visit London for the purpose of laying 
 
 34
 
 a foundation for a lodge in that city. He accepted the com- 
 mission and faithfully carried out the trust imposed upon him. 
 He induced Mr. Claude G. Montefiore, who is a member of Mon- 
 tefiore Lodge, Berlin, to call a meeting of leading London 
 Jews, at his residence, on June 17th last. In company with Bro. 
 Bergel I attended it. We addressed those present and tried to 
 interest them in the formation of a lodge. Nearly all were in- 
 terested as officers in different Jewish organizations, performing 
 some of the work which the Order has taken upon itself to do, 
 and consequently the objection was made that the establishment 
 of a lodge would duplicate work and bring on confusion. Nine 
 of those present, however, declared their willingness to join the 
 Order and form a lodge in that city. I initiated them and had 
 them elected honorary members of my home lodge. It was my 
 expectation that the London Lodge should, as to the character 
 of the members, be one of the banner lodges of the Order. The 
 selection of members for that lodge by the committee of nine 
 new members was slow work. It was understood that each one 
 selected for membership should be a man who stood for some- 
 thing in the community. I take great pleasure in informing you 
 that on the 19th of March of this year, the London Lodge No. 
 663 was instituted in London by Bro. Siegmund Bergel, acting 
 on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Order. 
 
 I consider the formation of that lodge the most important 
 event of this administration so far as strengthening the Order 
 is concerned, and believe that the work of the new lodge in due 
 time will redound to the glory of Israel. 
 
 Some years ago a number of immigrants in England formed a 
 benevolent organization securing benefits to its members, and 
 without hesitation adopted the name of the Independent Order 
 of B'nai B'rith. For that reason our order in England may 
 have to be known as the United Order of B'nai B'rith. 
 
 SECKECY. 
 
 The question of abolishing the so-called secrecy feature of the 
 Order is not a new one. For more than 25 years it has been pre- 
 35
 
 sented to each convention for consideration, and at each suc- 
 ceeding convention those in favor of its abolishment have gained 
 in numbers. Whatever my personal inclination may be, any 
 recommendations I make to the convention are based on what 
 I believe to be for the welfare of the Order. 
 
 Have we any secrecy? This convention is open to the public. 
 Most of the District Grand Lodges, if not all, meet with open 
 doors. "What secrets have we ? A pass word and a sign of recog- 
 nition for the purpose of identification. All of our work may 
 be known to mankind. The mere fact that we can prove our- 
 selves to be members of this organization and thereby show ths* 
 we have been found by our fellow-members as men of good char 
 acter has a tendency to cement the membership in brotherly 
 love and respect and to create obligations towards each other 
 in contradistinction to the mere contributors to charitable or- 
 ganizations, who when they pay their contributions consider 
 they have done their duty and have no special interest in their 
 fellow-contributors. 
 
 The lodge system is the best so far adopted to teach members 
 brotherly love. That seems to be the view of the members in 
 America and is unquestionably the view of the European mem- 
 bers. During my visit to Europe, wherever I went I was in- 
 formed that so far as the Order in Europe was concerned the 
 abolishment of the lodge system would be the death-knell of the 
 Order there. In all my travels I did not find a single member 
 who favored the abolishment of the present system and I dis- 
 cussed the question with the members of the General Committee 
 of Districts Nos. 8 and 10, also with the President of District 
 No. 9. 
 
 The attack on secrecy is virtually an attack upon fraternal or- 
 ganizations with ritualistic form of work, recognized by the laws 
 of the land as beneficial to the community. Special laws have 
 been passed by nearly all the states for their benefit. In view of 
 the fact that six of the American Districts are bound to carry 
 out the endowment laws applicable to their old members care 
 must be taken not to jeopardize the rights of such members. An
 
 abolishment of the lodge system under ritualistic form of gov- 
 ernment would in some of the states make it almost impossible, 
 if not illegal to carry out obligations to the members under old 
 endowment laws. To illustrate: the State of Illinois has the 
 following law: 
 
 "A fraternal beneficiary society is hereby declared to be a cor- 
 poration, society or association formed, organized or carried on 
 for the sole benefit of its members and their beneficiaries and 
 not for profit. Each society shall have the lodge system with 
 ritualistic form of work and representative form of government 
 and may make provisions for the payment of benefits in case of 
 disability or death or of either resulting from either disease, 
 accident or old age of its members." 
 
 The act provides that such society shall be exempt from the 
 law regulating life insurance campanies. A society which has 
 not a lodge system with ritualistic form of government and pro- 
 vides for benefits in case of disability or death is deemed a life 
 insurance company and regulated by the strict laws applicable 
 to those companies, laws which the District could not possibly 
 comply with. On account of the endowment in the American 
 Districts it is therefore absolutely essential in most of the States 
 to maintain the lodge system under ritualistic form of govern- 
 ment. 
 
 To attempt to make any change in that regard at the pres- 
 ent time would in my opinion disrupt the Order; and from the 
 standpoint of what I believe is best for the entire Order, I urge 
 that no change in this respect be made and that no time be 
 wasted in attempting to make such change. 
 
 In this connection and at the request of some of the leading 
 European members, I desire to make another recommendation, 
 which may seem to be a step backward. Our password has been 
 the same for years. A suspended or expelled member often finds 
 no difficulty when away from home in visiting a lodge when in 
 executive session. In this country it has happened that men who 
 years before ceased to be members of the Order, while traveling 
 
 87
 
 as field agents on behalf of some other organization, have visited 
 our lodges and carried on propaganda work in our lodge rooms. 
 I recommend that the President of the Executive Committee 
 be authorized to communicate to the lodges an annual pass- 
 word, and that no member be permitted to visit sister lodges un- 
 less in possession of such annual password, or a traveling card 
 as evidence that he is still a member in good standing. We have 
 members who never think of visiting their own lodge, but when 
 on a pleasure trip to Europe are very anxious to visit the lodges 
 there and receive the honors there shown them and enjoy the 
 privileges extended to them. 
 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 
 
 Many unusual and important questions have arisen in the last 
 five years which required the attention of the Executive Com- 
 mittee. The order was fortunate in the selection of the members 
 of that body. They are able men whose advice and assistance 
 were invaluable aids to me in the performance of my duties. In 
 the selection of the next Executive Committee each District 
 should be careful in the choice of its representative so that my 
 successor may be as ably assisted as was I. 
 
 In this connection I desire to call attention to the fact that 
 the authority of the Executive Committee to call for voluntary 
 contributions in times of great disaster has never been ques- 
 tioned. Contributions were called for by my predecessors for 
 the relief of the Yellow Fever sufferers of New Orleans ; for the 
 Yellow Fever sufferers of Memphis ; for the sufferers of the Chi- 
 cago Fire; the Galveston Flood, and upon other occasions. 
 
 The collection of contributions cannot be enforced under our 
 law. They must be voluntary; but when once collected at the 
 request of the Executive Committee, they ought to be under the 
 absolute control of the Executive Committee. 
 
 When we issued a call to aid the Eussian sufferers, each Dis- 
 trict was requested to forward the money so collected to the office 
 of the Secretary of the Executive Committee so that we could 
 
 38
 
 at least keep a record of our contributions. Excepting one, each 
 District promptly complied with this request. 
 
 Subsequently came the San Francisco earthquake. We again 
 issued a call for aid with instructions to forward the money to 
 the Central Office. With the same exception, each of the Districts 
 again promptly complied. In response to the first call the ex- 
 cepted District made a collection, but turned it over directly to 
 Mr. Schiff. In the second instance, it insisted upon sending the 
 money to District No. 4 ignoring the Executive Committee; and 
 it was not until District No. 4 refused to accept the collection, 
 unless it should come through the Executive Office, that the 
 money was forwarded as requested. 
 
 I recommend that some law be enacted defining the rights and 
 duties of the Executive Committee in such emergencies. 
 
 COUET OF APPEALS. 
 
 Two appeals were taken to our Court, one from District No. 8. 
 That appeal was dismissed because it did not comply with the 
 rules of the Court. 
 
 I wonder how many of the distinguished delegates present 
 know what the rules of that Court are, or where they are to be 
 found. 
 
 The Court of Appeals adopted rules about twenty-five years 
 ago and published them in booklet form. I was then a member 
 of that Court, but confess now that I do not possess the booklet 
 containing the rules, and that I have at best only a hazy recollec- 
 tion of what they are. 
 
 I recommend that the Members of the Court attending this 
 session should, before leaving Washington, make such changes 
 as may be desirable, if any, in the rules, and give them to the 
 Secretary of the Eexcutive Committee to be printed as an 
 appendix to the Constitution of the Order, so that each member 
 may know what the rules of the Court are; and I further recom- 
 mend that the rules of the Court be so amended as to permit 
 appellants residing in European Districts to perfect their ap-
 
 peals in the German language. The rules of the Court now in 
 force, providing that appeals must be in the English language, 
 do not conduce to strengthen the ties existing between the 
 American and European Districts; and as the distinguished 
 members of our Court are scholars and linguists, it seems to 
 me it would be a pleasure and a recreation to them occasionally 
 to pass upon an appeal presented in the German language. 
 
 OBITUARY. 
 
 "There is no flock however watched and tended, 
 
 But one dead lamb is there. 
 There is no fireside howsoe'r defended, 
 But has one vacant chair." 
 
 Unfortunately for our Order, since last we met, there are 
 many chairs made vacant. At the last Convention Bro. M. 
 Thalmessinger was with us. For 55 years he was active as a 
 member of the Order. Before the Convention adjourned, ex- 
 pecting that he would not be with us at this Convention, he 
 arose and addressed us in part as follows: 
 
 "Yes, I do love the Order, with all its virtues and merits 
 and with all its faults and shortcomings. I do love its members 
 and the dear associations and friendships I have formed therein 
 for over half a century. It comforts me to think of the warm 
 hands that have so often clasped my own ; the hundreds of warm 
 hearts that have admitted me into their love and confidence. 
 But that blissful feeling passes away like vapors before the 
 rising sun when I think of the tribute I, like all human beings, 
 will have to pay nature, and which reminds me of the stern fact 
 that when you, my brethren, again meet five years hence, to 
 perpetuate our noble cause and that of all Israel, I am not 
 likely to enjoy your fraternal companionship, but that the next 
 Convention will not find me on earth or physically able to be 
 present. But, my dear brethren, although I will be absent in 
 body, I will be with you in spirit. And from that unknown 
 region the "Hereafter" in which I devoutly believe, from beyond 
 
 40
 
 the stars of Heaven, I will look down upon you and I will 
 be with you in spirit, and my spirit will bless you one and all, 
 and it will rejoice in and sympathize with your work, a work 
 dedicated, as it ever was, to the glory of God and to the better- 
 ment of mankind. 
 
 "When forced to part from those we love, 
 
 Though hope to meet to-morrow, 
 We yet a kind of anguish prove 
 
 And feel a touch of sorrow. 
 But, oh ! what words can paint our fears 
 
 When from those friends we sever, 
 Perhaps to part for months for years 
 
 Perhaps to part forever." 
 
 "My friends! My beloved brethren! My comrades in peace 
 and war! Farewell! farewell! farewell!" 
 
 Alas, the prophecy of Bro. Thalmessinger proved true. He 
 is no more with us. 
 
 Bro. M. Ellinger, for a long time Secretary of the Executive 
 Committee and who was largely instrumental in establishing 
 the European Lodges, is also gone to that Home from which 
 no traveler returns. 
 
 Bro. Julius Bien, the Nestor of the Order for more than 
 60 years, died on December 21st last, and thus within a short 
 period of time, the three great pillars of strength of our 
 Mother District have left us. We rejoice that Bro. Bien 
 lived so long, 13 years beyond the allotted span. For about 
 thirty years it was my good fortune to be personally acquainted 
 with him. I never met a man who was more modest and retiring 
 and at the same time possessed greater qualifications as a leader 
 of men. 
 
 Julius Bien was a man of great force of character, of great 
 will power, an untiring student, possessed of more than or- 
 dinary common sense, gentle and kind towards his fellow men, 
 and in all his actions guided by calm judgment. No one can 
 
 41
 
 truthfully speak ill of Julius Bien. His career is ended, his 
 life's history like an open book is now before us. Those who 
 will take the time to read his messages to the Order, written 
 during the thirty-two years that he was at its head, will learn 
 much of the value of his life to the Order as well as to the 
 entire human race, and will the more readily appreciate the 
 great loss sustained by his death. 
 
 During the past five years we have lost by ^Leath in the 
 American Districts 2227. It is impossible to name them all, 
 much as we would like to pay tribute to their memory. I there- 
 fore limit this memorial to the names of those who at some time 
 during their life were leaders in their respective Districts. 
 
 District No. 1. 
 
 Samuel D. Sewards, Solomon B. Wolfe, Jacob B. Ullman, 
 Marcus Berliner, Isaac Rosnosky, Henry W. Cane, Sigmund 
 Hamburger, Nathan Kempner. 
 
 District No. 2. 
 
 M. Buchman, Max J. Mack, Morton S. Cohen, Nathan M. 
 Uri. 
 
 District No. 3. 
 
 Max Thalheimer, Jacob Holzner, M. C. Hirsch, S. W. Good- 
 man, Berthold J. Potsdamer, Charles Marks. 
 
 District No. 4. 
 
 H. Marks, Abraham Ansbacher, Julius Platshek, Solomon 
 Zekind, H. P. Bush, B. A. D'Ancona, Rev. Jacob Voorsanger, 
 Harry E. Heineman. 
 
 District No. 5. 
 
 Lionel C. Levy, E. A. Waxelbaum, David Kaufman, Herman 
 Witlock, Moses Hutzler. 
 
 District No. 6. 
 
 Edward Rubovits, Adolph Moses, Adolph Loeb, E. C. Ham- 
 burger, Harry Swimmer, Dr. Bernard Felsenthal, Dr. Aaron 
 Norden, David Adler, David Fish. 
 
 42
 
 District No. 7. 
 Isidore Newman, Julius Weiss, Simon Gumbel, Abraham Weil. 
 
 District No. 8. 
 Gustav Tuch. 
 
 District No. 10. 
 Dr. Leon Horowitz, Dr. Emil Byk. 
 
 They are gone, these good men, the way of all men. And 
 as they went so must we all go when our allotted course is 
 run. May we take thought of their lives, and so live our own, 
 that meeting, as we fondly hope to meet in the life beyond 
 those dear friends who have gone before, we may greet them 
 with the consciousness that each of us in our own way and to 
 the best of our several abilities, earnestly and faithfully en- 
 deavored to follow their illustrious example. 
 
 COMMON GROUND. 
 
 It will not do either to ignore or to shut our eyes to what 
 is going on. A tremendous dynamic force has been at work 
 in the camp of Israel. Passions have been aroused. Schisms 
 have been created, and where peace and harmony are so essential 
 strife and discord reign. We have the Zionist and the anti- 
 Zionist ; the Orthodox and Reformed, with their respective chasms 
 constantly widening; their antipathies steadily growing. In 
 my judgment it is the province of the Order to continue in the 
 path which it has pursued from its inception. It must not look 
 to the right nor to the left. It must not favor or discountenance 
 movements within our own ranks, on which Jewish opinion are 
 pronounced and varied, but on the contrary, the Order must 
 continue to be the rallying ground for all Jews regardless of 
 political or religious opinions. We have no more to do with 
 the national or the political Jew than we have to do with the 
 radical, reform, conservative or orthodox Jew. We must con- 
 tinue in our endeavor to unite Israelites; we must continue 
 to show a solid front to our foes; we must continue to promot- 
 
 43
 
 fraternity, peace and harmony among all the children of Israel. 
 
 There never was a time when peace among us was more 
 essential than it is at present. The changed condition of our 
 population, the constantly changing economic conditions of the 
 country, the great strides and advances which are made by those 
 of our co-religionists who have but recently come to our shores, 
 all demand at our hands the most careful consideration, the 
 closest study, and the greatest effort in behalf of peace, harmony 
 and conciliation. There never was a time when our Order could 
 and should become a more potent influence for good, or be 
 availed of to better advantage by all the elements of our Jewish 
 population than the present time. 
 
 STATE OF THE OKDER. 
 
 The members of the Executive Committee report fully as to 
 the activities and conditions of their respective Districts. I will 
 therefore only briefly review each District. 
 
 District No. 1. 
 
 Number 1, the mother District of the Order, shows a loss in 
 its membership for the past five years. The average age of the 
 membership in that District is much higher than in any other, 
 consequently the death rate is higher. During the past five 
 years No. 1 lost 747 members by death, being more than double 
 the number of any other District. This partly accounts for the 
 loss of membership. During the past two years conditions have 
 improved and the District has made a net gain. 
 
 Many of the lodges are recruiting their ranks with young men, 
 who, not attracted by material benefits, are no doubt prepared 
 to work for the altruistic and ideal aims of the Order. The Dis- 
 trict is giving proof that it is embarking upon another active 
 period. It is to be hoped that it will succeed in regaining its 
 former position of leader in numbers and activity. Its present 
 membership is 3,485. 
 
 44
 
 District No. 2. 
 
 This is now the banner District of the Order in America. 
 During the past five years it shows a net gain of 1,423 in mem- 
 bership. Propaganda for the Order has been conducted by its 
 able officers in a businesslike and systematic manner. The 
 lodges in the larger cities have by consolidation increased their 
 efficiency for good and have become important factors in the 
 solution of Jewish questions. The largest two lodges are located 
 in this District, wielding beneficial influence in local affairs. 
 The District has gained materially in importance not only 
 through its increased numerical strength, the personnel of which 
 is excellent, but also through its activities in the fields of benevo- 
 lence and education. Its total membership is 5,305. 
 
 District No. 3. 
 
 Though this is the smallest District in point of area, it is 
 gratifying to note a net increase of 643 in its membership. This 
 is chiefly due to the able work of its leaders and the hearty co- 
 operation of its members. Joshua Lodge No. 23 of Philadelphia 
 takes the lead. Many new lodges were instituted in the smaller 
 communities. In many localities the lodge is the only organiza- 
 tion doing communal work. During its last convention held in 
 January of this year, the District Grand Lodge resolved to es- 
 tablish an orphanage within its territory, thus giving material 
 proof of its virility and commendable activity in the furtherance 
 of the Order's aims and objects. Its total membership is 2,700. 
 
 District No. 4. 
 
 The terrible disaster of 1906, in the city of San Francisco, the 
 stronghold of the District, served temporarily at least to check 
 its growth and development. It is to the credit of the fraternity 
 of the Pacific slope, that in point of membership as well as in 
 activity, the District has not only fully regained all it lost 
 through the earthquake and fire, but has made material progress. 
 The District shows a net gain of 387 in membership. Eegard- 
 
 45
 
 ing its activities it is noteworthy that under the auspices and 
 upon the initiative of Los Angeles Lodge an Orphan Asylum in 
 Southern California has been established. The lodges of San 
 Francisco are now erecting a B'nai B'rith building, to be com- 
 pleted about June 1st, which will also serve as headquarters for 
 the members of the Order, offering them all the usual facilities of 
 a well regulated club. It is expected that this undertaking will 
 materially aid the lodges and help to sustain the present lively 
 interest. Los Angeles and Portland contemplate the erection of 
 B'nai B'rith buildings. Total membership of the District is 
 2,639. 
 
 District No. 5. 
 
 In reviewing the conditions of District No. 5 I call attention 
 to the anomalous situation as shown by the fact that there is no 
 lodge in Baltimore, the seat of the Grand Lodge of that District. 
 Baltimore contains a large Jewish population which is reputed to 
 be progressive and active in Jewish affairs. The establishment of 
 a lodge in that community would be of mutual advantage to the 
 community and the Order. No. 5 was the only District which 
 made no provision for a reserve endowment fund. What should 
 have been foreseen years before would happen, did happen. 
 The time came when it was realized that the obligations, 
 undertaken with reference to the payment of death, benefits, could 
 not be carried out. Hence, the endowment feature in that Dis- 
 trict had to be abandoned. The loss of membership followed 
 rapidly. 
 
 Thirty lodges lost their charters either by suspension or vol- 
 untary surrender. Five years ago the District had 901 mem- 
 bers. It now has only 841. Under ordinary circumstances this 
 would be a poor showing, but I find much encouragement in the 
 fact that in spite of the unfortunate endowment trouble so many 
 have remained loyal. It can at least be said for the present 
 membership that no selfish motives prompt them to remain in 
 the Order. Some of the leading Jews in the country live in this 
 District and are members of the Order. The present President 
 
 46
 
 of the District seems to take considerable interest in its affairs 
 and I believe tHat long before the next convention meets all the 
 losses in that District will be made good. Sixteen new lodges 
 were instituted within the last five years. It is however not 
 enough to institute a lodge. The Grand Lodge officers should 
 use their best efforts to encourage and stimulate the new lodges 
 in the work of the Order. Effort should be made to revive some 
 of the lodges now extinct, especially in Baltimore. 
 
 District No. 6. 
 
 The net gain of membership in this District during the past 
 five years is 1,294, the percentage of increase being the largest 
 of all the American Districts. A number of new lodges were 
 instituted and noteworthy is the fact that the banner of the 
 Order has been planted in new territories, namely: at Fargo, 
 N. D., and Winnipeg, Canada. Winnipeg Lodge is the only 
 lodge in Canada. This lodge was instituted with 35 members. 
 It now has 136 members. The District, has since the last con- 
 vention established a B'nai B'rith Free Employment Bureau in 
 Chicago, maintained by the Chicago lodges and the Grand Lodge 
 and now also subventioned by the Associated Jewish Charities. 
 In some of the smaller communities where no congregations ex- 
 ist, the lodges maintain Sabbath schools. In some cities night 
 schools for immigrants are maintained. 
 
 New lodges and new men with new ideas is the result of the 
 work carried on in this District. The total membership is 3,816. 
 
 District No. 7. 
 
 This District, an empire in itself, has made marked progress 
 in its growth and development. In this, the youngest of our 
 American Districts, signs of active, vigorous life are everywhere 
 displayed. It is true that the majority of the lodges have a small 
 membership. This is due to lack of available material. The 
 lodges are scattered over an extensive territory, widely separated 
 from each other. They serve as monitors, safeguarding the in- 
 terests of Judaism in their respective localities. The members 
 
 47
 
 in this District tax themselves more per capita for the main- 
 tenance of charitable institutions than those of any other Amer- 
 ican District. With the constant increase in the number of 
 lodges, new centers of activity and new co-operators in our work 
 and cause are being secured. Its membership is 4,061. 
 
 District No. 8, Germany. 
 
 This District is universally recognized and acknowledged as 
 the crowning jewel in the diadem of the Order's efforts. It has 
 7,935 members. This membership consists of the most representa- 
 tive of our faith in that country ; they manifest unusual interest 
 in the development of our Order; they aim to live up to and 
 carry out the preamble to our constitution. In matters of phil- 
 anthropy District No. 8 has no superior and few if any equals. 
 It maintains recreation colonies and gives special care to the 
 children of the poor. For the relief of the unemployed, Free 
 Labor Bureaus have been established, training schools for nurses, 
 homes for girls, Toynbee halls, orphan homes, asylums for 
 feeble-minded children, schools for backward pupils and elee- 
 mosynary institutions of all sorts and character have been 
 founded and are being maintained by the lodges and the Dis- 
 trict at large. District No. 8 is truly responsive to the needs of 
 the times and is a worthy exponent of the principles of the Order. 
 
 District No. 9, Roumania. 
 
 The condition of this District did not improve during the past 
 five years; if any change is apparent it is for the worse. Only 
 eight of the former thirteen lodges are in existence. A fact 
 which may have had a bearing upon the loss in the number of 
 lodges in this District is that the lodges steadfastly abstained 
 there, as they do everywhere from meddling in political affairs. 
 This was interpreted by the younger element as a refusal on the 
 part of the Order to grapple with questions affecting the exist- 
 ence of the Jewish people and caused dissatisfaction. The lodges 
 are active in extending relief to the needy, and they maintain 
 various institutions, such as vacation colonies for convalescent 
 
 48
 
 poor children, society for furnishing clothing to the poor, ele- 
 mentary schools for boys and girls, stations for distributing free 
 meals. They also maintain a high school for girls. The Grand 
 Lodge aided by some of the lodges has carried on a systematic 
 fight against the so-called "More Judaico," which has required 
 heavy sacrifices of money and personal service. The District is 
 fortunate in having such a man as Dr. Adolphe Stern as 
 President. 
 
 District No. 10, Austria. 
 
 Fifteen years ago District Grand Lodge No. 10 was inaugu- 
 rated. In this comparatively brief period of time the District 
 has made marvelous progress. Kepresentatives of the best ele- 
 ments in Jewry have responded to the call of the Order and en- 
 rolled themselves as its members. The lodges are the pioneers 
 and pathfinders in all charitable and beneficent undertakings. 
 It is true that the membership is small, but what it lacks in 
 numbers it makes up in the quality and standing of its mem- 
 bers. As visible monuments to their benevolent activity I may 
 mention homes for orphans, labor bureaus in many cities, Toyn- 
 bee halls and libraries, vacation colonies and homes for children, 
 homes for nurses, and principally the aid furnished to the Gali- 
 cian Jews. Without egotism and with unstinted liberality the 
 brothers of District No. 10 are laboring for the furtherance of 
 all noble aims and worthy philanthropies. 
 
 The Orient. 
 
 Jeruschelajim Lodge of Jerusalem, Palestine, has continued in 
 its beneficent work of ameliorating the conditions of the poor. 
 Through its initiative a colony was established at Mozza and a 
 kindergarten in its home city. The principal work of the lodge 
 consists in the maintenance of the Central Library at Jerusalem, 
 which is continually being enlarged. 
 
 Schaar Zion Lodge of Jaffa maintains the "Schaar Zion Hos- 
 pital/' the only Jewish hospital in that city, the chief port of 
 Palestine, where poor sick co-religionists seek relief. 
 
 49
 
 Galil Lodge of SaSed, Palestine, has during the past five years 
 concentrated its activities upon the following: It has subven- 
 tioned professional men, enabling them to pursue their calling; 
 maintains a library and reading room ; conducts a kindergarten, 
 at which an average attendance of 120 children is reported; 
 maintains school for the teaching of the Arabic and Turkish 
 languages ; takes care of the sick and has a special committee to 
 look after this feature of its activity. The lodge owns its own 
 building, in which the library and public lecture hall is situated. 
 Arze-Levonon Lodge, of Beyruth, Syria, is actively engaged 
 in the maintenance of a night school and kindergarten. 
 
 Mizpah Lodge of Philippopoli, Bulgaria, is the first lodge 
 instituted in that country. It works diligently and has attained 
 notable results. Due to it, "Ezra" Lodge of Varna, Bulgaria, 
 was instituted in 1907, and it is now organizing a sister lodge at 
 Eustchuk. 
 
 Ezra Lodge of Varna, Bulgaria, is the youngest lodge in the 
 Orient, having been instituted April 23, 1907. This lodge has 
 done good work in harmonizing the various and conflicting ele- 
 ments of its local Jewry. In the field of charity the lodge also 
 manifests activity; it organized a society to aid the sick and a 
 women's society for furnishing clothing to the poor. Though 
 the lodge numbers only 33 members, it disbursed for benevolent 
 purposes more than 3,600 francs since its institution. 
 
 We have several other lodges in the Orient, but hear from 
 them very seldom. Our position there needs strengthening, and 
 as soon as we have there a sufiicient number of lodges and mem- 
 bership a new District should be created. To facilitate matters 
 in that direction I recommend that the Executive Committee be 
 authorized to appoint from year to year and until such time 
 as a new District is formed there, some member of the Order 
 outside of the United States as an additional member of the 
 Executive Committee to represent the lodges of the Orient. 
 
 On Jan. 1, 1905, we had a total membership in the American 
 Districts of 18,728. In Districts 8, 9, 10, 8,091. On Dec. 31, 
 
 50
 
 1909, the membership in the American Districts was 22,847; 
 in Districts 8, 9 and 10,, 9,926. And in the Orient from reports 
 received 350, making a total membership of the Order 33,123, 
 a net increase during the last five years of 6,004 members, a 
 gain of 22.15 per cent, being a larger increase than at any equal 
 period of time in the history of the Order. 
 
 At the last session of the convention there was in the hands of 
 the treasurer of the Executive Committee the sum of $19,914.86, 
 which included the sum of $4,143.00 paid by Districts Nos. 2 
 and 6 as their installments for the first six months of the year 
 1905. From the amount on hand the expenses of the convention 
 had to be paid. On Dec. 31, 1909, there was in the hands of the 
 treasurer of the Executive Committee the sum of $24,684.39. 
 
 Since the meeting of the last convention the Districts paid 
 to widows and orphans $1,243,070.48, and to charity $1,145,- 
 118.12. 
 
 HOT SPRINGS SANITARIUM. 
 
 At the last convention the following resolution was presented : 
 
 "That the Constitution Grand Lodge give the movement (of 
 establishing a Sanitarium at Hot Springs which is to be a na- 
 tional institution) its hearty endorsement, that it offer its ma- 
 chinery in support of -whatever efforts may be made to solicit 
 money and to obtain from Congress a grant of land on East 
 Mountain at Hot Springs." 
 
 The above resolution was referred by the Convention to the 
 Committee on Charitable Objects, and the following report was 
 presented by the Committee: 
 
 "Your Committee recommends that this matter be referred to 
 the Executive Committee of the Constitution Grand Lodge, and 
 that the sense of this Convention be that this Constitution 
 Grand Lodge give its moral support to this movement." 
 
 The attention of the Executive Committee was called to the 
 fact that the record of the proceedings of the Convention failed 
 to show any action by the Convention with reference thereto. 
 
 51
 
 The subject matter, however, was taken up for consideration 
 by the Executive Committee at its meeting held in Boston on 
 May 31, 1908, upon presentation of a communication from Dis- 
 trict Grand Lodge No. 7, calling attention to the conditions at 
 Hot Springs and to the work of the Hot Springs Relief Com- 
 mittee. The Executive Committee resolved to issue a circular 
 letter to the lodges of the Order urging their substantial and 
 moral support in behalf of the Hot Springs Relief Committee. 
 
 At the following meeting of the Executive Committee it was 
 resolved that the President recommend that the Constitution 
 Grand Lodge allow to the Hot Springs sanitarium such financial 
 aid as it may deem proper. I therefore submit that question to 
 your favorable consideration. 
 
 NATIONAL JEWISH HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTIVES, 
 DENVER, COLO. 
 
 It is a little more than a decade since the Denver Hospital 
 first opened its doors for the relief of sufferers from the White 
 Plague. At the beginning, the capacity of the Hospital was lim- 
 ited to thirty-five patients. Now, after a lapse of ten years, the 
 hospital takes care of 132 patients, and there is a waiting list 
 of poor patients, longing for admission. The hospital received 
 during the period from May 1, 1905, to Dec. 31, 1909, the sum 
 of $382,490.82 for the general fund, and disbursed during the 
 period from the same fund, $344,765.83. Of those receipts the 
 sum of $48,115.28 or 13-27/100 per cent was contributed by the 
 Order. The hospital during the last period of 44 months shows 
 an average annual surplus of $4,834.08. 
 
 The action of the Order has placed the Hospital for Con- 
 sumptives on a solid foundation. It is now recognized by the 
 American Jewry as an institution entitled to its support- 
 Therefore the time is rapidly approaching when the money which 
 we pay to that institution, or at least a part thereof, can and 
 ought to be used to aid Borne other worthy institution. The 
 
 52
 
 Executive Committee has made a personal investigation of the 
 hospital, was very favorably impressed with the management as 
 well as with the good results to the patients. I recommend that 
 the Denver hospital be allowed for the next five years annually 
 40 cents for each member in the first seven Districts, but that 
 the Executive Committee be authorized to reduce said amount 
 from time to time if in their judgment it will be proper so to do. 
 
 SECRETARY. 
 
 In compliance with the law adopted at the last Constitution 
 Grand Lodge Convention, abolishing the office of "Honorary 
 Secretary" and creating instead the office of Secretary, Brother 
 A. B. Seelenfreund, of Chicago, was appointed secretary by and 
 with the concurrence of the Executive Committee. It is due 
 to him to say that his services have been satisfactory. 
 
 LEO N. LEVI MEMOEIAL VOLUME. 
 
 The writings of our lamented President, Leo. N. Levi, rich 
 in wisdom and gems in English literature, were compiled, pub- 
 lished and distributed among the members of the Order. This 
 book is an ornament to the best library. Specially bound copies 
 of the volume were presented to the members of the author's 
 family. Twenty thousand copies were published, of which num- 
 ber about five hundred copies remain on hand. 
 
 CHANCELLOR OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 
 
 On December 2, 1907, Bro. Bien wrote me the following 
 letter : 
 
 "MY DEAR BROTHER KRAUS : Continued ill health and poor 
 prospect of speedy improvement in regaining sufficient strength 
 to enable me to do justice to my office, impel me to tender you 
 my resignation as Chancellor of Foreign Affairs. 
 
 "It is with deep regret that I take this step, having been so in- 
 timately connected with our foreign jurisdictions since their 
 
 53
 
 establishment, but my interest in their welfare will not cease, 
 and I shall be happy to render them any service in my power. 
 In a few days I will send you some documents which will throw 
 light on the state of the Order in the various countries. 
 
 "Kindly give official information of my resignation to the 
 foreign Grand Lodge and Lodges. 
 
 "It remains for me to express to you my sincere thanks for 
 the uniform courtesy and consideration shown during your ad- 
 ministration. 
 
 "With best wishes for your future success in the exalted office 
 which you fill with so much zeal and ability, 
 "Fraternally yours, 
 
 "JULIUS BIEN." 
 
 I replied as follows: 
 
 "Dec. 4, 1907. 
 
 "My DEAR BROTHER BIEN: I have carefully considered the 
 contents of yours of Dec. 2d. I doubt whether I have the power 
 to accept your resignation as Chancellor if I wanted to, and I 
 am sure I don't want to. This office was created for you because 
 the members of the Order desired to show the high esteem in 
 which they held you. Should you insist upon resigning, then 
 in my opinion, the office will remain vacant. That office was 
 created as the one of the highest distinction and in recognition 
 for long and faithful services, especially in foreign lands. We 
 have no one competent to be your successor. 
 
 "Now will you please permit me a suggestion? Suppose you 
 dictate a letter to each one of the European districts requesting 
 them, owing to your ill health, to communicate with me instead 
 of you until further notice. If my wife's health will permit it, 
 I will go to Europe next summer and remain there for a year, 
 and the correspondence between those districts and this office 
 in the meantime will bring me in touch with them to a certain 
 extent before my arrival. 
 
 54
 
 "The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be called 
 in the East, and I hope you will be strong enough to be able to 
 attend it. 
 
 * * * 
 
 "With very best wishes for your good health, I am, 
 "Sincerely yours, 
 
 "ADOLF KBAUS." 
 To the above letter I received the following reply : 
 
 "NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 1907. 
 
 "Hon. Adolf Kraus, Pres. Executive Committee, Tribune Bldg., 
 Chicago, III. 
 
 "MY DEAR BROTHER KRAUS : Only a few lines to-day, to thank 
 you for your kind and affectionate letter, which has been a 
 source of great encouragement to me, and I will act on your 
 suggestion and inform our foreign jurisdictions to carry on 
 their official correspondence with you direct until such time as 
 I can take up the work again satisfactorily. 
 
 "It is an honor and a pleasure to serve with you, and nothing 
 will give me greater gratification than to be able to hold out 
 during your term of office. 
 
 "With affectionate regards, I remain, 
 "Sincerely yours, 
 
 "JULIUS BIEN." 
 
 I recommend that the office of Chancellor of Foreign Affairs 
 be abolished for two reasons. 1st, because I believe that out of 
 respect to the memory of Bro. Bien the office ought not to be 
 filled by any other member, and, 2nd, because there ought to be 
 no divided responsibility and all records of the Order should be 
 kept in one office. 
 
 I >also make the following recommendations: 
 
 (a) The Per Capita tax should be increased. This is neces- 
 essary, to enable us to publish the official organ of the Order; 
 to aid the Hot Springs sanitarium ; and to have some funds on 
 
 66
 
 hand to be used in case of great emergency. In this connection 
 I recommend to Districts 8, 9 and 10, that they create a special 
 fund by setting aside annually such sum as they may deem 
 proper. Such fund to be held by them to enable them to 
 promptly co-operate with us financially in cases of disaster. 
 
 (b) I recommend that the members of the Executive Com- 
 mittee of the European Districts meet at least once during each 
 term of five years for the purpose of conferring as to measures 
 to be taken for the best interest of the Order in Europe and 
 that they report their conclusions to the Executive Commitee 
 of the Order. 
 
 (c) The last Convention provided that the Order should 
 maintain headquarters in the city of New York. During the 
 past five years there has been paid by the Executive Committee 
 the sum of $2,857.60 for maintaining an office and a clerk in 
 that city. So far to my knowledge no good reason has been ad- 
 vanced why such an office should be maintained in the city of 
 New York any more than in San Francisco. If District No. 1 
 or any other District should neecT any financial assistance from 
 the Executive Committee and the Executive Committee be in a 
 position to render such assistance it ought to be cheerfully and 
 freely given, but if the Executive Committee is to be burdened 
 with a fixed charge some good reason ought to be advanced for it. 
 I therefore recommend that unless some good reason is given to 
 this convention why such an office should be maintained in the 
 city of New York, such office be abolished. 
 
 (d) I recommend that the Executive Committee be author- 
 ized and empowered to re-district some of the Districts so as to 
 assign new states and territories to such? Districts as can prop- 
 erly take care of them and also to apportion Canada to such 
 Districts as they may deem proper, the Canadian Districts how- 
 ever to be subject to re-distriction whenever a new Grand Lodge 
 is established in England and in that connection also to permit 
 such lodges as are under the jurisdiction of the Executive Com- 
 mittee in lands over which the English Government has jurisdic- 
 
 56
 
 tion to be assigned to the Grand Lodge of England whenever 
 formed. 
 
 (e) The lodge in Winnipeg, Manitoba, instituted by District 
 No. 6 was assigned by the Executive Committee to No. 6. The 
 two lodges in Switzerland instituted by District No. 8 were as- 
 signed by the Executive Committee to District No. 8. I recom- 
 mend that that action be approved and remain in force until new 
 Districts are formed. 
 
 (f) In view of the fact that it must be assumed that the 
 convention has absolute confidence in the members of its Exec- 
 utive Committee, I do not think that the provision of the law 
 limiting to $100.00 the allowance for expenses of a member of 
 the Executive Committee for attending a meeting is proper. It 
 is safe to say that the average expense for each meeting is less 
 than $100.00 per member, but to limit the expense of the mem- 
 ber from District No. 4 to $100.00 is putting a burden upon 
 him which is not fair. I therefore recommend that the limita- 
 tion of $100.00 be repealed. 
 
 (g) I recommend that the Executive Committee be author- 
 ized to cause a gold medal appropriately inscribed to be pre- 
 sented by a vote of the Executive Committee, not more than once 
 each year to that man or woman, regardless of creed, who con- 
 tributes most during the year to the welfare of the Jewish cause. 
 
 ASSOCIATED PRESS. 
 The following correspondence needs no explanation. 
 
 Dec. 23, 1908. 
 Melville E. Stone, Esq., Manager Associated Press. 
 
 MY DEAR MR. STONE : If A. B., an non-Jew, commits a crime 
 the Associated Press dispatches furnish the public with the news 
 without any reference as to whether he is a Methodist, a Catho- 
 lic, or whatever Christian denomination he may belong to. If 
 however, A. B. happens to be a Jew, then almost invariably the 
 
 57
 
 news item informs us that A. B., a Jew, etc., committed an of- 
 fense. Is there any good reason for making such a distinction ? 
 Has not the Jew been persecuted for conscience sake enough for 
 these many centuries, and is such a reference in accord with the 
 American spirit? The press is one of the educators of the 
 American people. Should it therefore not take care to avoid 
 anything which unnecessarily and unjustly creates a prejudice 
 with some, and increases it with others against a religious sect 
 whose members, as a rule, are law-abiding and patriotic citizens 
 and furnish no greater, if as great, a quota of criminals and 
 paupers as those of other religious beliefs. 
 
 I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of the Amer- 
 ican press is free of religious prejudice and that it is not the in- 
 tention of its managers to create unnecessarily in this country 
 a hatred against any law-abiding portion of the people. I there- 
 fore take the liberty to inquire whether the Associated Press 
 could not without any impairment of its news service adopt a 
 rule prohibiting its agents from publishing the religious beliefs 
 of evil doers when such belief has nothing to do with the of- 
 fense committed. I am confident that it is not the policy of your 
 association to give unnecessary offense to any religious sect and 
 that if it is in your power to remedy the evil which is herein 
 complained of, it will be done. I am, 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 ADOLF KRAUS. 
 
 Dec. 26, 1908. 
 Adolf Kraus, Esq., Chicago, III. 
 
 MY DEAR MR. KRAUS : I have yours of Dec. 23rd. I think your 
 suggestion is a perfectly proper one and I see no reason on earth 
 why we should say A. B. was a Jew any more than we should say 
 he was a Methodist. Based on your suggestions I will issue 
 precisely the instructions you indicate. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 MELVILLE E. STONE, 
 General Manager. 
 
 58
 
 THE EDUCATIONAL LEAGUE. 
 
 The Educational League is an organization which has as its 
 object the higher education of orphans, with offices in Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, and a board of governors in different cities of the 
 Union. That the League is entitled to encouragement cannot 
 be questioned. The officers of the League request the co-opera- 
 tion of the Order. They have prepared a plan for that purpose, 
 which I herewith submit to the convention for its careful con- 
 sideration. 
 
 DRAFT OF A PLAN FOR THE AFFILIATION OF THE 
 I. 0. B. B. WITH THE EDUCATIONAL LEAGUE. 
 
 The purpose of this plan is to enable the I. 0. B. B. to co- 
 operate with the Educational League in prosecuting the projects 
 of that Society. The Educational League was organized for 
 the purpose of placing an opportunity for higher education 
 within the reach of capable young men and women, who, by 
 reason of the loss of one or both parents, lack the necessary 
 means of achieving an ambition in that direction. The method 
 pursued has been to enlist children in this work who contribute 
 One Dollar annually to the support of the League. In this way, 
 not only are orphans assisted in obtaining higher education, 
 but also the children enrolled as members are benefited by the 
 consciousness of being helpful to others. This feature of the 
 League's organization should be neither abandoned nor lessened 
 in importance; and the plan which is here proposed does not 
 in any way conflict with this idea. The plan, in general, looks 
 to the creation of such a relationship between the Order and the 
 League as will enable the latter to obtain the benefit of the 
 power, prestige and organization facilities of the Order in the 
 promotion of the objects for which the League has been formed, 
 retaining at the same time, the central idea of the children's 
 connection, as above referred to. 
 
 59
 
 The elements of the plan are as follows: 
 
 First. The League shall retain its identity and autonomy. 
 
 Second. Each District Grand Lodge in the United States 
 shall have the right to elect two of its members to serve on the 
 Board of Governors of the League, and the President and Secre- 
 tary of the Executive Committee shall be members of said Board 
 by virtue of their respective offices. 
 
 Third. Each Lodge of the Order shall be required to con- 
 stitute a committee of three from among its members, of which 
 the President of the Lodge shall be one, who shall act as the 
 local representatives of the League charged with the duty of 
 furthering the aims of the League under the executive authority 
 thereof, it being the object and intent that these committees of 
 the Lodges shall excite the interest of the members of such 
 Lodges in the work of the League, not only with reference to 
 the collection of funds, but especially with reference to the 
 seeking-out of eligible young men and women worthy of the 
 assistance which the League can afford. The Lodges, through 
 their respective committees, should investigate and report on 
 the qualifications and situation of such subjects for the League's 
 consideration and should also give such personal aid to the 
 beneficiaries, by way of advice and supervision, as the con- 
 ditions of the case seem to demand. Provided, however, that 
 the League may retain such representatives as it now has, or 
 appoint further representatives at its discretion to act in con- 
 junction with the Lodges. 
 
 Fourth. The Executive Committee of the Order shall from 
 time to time make such contributions to the funds of the League 
 as shall appear to them advisable. This, not because of any 
 present need of financial assistance, but rather to give the Order 
 an additional incentive to keep alive its interest in the League, 
 and to place upon the officers of the Order a greater responsi- 
 bility to maintain a vigilant activity in the conduct of tho 
 League's affairs. 
 
 60
 
 THE FLOODS IN FKANCE, JANUAKY 1910. 
 
 In the latter part of January 1910, the press brought news 
 of great floods in Paris and other parts of France. Judging by 
 the published report it appeared that financial help would be 
 necessary. With the consent of the Executive Committee I 
 cabled to the Grand Lodge of Germany on Jan. 29th to forward 
 to Paris Five Thousand Francs on behalf of the Executive Com- 
 mittee for the sufferers if it was found that money was neces- 
 sary. I was informed by cable and later by letter that no further 
 aid was needed, therefore the money was not forwarded. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Five years have thus passed since the last Convention; and 
 in the passing they have unfolded the mysteries that lay hidden 
 within them. To the immutable record of things accomplished, 
 of progress made, we must look and judge therefrom, whether 
 the hope of five years ago has been attained. In laying down 
 the responsibilities with which you honored me, I shall be con- 
 tent if in your judgment of my stewardship you shall have found 
 me faithful of purpose and diligent of effort in the great cause 
 for which our Order stands, though lacking in the wisdom and 
 ability necessary properly to guide its destinies. 
 
 Brightly, more luminous, the future glows with promise for 
 our Order. It cannot fail of glorious achievement, for it is the 
 incarnation of a spirit, which after long struggle with the baser 
 passions of men, is emerging triumphant from the conflict and 
 swiftly now it is rushing through the world and teaching all 
 men to own its sway the spirit of the brotherhood of man ! 
 
 ADOLF KRAUS, 
 President. 
 
 61
 
 I 
 
 CHICAGO