The annual convention of district six of the Order of B'nai Brith is in session here now. Mr. Amberg presided at yesterday's meeting.....A report was given by the committee on the erection of agricultural schools and the purchase of farms for distribution among needy Jews.....Mr. Klein proposed to supply the committee with the necessary funds so that they could carry on the work, otherwise no satisfactory results can be obtained. The committee in charge of the project will thus be able to give a more extensive report on this subject next year. Mr. Rich pledged a sum of $100 for this purpose, whereupon Mr. C. Rubowitz proposed that every member of the Order should be taxed fifty cents annually, which sum will create the necessary fund.

This suggestion aroused violent opposition, however, because the obligations of the members are almost too heavy already. It was finally agreed that a committee of five members should be named to go ahead as best they could under the existing circumstances.....

Mr. H. C. Mitchell of Chicago submitted a minority report with regard to the admission of Russian, Lithuanian, and Polish Jews into the Order. His report recommended the admission of those Jews. Messrs. Henry Greenebaum, George Braham of Chicago, and Harry Schwimmer of Quincy, found the request of those groups of Jews to establish a new lodge of the B'nai Brith reasonable, and brought the subject up for discussion, even though the Central Executive Board rejected the request.....A lengthy debate ensued as to whether or not permission should be given for the establishment of a new lodge; Mr. C. Salomon of Chicago protested energetically against such a procedure. Nor did Mr. Engel approve, because, as he explained, the Polish and Russian Jews lack education and in addition are rather superstitious.....Mr. A. W. Rich of Milwaukee suggested as a step forward in this controversy, that evening schools should be established before the application of these Jews was granted, so that some of their ignorance could be eliminated.

But in opposition to Mr. Rich, Charles Kozminski pleaded for the admission of the Russian, Lithuanian, and Polish Jews, emphasizing their decency and respect 3for the law. Dr. B. Felsenthal was of the same opinion, and compared the Order B'nai Brith to a locked drug store, surrounded by sick patients awaiting relief for their suffering. The organization should not deprive these people of educational opportunities by insisting on such barriers. Such restrictions would indicate a narrow-mindedness foreign to the Jewish race. Mr. Henry Greenebaum then addressed the convention describing the existing conditions. He also produced and read letters, written by the finest representatives of the Jewish people, unanimously advocating the equality of all Jews. He concluded his speech by asking: "Is it the purpose of this meeting to inspire an anti-Semitic movement in Chicago?"

This was emphatically denied by the assembly. Mr. Rosenfels of St. Paul was, nevertheless, of the opinion that these Jews are Orthodox in their belief; they know nothing of cleanliness, and are personally repulsive. Therefore, every lodge of the Order B'nai Brith should be permitted to decide for itself whether or not to accept these Jews as members of the respective lodge.....The Chicago lodges of the Order honored the delegates to the convention by giving them a 4banquet at the Sherman House in the evening. It developed into a lively affair after the one hundred and ninety honored guests forgot their differences of opinion and joined in the merrymaking--after the strenuous hours of work at the session. Of course, the custom of speeches on such occasions was adhered to.....

The toast to "The Race" was answered by Dr. Emil G. Hirsch. He spoke of Judaism and its two offspring, Christianity and Mohammedanism. He spoke of the persecution of the Jews and of the liberality of Belgium, which gave the Jews equal rights. Belgium's example was followed by France and also Germany. The recent anti-Semitic wave in Germany was mentioned in Dr. Hirsch's address. The gala evening ended with a ball.