Convention Of German Society

CONVENTION OF GERMAN SOCIETY

Delegates of Harugari Meet in This City

ORGANIZATION VERY OLD

First was Heard of in America in 1847 - Has Now About 40,000 Members

The State Grand Lodge convention of the German Order of the Harugari met at Germania hall Tuesday. About thirty-six delegates were in attendance, representing Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Manistee, Marshall, Delray and Ann Arbor.

The first session opened Tuesday mornong at 10 o'clock, with Julian Trojanowski, president of the state society, presiding. At this session, the reports of the president, secretary and treasurer were read, accepted and turned over to the committee which held a meeting in the afternoon to act upon them. The election of officers and other important business took place in the afternoon. Two delegates to the National Grand Lodge convention, which meets in Detroit Sept. 2, 3 and 4, were also elected.

The society of the Harugari Is probably one of the oldest German societies in existence. In fact it is so old that its origin is somewhat shrouded in mystery, but from the best knowledge obtainable it is supposed to have originated in the days when fighting was a man's whole trade and the robbery of a neighbor paid better than anything else. The early members of the Harugari were the residents of a section who banded together for mutual protection against their marauding neighbors. Afterward they seem to have had as their aim the furthering of religious tolerance and later the preservation of the purity of the German language, taking on also a benevolent character.

The society was first organized in America in 1847 and has grown rapidly, so it now has about 40,000 members, a national sovereign lodge and many state or grand lodges. A newspaper is published in its interest and the society is one of the most prosperous of the many benevolent organizations.

The grand lodge of Michigan comprises about 40 lodges, 14 of which are located in Detroit, and about 40 delegates were chosen to attend the convention which is in session here. Both men and women are eligible to membership in the society, but must have their separate lodges. The women are permitted to send a delegate to the grand body, but she has no voice in its deliberations unless she selects one of the male delegates to represent her.

Mr. Julian Trojanowski, of this city, enjoys the distinction of being the first president in years who has been elected to succeed himself, he having held the office two terms, and it is probable that he will be re-elected for a third term. Under his supervision the order has greatly prospered, much enthusiasm being aroused and many new members added.

For the first time in the history of the Harugari society in Michigan, women will be entitled to seats in the grand lodge conventions and will be permitted to vote. This was decided in the convention of the society Wednesday, after a prolonged discussion.

In the past, women have been represented at the grand lodge meetings by men delegates and so far have had no voice in the deliberations of the grand lodge sessions, except through the members of the order representing them. This is considered to be quite a victory for the women, who have been doing some brilliant campaigning in the past few months for personal representation in the grand lodge.

Among those honored at the convention were Julian Trojanowski, of this city, who was elected to the presidency of the state grand lodge for the third term. This is an unusual honor, it being the first time in the history of the organization in Michigan that a president has been elected to succeed himself for two terms. But the honor is not undeserved, for Mr. Trojanowski has labored earnestly for the success of the society. Carl Bauer, of Detroit, was elected grand secretary for the third term and Eugene Oesterlin has made the phenomenal record of being chosen grand treasurer for the thirteenth time.

The following delegates were elected to the national grand lodge convention which meets at Fritz Reuter hall, Detroit, on Sept. 3, 4 and 5: Fred Neumann, Gustav Zvendler and Charles Housherr, all of Detroit. The substitutes are Julian Trojanowski and Eugene Oesterlin, of this city and Cari Bauer, of Detroit.

The next state grand lodge convention will be held at Marshall, Mich. Four hundred dollars have been appropriated to pay the expenses of the delegates to the national grand lodge convention in Detroit.

The following are the officers of the state grand lodge, elected at the convention: Julian Trojanowski, president, Ann Arbor; Fred Neumann, vice president, Detroit; Carl Bauer, grand secretary, Detroit; Eugene Oesterlin, grand treasurer, Ann Arbor; Christian Vogel, grand overseer, Lansing; George Schleiter, grand chaplain, Detroit; O. Herwicke, grand guide, Detroit; August Liebau, grand marshal, Detroit; Fred Gago, inner guard, Detroit; Ernest Nonnemann, outer guard. Marshall.

"The order was never in a better condition than it is now," said President Trojanowski. "We have 18 lodges in the state, with 1,226 members in good standing. We are represented in 26 different states, with a membership of nearly 70,000.

"I am much delighted over my reelection to the presidency of the state grand lodge. It is a high honor and I greatly appreciate it."