Page 101 - 1913 November - To Dragma

106 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

method by which the non-fraternity men can come together frequently and
promote the social life among them.

The women o f the University of Washington have started a like organiza-
tion of which one o f the leaders says:

"Our purpose is not political nor is it anti-Greek. I t is easily observed that
sorority women get along better socially because they are organized. The
independent girls simply wish to benefit by the experience o f the sororities."
—Anchora of Delta Gamma.

The fraternities entered the movement f o r united action in 1909, when a
number of the leading men in some of the oldest and strongest societies called
a conference which met i n New York City. Here was organized the Inter-
Fraternity Conference, composed of two delegates f r o m each f r a t e r n i t y . This
Conference took up f o r consideration such questions as scholarship, Chapter
House control, academic qualifications f o r membership, Pan-Hellenic relations
among the local groups, and high school societies.

The Conference has met annually in New York City and given earnest con-
sideration to these and related subjects, but f r o m the beginning i t has failed
of its best service because i t was wholly a voluntary organization, without any
authority to enforce its w i l l upon the local chapters. A n effort is now being
made to grant i t certain limited powers of legislation. Phi Delta Theta, in
its recent convention, led the way in this important matter, authorizing its
delegates to grant the conference these powers, an action which should be f o l -
lowed by every member o f this organization.

Following the opposition to the Fraternity system which developed last
winter in several states a number of men called an I n t e r f r a t e r n i t y mass
meeting which was held at Chicago on May 30-31, 1913.

Regent K r i p p n e r very properly responded to the call and appointed as
delegates to represent Sigma N u , H . J. Bardwell, Beta Alpha, and Burton
P. Sears, N u . Their report to the Regent of this conference is as f o l l o w s :

"Pursuant to a call issued by Delta Upsilon Fraternity, nearly one hundred
delegates, representing some fifty-five national fraternities, sororities and pro-
fessional fraternities, met at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago, on the morn-
i n g of Decoration Day, May 30, 1913, and continued in session until late in
the afternoon o f the f o l l o w i n g day. The purpose o f the meeting, as stated by its
promoters, was to advise some immediate means f o r the organization o f a Fra-
ternity Reference Bureau, f o r the collection and compilation of data f o r use
by the various Fraternities when necessary to meet attacks by hostile legisla-
tures or faculties.

An executive committee of ten members—five from fraternities, three from
sororities, and two f r o m the professional fraternities—was elected and given
f u l l and unlimited power and express instruction to forthwith create a
Fraternity Reference Bureau in Chicago, and to employ a secretary to take
charge of the work of collecting and compiling data and placing it at the dis-
posal of the fraternities of the country. Each fraternity, sorority and pro-
fessional fraternity i n the United States was asked to contribute $25.00 a
year towards the support of this Bureau.—Delta of Sigma N u .

The only good reason which can be given f o r a f r a t e r n i t y , or any like organ-
ization f o r that matter, is the welfare of its members. I f , as an organization,
you f a i l to increase the happiness, usefulness, and value of your members,
you have failed as a f r a t e r n i t y . I t is just as well to be plain about this,