Arizona republican., 1909-06-15
CELEBRATION
 IF FLAG DAY Occasion J l l Beautifully ObserV-
 ed by Phoenix EIks MUSIC, FLOWERS, ORAT0RY Theater Was Filled With Peo- pie Who Joined Them In a Memorable Patriotic De- monstration--- Decorations Were Incomparable.
MUSIC, FLOWERS, ORAT0RY

| In a gorgeous, dazzling and flutter. | ing blaze of red, white and blue, tn, | Benevolent and Protective Order o Elks last night observed it's nationa
 flag day with the greatest patriotic ceremony that has ever been giver in the city of Phoenix Old Glory
 waved from a hundred hooks ana
 even the buzzing electric fans hum
 med the song of liberty The very
 air quivered with the spirit of the
 occasion. The decorations and trap pings that clothed the Elks' opera
 house have never been equalled ever
 by the background of a national con- vention.
 The opera house was packed, and
 though many had anticipated that the
 heat would be almost unbearable, the
 thoughtful committee had overcome
 this in advance by placing a large
 number of electric fans at different
 points in the house so that ventila-
 ton was perfect, and every one seem
 ed comfortable.
 It would be impossible to go into
 detail as to the decorations of the
 evening. They were too extensive and mystifying. It is enough to say
 that they were gorgeous in every
 detail, and placed the audience in a patriotic frame of mind at the start.
 old Glory was everywhere, waving here, fluttering there. and quivering even back of the bank of flowers that covered the front of the stage. One of the most striking features of the decorations was the setting of red, white and blue back of the red
 skinned boys, the red. native Ameri- cans, who have never yet been ex- celled for martial music by those of like opportunities.
 Shortly after eight o'clock, after the Indian School band had played the billboard" march. one of Sousa's most patriotic marches, the Elks marched down the two center aisles to the seats that had been reserved for them, and the Exalted Ruler G. P. DriscOll and officers, Esteemed Lead ing Knight Frank DeSousa, Esteemed Loyal Knight George Kirkland, Es- teemed Lecturing Knight Elliot Evans and Esquire J. l.. Scott. were ushered to their purple draped seats on the stage, while Honorable Brothers J. H. Kibbey and Mulford Winsor. the speakers of the evening, awaited them
 The Indian School band opened the evenings program with the Star Spangied Banner" after which the exalted ruler rapped his gavel for the introductory exercises. which con- stituted the giving of the primary obligations of the order, by the off cers, while they in turn gave each one a foundation stone to the organ ization of the order. The prayer of the evening followed, by Brother J. F. Cleaveland, and then the Flag Record' by Mulford Winsor. in which he took the audience back to the days of the first flag, and before. His speech was interesting from an educational point of view, and brought applause at it's finish when he mem tioned that the next star on the zona star, which would be the bright est and most beautiful of all.
 It was impossible for the quartette. composed of Rickerson, Moore. Stroud and Hill to render the song, Co lumbia, the Gem of the Ocean" as had been previously announced, but Harry Well, though called upon im- promptu, sang it as it had never been sung in the city.
 Honorable J. H.. Kibbey's masterful address, Patriots of America" was deep in it's thought, powerful in it's delivery and strewn from beginning to end with patriotic figures. He took up the definition of patriotism and spoke of why it is impossible for us to define it any more than we can define the family tie; why it is impossible for us to tell why the foreigner has the American strain of patriotism instilled in his veins after being here only a short time, making him take sides against the country that claims his birth. He told Of it's wonderful loyalty; why it stays by an American even under other flags. and remains true to us in every cline, bringing out the little sympa- thetic touch of the American in foreign cline when he looks upon the flag for the first time after years of mental starvation. He spoke Of patriotism in a general way and of the crimes that have been committed in it's name, some of the greatest and most atrocious crimes in the history of the world; also of the great sac rifices that have been made in US name. sacrifices of home, of loved ones, and of life. The speaker paid a grand tribute to Edward, Everett Hale. who has just gone to the land of shadows, of his wonderful book, The Man Without a Country, ana of the lesson that it taught. Love said MT. Kibbey. seems to exist with out cause. reason or freedom. The modern idea of freedom is higher It is symbolized by filial love, and not only love of country, but love of home, of purity and of the virtues that make up our modern civlilZa- ton" He spoke of the sacrifices made by men who never wore the