Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-06-14
ELKS OF OMAHAPAY
TRIBUTE TO FLAG
Join with Other Organizations and
Hold Their Exercises in Han
soon Park Sunday.
oNT-oF-TowN PEOPLE PRESENT

Thousands Of persons gathered In Han
scom park in the vicinity OF the grand
stand Sunday afternoon for the national
Flag day exercises OF the Benevolent
and Protective Order of Eiks.
Other Flag days in former years have
been celebrated by the Elks in Omaha,
but perhaps never attended by a larger
crowd of men, women and children than
the celebration Sunday afternoon. Ma
ture semed to have had the day hand
made for the occasion. II was not too
hot. and yet not cool enough to make II
uncomfortable in the shade. So thou
sands were waiting for the procession of
veterans. cadets. militia. Eks. bands
and other organizations that marched out
to the appointed place at $50 o'clock.
During the morning teams were busy
hauldlng chairs and benches. AS the day
gave promise of being ideal. the manage
ment looked for large crowd and ar
ranged an especially large number of
seats in order just west of the bandstand
and improvised speakers stand 1t was
arranged that thousands could have
seats, and yet when the exercises were
on so huge was the mass of humanity
that elbowed for standing room that
those who came late could not have told
where the seats were supposed to be.
start to the Park.
At O'Clock the Omaha Drum corps
gave a concert in front of the Eiks'
hall on Fifteenth street Following this
the Omaha Postoffice band gave a con-
cert there.
Shortly after 2:45 Major E. f. ster-
a
officiating marshal of the day. gave the
command and the column of state milf
tia. Spanish war veterans. Naval club.
Boy Scouts. Omaha. Council Bluffs and
Plattsmouth EllSs. Grand Army veterans.
Loyal Legion, Grand Army of the Re
public, Women's Relief corps, county and
city commissioners. moved forward to-
ward Hanscom park. The Grand Ahmy
men and a number of other organiza-
tions rode in automobiles. while the mi
formed men, such as the state militia,
marched in formation.
Omaha, Council Bluffs and Plattsmouth
officers OF the Elks participated in the
ritualistic exercises at the park. The
Omaha Elks Male chorus furnished vocal
music. while the Omaha Postoffice band
rendered patriotic air that pleased the
multitude.
Prayer was offered by Rev. }. ].
Mackay, chaplain of the Elks' ldge.
The opening exercises We're conducted by
Exalted Ruler Young and the flag rec
ord ritual conducted by Emmett FINLEY
of Council Bluffs. with the Elks tribute
to the flag by A. ]. Beeson Of l'la.ts-
mouth.
Cause for Gratitude.
Senator Hitchcock. the orator of the
day. speaking on The Meaning Of the
Flag praised the spirit that brings
about Flag day celebrations, pointed out
the vast number OF places scattered half
way round the globe where the day was
being celebrated and congratulated the
nation on its peace in the face of the
trouble in Europe
: AT this time particularly, when Eu-
rope Is in the throes Of awful destruc-
ton" said the senator. we have cause
for gratitude. At this moment. when in
Europe we see the very foundation of
civilization tottering, il Is our proud
hope that America shall become the con-
science Of the world. And In the present
world crisis our hope is that the flag.
In the hands Of Woodrow Wilson viii
be led through with high honor"