Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-21
SONS OF AMERICA
BEGIN THEIR PEACEFUL
INVASION OF THE CITY
Hundreds of Delegates Already
Here for Fiftieth Annual Con-
vention and Golden Jubilee
of Order
MORE THAN $4,000 COMING

photographs illustrating this article viii
be found on the pictorial page OF this Issue
Hundreds Of the visiting delegates TO the
sftIeth annual convention and golden jubilee
Of the Pennsylvania State Camp, Patriotic
order Sons of America began to pour into
this city early today. They were met at
the various railway terminals and ferries by
reception committees composed Of members
of the local camps. More than $4,000 mem
hers are expected to be present during the
convention, which officially opens here at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning in the Academy
Of Music.
In addition to the many camps and COM
pnanderies from all sections of the State that
have been coming into Philadelphia on spe-
cial excursion trains, regular delegations
from New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, New
York, Virginia, Connecticut and Ohio have
arrived on special cars they had chartered.
bureaus of information have been estab-
,jshed in nearly every large hotel In the
city for the benefit of the visiting bodies.
Tho official headquarters Of the conven-
tion is located in the Hotel Walton. A
ladies' committee, Of which Mrs. NJ. Eliza
beth Strunk Is chairman, has arranged a
proeram of entertainment for the wives and
families of the delegates.
The visiting members will be welcomed
BY Mayor Smith, Judge John M. Patterson
and Howard b. French, president of the
Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, at the
opening session tomorrow morning. The
doors of the Academy of Music will be
thrown open to the public at this meeting
President c. L. Nonemaker, of the State
Camp. will make a response in behalf of the
convention.
The visiting delegates to the convention
are displaying keen interest in prospective
candidates for the State offices for 1916
and 1917, for which election will be held
tomorrow afternoon following general
business session In the Academy of Music.
state President c. S. Nonemaker. of AL
toona, who is candidate for reelection,
arrived early this morning with a band
of workers. He will have In the field
against him Ernest Edward Clark, of Pitts
burgh, the present Vice president, who is
the representative Of the western contln-
gent for the office Boosters for Clark
have established headquarters at the Hotel
Walton.
The Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce,
business mems associations and commercial
bodies and individual business firms in the
city have expressed their willingness to CO.
operate with the committee in charge of the
convention. Special decorations have been
made by establishments located along the
line of the parade which will be held on
Thursday afternoon.
A court of honor has been erected on
Broad street south of Walnut, terminating
at the Academy of Music In n large obeisk
100 feet high. which is a replica of the
Washington Monument, with bas relief
busts of George Washington on it's four
sides Red, white and blue electric lights
bunting and flags with sprinkllng of ever
green form the general scheme of decoration
planned by Charles E. Weisgerber chair
man of the committee on decorations.
Business sessions will be held on Tuesday
afternoon, Wednesday afternoon and Thurs
day morning. The evenings will be devoted
TO the entertainment of the visitors. A tour
of the city, including visits to many histori-
cal places and buildings, has also been ar
ranged for next Thursday morning.
On Friday the delegates will visit the
camp of the First Regiment of Pennsylva-
MIA Reserves, p. o. S. of A., at Munyon's
Grove, near Fifty-fourth and Jefferson
streets, where nearly 500 members of the
order are under military discipline through
out the entire week