Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-03-27

J Holds Patriotic Banquet in Westmin
stcr Building-Seryicc Flag Tn
veiled- Eloquent Addresses b.
Prominent Speakers.
Those who had the good fortune
. to be present at the banquet held &:
the Westminster Building in this city
last night by the Southgate Glib ci
Washington enjoyed rare treat, one
which will net soon be forgotten, in
fact, or account of the patriotic SEN
timent which dominate! the entire
evenings program and the eloquent
addresses of the able speakers who
entertained the assemblage.
TIE Southgate Club Is composed o:
the Master Masons in the employ of
the Southern Railway System in
Washington and vicinity, including
about one hundred and siytyfve men,
most of whom we're in attendance last
night A special train and the private
car "Nt. Vernon" brought the mem
'bers of the club, speakers and guests
over to Alexandria and carried them
:; back to the Capitol city after the
close Of the banquet.
Mr.. VIM. II. Melchoir, Of Alexan-
,, dria, president OF the club. presided
as postmaster. After the invocation
had been pronounced by the Rev. DR..
John Lee Allison, the entire company
of men remained standing while they
Joined in singing America" Excel
! lent music was also discoursei during
the dinner by an orchestra from
Washington.
After ample justice had been done
the array Of appetizing viands pre-
pared and served BY the ladies' CT .he
Presbyterian society, President Mel
choir made very feeling address IL
which he referred 70 the twelve mem-
beYs; Of the club VINO had joined the
ccIors. As he reached thar point in
his remarks a beautiful service flag
containing twelve stars was unveiled
en- the stage at the rear Of the tables
and twelve young ladies dressed in
white, holding small flags over the.r
shoulders, sang THE Star Spanglet
Banner" The effect was nest inspir-
ing. Mr. Elmer T. Kaltenhach. who
had presented the flag to the club, also
gave brief address
Mr.. Melchoir next introduced Hon.
IT. U. Sisson. Representative in Con-
gross rom the state Of Mississippi
and past grand master Of MasoNs
Of that state. Nr. Sisson thrilled his
listeners with the earnest. eloquent
sentences with which he held he close
attention Of everyone. He paid a:.hgn
tribute to the Masonic order and said
that had il not been for that frater-
nitr our Republic would+not have been
established us it. was. He recalled
the names of the men and facts IN
connection. with them. and said that
| ,fftv-tv.o of the fifty-siX Sign2rs a.
the Declaration Of Independence were
members of the Masonic order Com
ing down to the present war ne de-
| nounced the prohteers in Scathihg
terms. and said that If cessary we
should he willing to wear old clothes
to win the war, and that factories
| turning out useless luNuries should be
changed and made to help furnish war
materials. He was greeted with vo-
cifcrous applause throughout ms
speech. In referring to the German
Kaiser he said that il i should ever
get TO point where the Kaiser should
ask rs if we were ready 10 surrender
70 him he hoped that President Will
son would drop his Prcsbyte"ianism
| long enough w dIS"Si iA4li g 'N''
Jones did the English in the great
naval battle years ago: Hell, no.
We've just begun to fight.
Toatsmaster NIelchoir then intro
duced the Rev James Sheara Mont
eomery, Of Washington. who proved
to be another patriot whom it does
real American good to hear. Among
other comments made by him was one
to the effect that our country had been
headed in the wrong direction up to
the time Of the present war. caused
by the rapid manner in which the
people had been accommodating and
rolling in wealth. but that its course
had been changed and that the peo-
pie were now turning their thought
in other directions ard doing the
things that needed TO be done for hu-
manity. He said he hoped to live to
see the throne Of every king in frae-