The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1919-07-17
PATRIOTISM IS
FEATURED BY
ANTLERD HERD
Convention AT Atlantic City
Sets New Attendance Rec
ord for Fraternal
Orders.

This years national convention of the
Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks in Atlantic City, with American
ism" as its slogan. established record
as the greatest in the history of the or
der and probably sets new attend
ance figure for national fraternal gath
erings in this country.
In spite of war work activities In
which nearly all the citizens Of the
country were engaged. and the unprec-
edented number of deaths from the epi-
demic that swept the country during
that time, the Elks had net increase
in membership during the last year Of
more than $4,000.
Various circumstances account for
the prosperity Of the Order Of Elks
during the war. 1t is purely an Ameri-
can institution. Its membership Is linn
tied to white citizens Of the United
States, and its subordinate Lodges are
to be found only on United States soil.
Elks Originate Flag Day.
lag LAY, WulCh has pSSOLiC q hd
tional institution through Act Of Con-
gress, and which this year was observ-
ed and celebrated in practically every
community in this country, was origin
ated by the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks. Even now. with the day
notable celebrations of 1t are still held
in Elks homes. Thus on June IA last,
among the most notable and important
utterances given to the country in OBJ
servance of Flag Day, was the speech
made by DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler,
president of Columbia University. in
the Lodge Room of New York Lodge
No. /. the Mother Lodge" Of Elks.
Flag Day has been informally OBJ
served by various subordinate Elks
lodges for many years. Its official
designation and celebrations by the Or
der was first proposed by Grand Exalt-
ed Ruler Henry A. Melvin, now of the
supreme court bench of California, at
the grand lodge convention held in
Philadelphia in 1907. This recommen-
dation was Immediately adopted and
the incoming grand exalted ruler, John
K. Tener of Pennsylvania, appointed a
committee on work and ritual to pre-
pare suitable ritualistic service for
such a celebration. This committee
was made up of James L. King. state
librarian Of Kansas, chairman, Charles
Beecher Lahan of Chicago and William
Horpact of uorrishurp The
ritual for Flag Day was prepared by
M King and exemplified by him at the
and lodge session in Dallas, Texas,
in 1908.
Patriotism and Charity Taught.
The ritual of the Elks teaches pa
triotism above everything else. unless
it is charity, which Is perhaps the
foundation stone of the Order. At ev-
cry meeting Of an Elks Lodge, the altar
is dIaped with the American flag, and
newly initiated members are admon-
ished to love, respect and defend it..
This ritualistic teachingN is not OF re-
standing.
The leaders Of the Elks are among
the leaders of the country IN CONNER
cial, political asd patriotic work. They
have placed the Order in the front ranl;
among those institutions that stand
for genuine Americanism, and especial
ly those which stand. not upon the or
der of their doing, but upon the car
dnal principle of doing Immediately
whatever is to be done either for the
country or for the individual In dis
tress.
General Pershing an Elk.
There is no red tape in the Elks
creed. In other respects their creed Is
expansive enough to welcome all good
American citizens to membership be
they Jews, Gentiles Catholics or Prot
estants. The one proud boast of the
Elks everywhere is that they possess
the genuine fraternal spirit. And their
desire is to infect other good Ameri-
cans with it.
General John ]. Pershing Is proud Of
his life membership in Ell Paso. Texas,
Lodge No, 1877. A member of the mill
tary affairs committee Of congress. who
knew Pershing when he was a student
at West Point, but who had not seen
him for many years, tells story worth
repeating, about the general and the
Elks. This congressman made an off,
cial visit to the battle front In France
two years ago. and one of the first
things General Pershipg said to him
was: Jack, are you an Elk%
1t is needless to say that that con-
gressman Is today one of the proudest
and most enthusiastic members Of the
Order
Leaders in War Relief Work.
With this general understanding oi
the principles and leadership OF the
Elks, 1t Is easy to understand why the
Order took leading part In war ac.
tivities, and why 1t Is today In actual
exclusive partnership with the United
States government In one of the mos
important and far-reaching undertak
ings ever put into effect in the history
of the world--that Of vocational train
ing or reeducation of disabled soldiers
sailors and marines Of the great war
The Elks are unique In one fea
ture of their rganization-though no
exclusive among secret fraternal orderi
in the fact that only one subordinate
Lodge is permitted In each city. whl:l