The Washington times., 1922-10-08
GREAT SPHINX
TOFACE AVENUE
At SHRINE MEET.
Pyramid and State Buildings
To Make Famous Highway
Scene Of Wonder.

Shrine temples in the forty.eight
States Of the Union will vie In
decorating Pennsylvania avenue for
the annual session of the i'm
perial council here next June.
Decoration OF the avenue will be
the most pretentious work of the
kind ever undertaken. Every inch
of both sides Of the avenue for the
entire mile from Peace Monument
to the Treasury will be touched by
the artistic talent Of the nations
leading decorators and artists.
At the Treasury end of the ave-
nue. will stand an immense replica
of the Sphinx, crouching with her
forepaws extending into the street
and with her face toward the dis
tant Peace Monument. above which
will rise a giant pyramid. under
which will be tunnels to permit
passage OF street cars and otl!er
traffic.
Grandstands will be built on both
sides of the Avenue. The mile.
length will be divided into aLoIt
fifty equal portions, and temples
from each State, the District, Pana.
ma Canal Zone, and Hawaiian Is
lands will be in charge of the decora-
ton Of the area assigned to them.
Dance Along Avenue.
Every effort will be made to have
the decorations typical Of the State
represented. and at the same time TO
make the entire scheme a harmoni-
GUS scene of splendor. Arrange
ments will be made for the sale or
presentation, as souvenirs, Of typical
products Of each State, in its oWn
section.
At night, when the biggest dance
ever held will take place on the en-
tire length of the Avenue, each
section will form a place for an il.
formal reunion OF Washington cesI-
dents and visitors from each of the
States. Each section will have It's
own hand and its own spectac ular
features.
During the dance, which will form
one of the most brilliant spectacles
ever witnessed in this country, sur.
Gras in New Orleans, President
Harding will probably make a tour
of the States" according to plans.
Strikingly costumed dancers will
perform the native dances Of all
nations, under the shifting glare
OF thousands of vari-colored spot
lights. Scores Of startling innova-
tions of all kinds are being planned.
The most extensive program of
civic publicity ever undertaken has
just been started by Almas Temple
in preparation for the event. Every
day from now until next June d
series of messages. giving the story
of Washington, will be broadcasted
throughout the nation by radio.
First Message Sent.
The first message Of the series
was sent at noon Friday. 1t was
followed yesterday by the following
message from Leonard p. Steuar;,
potentate OF Almas Temple:
"Medinah Temple. Chicago, will
Imperial Council session in Wash
ington next June. and other Ten
Piles in proportion. Almas Temple.
on behalf Of Washington. its peo-
pie and its institutions. invites the
world to be it's guests on that oc-
casion and to kneel with 1t at the
altar OF America, the Shrine OF
Columbia"
A few minutes after the delivery
of this message, through the Thomas
J. Williams radio station, Potentate
Steuart received scores Of telephone
calls from local Shriners who had
picked up his message on their own
outfits. It is estimated the original
message reached the Mississippi river
before being relayed.
The Almas Temple transportation
committee is today preparing to open
negotiations with all Of the railroads
in the United States and Canada and
with all the steamship companies. for
reductions in fares to bring the
Shriners and their families and
friends to Washington next June.