The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-08
GAYETY
ENJOYED BY
THOUSANDS
Spectacular Parade and Dance
BY Multitude Followed by
Fireworks.

Two spirits lowered above
downtown Washington last night
as unnumbered thousands of visit
ing Shriners and their civic hosts,
the people of the Capital, CO.
operated in producing a triumph
ant and tremendous pageant,
marking the formal close Of the
greatest entertainment program
ever known here.
Dance on Avenue.
The first was the spirit of Masonry;
the second that OF the dance.
Like a. hand.illumined scroll Of
history unrolling before the eye.
mighty pageant. consisting for the
most part Of carefully designed
floats, occupied The Avenue and the
Garden, of Allah until 10 o'clock,
starting at . few minutes past 8.
1t told the tale Of the worlds great
est fraternal organization, down
from the days OF Solomon when the
iron master pre-empted the throne
Of the great Jewish king and
Masonry started gathering tradi.
tions, to the episodes Of modern
history in which Masons figured
prominently.
And after the pageant had passed
before the White House reviewing
stand where President and Mrs.
Harding reviewed the third great
Shrine demonstration In three days,
Washington greatest highway was
given over to the dance. In that
carnival at least 100000 participated,
bursting from the banked stands
and pre-empting the meal-sprinkled
concrete like q resistless human
flood.
At one time, when q false alarm
on Pennsylvania avenue between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets
brought trucks and fire engines on
the jump, things looked. serious.
But the glazing lamps and sirens OF
the apparatus and the earnest
efforts Of an augmented police guard
succeeded In spreading the thrOngs
sufficiently to allow Of the ma
chimes passage.
Dance Of tho States.
Until midnight rhythmically NOV.
ing forms occupied the avenue from
far down towards the Capitol TO be.
yond Eighteenth street. Particular.
ly rhythmic because they stepped to
strains from pole-rigged ampliflers,.
simultaneous for more than one
mile. II was the dance OF the
States" ana was in sall respects q
united affair. It was like some
great gathering Of the middle ages,
swayed by the enthusiasm of a
common worship.
Comparatively little dancing was
done by couples. The hosts Joined
hands, sometimes to the number 81
forty or fifty and whirled In
circles, square dances and reels.
The red fezz was a badge of intro.
duction in the case Of Shriners
without escorts and the .youthful
feminine element Of the city stepped
with mobiles whom they never cav
before and never viii see again.
To add to the stupendouS effect
OF the whole celebration, there was
staged on the ElliDse by all odds the
most pretentioug display OF fire.
works Washington has ever seen
and on the occaaions OF inaugurals
and municipal fetes marking INDIE.
pendence Day II has seen some
wonders. The skies were full of
rainbow lights. the air Of heavy dis
chrages from aerial bombs. The
silence hurt the ears when the can.
nonade ceased and the myriads
started home.
There was one other factor in
this melange of dance, light and
sound. 1t was choral singing by
thousands stretched along the
avenue The tens If thO1laanda ~
voices rose toward the stars with
an effect which was overwhelming.
Headed BY Police.
The pageant was headed by a
platoon Of police. Brig Gen. Amos
Fries was grand marshal. the chem.
teal warfare service having had
much to do with arrangement Of
the Hete. Officers of Almas Temple
and units from that organization,
hosts during the sessions Of the
Imperial Council, came next, then
pretentious show Of the military,
army and navy. then the five divls.
ions containing floats. The last
float passed through the Garden
Of Allah at 10 o'clock, fireworks
sweepers formed a rear.guard, dust.
ing the Avenue clean Of litter, and
back of them were the nassed
Thousands from the stands.
While the mob had possession
Of the streets, there was no dis
order nor uRliness. AS quickly as
their unweildiness would permit
they made space at the direction Of
mounted officers and for the en-
gines answering the false alarm.
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