Evening star., 1923-10-30
State Chiefs Here for Rites at
Alexandria to Meet
With Finley.
WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT
IN SAME DIRECTION SEEN
If Organization Is Formed, Wash
ington, It Is Conceded,
Will Be Seat.
The Masonic grand masters of every

The Masonic grand masters of every
state in the Union. here to help lay
the corner stone of the George
Washington Memorial at Alexandria
at noon Thursday, will meet as
body tomorrow for the first time in
history and discuss matters that may
result in the dawn OF new epoch
Of Masonry in the United States, and
possibly the world.
The grand masters, each Of whom
is supreme in his particular jurisdic-
tion, will assemble in the House of
the Temple at 18th and S streets
northwest at the invitation OF DIR.
Mark F. Finley. grand master of the
District Of Columbia. They will be
In continuous session throughout the
day and conclude their meeting with
a banquet in the evening.
At present there Is no national or
ganization of blue lodge Masons-
that is to say. Masons of the first
three degrees. Each state Is a sep
arate jurisdiction, supreme in itself
and subject to no suggestions or in
understood that the question of
whether Masonry should have a ma
tional organization-a supreme grand
lodge-in tho United States will be
considered.
Washington VIII BE Sent.
Should such an organization later
grow out of tomorrow's meeting. II
is conceded that Washington. by
virtue of its position as the National
Capital. will become the seat Of the
supreme grand lodge Of Ancient
Free and Accepted Masons. Since
such an organization would be the
first of its kind in the world, there
IS possibility that 1t eventually
supreme grand lodge.
SUCH a lodge. it has been pointed
out Tor years, would take no autonomy
from the state grand lodges, but
from which o operate. The need Of
that body has been felt for many
years, and when Grand Master Finley
was authorized by the District Grand
Lodge to invite the state grand mas
1t was believed that the formation
OF a permanent national body was
the ideal that prompted the action.
While such lodge could not be
formed Immediately, many prominent
Masons expect another national con-
ference. at which the supreme body
might be raised, to result.
The meeting in the House Of the
Temple will open at 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning. At noon the grand
masters will have luncheon at the
City Club and in the late afternoon
will be taken on a tour of the city.
The banquet Will be held in the
House Of the Temple at o'clock and
Immediately afterward the grand
masters will be taken to a special
communication of Hiram Lodge in Ma
sonic Temple.
Another precedent in Masonry will
be set when Corinthian Lodge, No.
241, Of Detroit, Michigan, exempIifies
the third degree. The candidates, of
course, will be Washington young
men.
Every State Represented.
Plans for the laying of the corner
stone of the state memorial to George
Washington. the man and the Mason,
had been completed today. The occa-
ion probably will be the greatest
gathering Of Masons ever held. delega-
tions from every state in the Union
being present with their respective
grand masters. In the procession to
the scene Of the dedication more than
$4,000 persons will march. The pro-
cession will move at 10 o'clock, and It
is expected that the corner stone will
be dedicated promptly at noon.
Every state in the Union will have
some memorial to deposit in the
stone besides the usual articles that
are deposited by the grand lodges
Among the various articles to be
placed in the stone and sealed for
ever are an American flag, presented
by l.. Whiting Estes; the Harding
medal, a bronze plaque containing
the names of the architects. consult
ing architects, landscape architects,
foundation engineer, the contractors
and such of the actual builders who
were connected with the building OF
the temple; a Holy Bible. a lamb
skin apron, a copy of the portrait of
Washington that hangs in the Alex
books, pamphlets and papers concern
ing the life of Washington; Masonic
statistics. and the names of persons
connected with the building OF the
temple.
ing care of the crowds that will at
tend the dedicatory services have been
made by the Alexandria authorities.
It is expected that more than 10000
persons will visit the Virginia city,
Washington and direct to Alexandria
for the occasion. Every branch of the
armed service of the United States
will be represented in the parade. and
the giant cruiser U. S. s. Richmond
will be anchored of Alexandria dur
ing the day.
President Coolidge will attend the
exercises, but he will not speak. 1t
was explained at the White House
that he would be present out OF re-
snect to the memory of George Wash
ington. as will scores Of other dis
tineuished guests. The services will
he Conducted by the state grand mas
ters and strictly according to Masonic