The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-04
SH R | NE RS PL AN
GREAT MEETING At
MAJ |ONAL CAPITAL
Imperial Council Meeting to
Mark Epoch in Shrine His
tory-Zamora's Big
Delegation

tory-Zam0ra'S Big
Delegation
Much interest is being taken, by
the members of zamora Temple,
Mobiles of the Mystic Shrine, in the
forthcoming annual session of the
imperial council, which meets this
year in Washington, D. c., and to
that end, Ernest E. Matthews, "a
mora's newest potentate, journeyed
to the nations capital to secure res
ervations for the Birmingham dele
cation, which is expected to be the
lar gest in its history.
Almas Temple of Washington will
act as host to the thousands upon
thousands of Shriners who are ex-
pected to attend the council meeting.
and it is stated by the committee in
charge, that advance reservations in
dictate that Washington will be called
upon to entertain a larger number
of people than any American city
thus far has been called upon. The
publicity committee has issued the
following statement in connection
with the meeting:
100000 visitors
AS the New Year opens, Washing
ION is preparing to entertain a crowd
of visitors the first week OF next
June, which promises to be the larg-
est ever assembled in the national
capital. The occasion will be the
annual session of the imperial eoun-
Gil of the Ancient Arabic Order,
Mobiles of the Mystic Shrine. The
forthcoming event has already as
sumed the proportions of national
home coming, and more than score
of committees are at this early date
busy at work on the details for the
handling of a tremendous civic prob
lem which involves the housing and
In North Amer "a are l56 temples
of the order. with total member
ship approximating 100000. The
largest attendance heretofore rec
orded at any imperial council was
at San Francisco last June, when 81
temples were registered with an
average daily attendance of $4,000
Up to the present time the Wash
iLgton committee has 11S temples on
its list of applicants for hotel ac-
commodations. 90 more than attended
the San Francisco affair.
Band ana Patrol
Each temple will bring its band
and its patrol. and its chanters, with
large following of members. The
numbers IN the parties from various
temples will range from 200 to 5000
Medinah of Chicago is coming with
5000 mobiles as is Islam of San Fran
cisco. Mecca of New York is ar
ranging for IL Pullman trains, land
even Syracuse, n. Y, has asked ac-
commoda tions for 1000. Most of the
available parking space in the Wash
ington terminal for chartered Pull
man sleepers has already been spoken
for. The actual number is 27f.
These reservations are for official
parties only.
special zone, known as Shrine
Park, in the Southern railway yards
at Alexandria, and at the foot of the
Washington Memorial hill, will ac-
commodate $4,000 persons, who Will
be housed there in Pullmans This
zone will be organized like town,
with police and fire protection, san
itsry arrangements, ard even play
grounds for children.
Almas temple has an incorporated
general committee, with Leonard r.
Steuart, the potentate, as president,
and Harry Stamford, past potentate,
as executive secretary. There are 80
committees, each with a competent
chairman. to manage all phases of
the great problem of arranging and
conducting successfully the big event.
Entertainments
The entertainment features will in
clude a grand ball on PENNSYLVANIA
avenue with street dancing from the
Treasury to the Peace monument tn :
largest ball the world ever witnessed.
A massed band of 5000 instruments
accompanying chorus of 5000
trained male voices, day and night
pageants, aeroplane meets, COMPETE
ton drills of patrols, with Washing
tons night life aflutter with ban
quets and other social events, are
some of the features.
Brig. Gen. Amos A. Flies, chairman
of the pageant committee, is moved
by a purpose to present to the Wis
itors allegories of events in Wash
ington's history they desire to see.
So every incident of history in which
Masons have played part will be
shown in the great pagent. A rodeo,
which will follow the best traditions
of the west will be produced, with
all the features characteristic of the
cid cowboy steer throwing and
brorcho busting life.
The Washington harbor, one of the
most pictur esque in the country. with
its tw" channels, one leading to old
Georgetown, the other to TIE city
proper, will be specially Illuminated.
and a great fleet of ships will be
placed at the disposal of guests.
Popularity the Shrine is known as
the playground of Masonry. Sessions
of its temples everywhere are oc-
casions of sociability. inocent merri-
ment and fun such as might be ex-
pected among gentlemen and busi-
ness men, who seek surcease from
toll. But fun making is only one
Feature of Shrine life. 1t is a uni
versal fact that when you dig under
the surface of merriment you find a
heart.
Millions For Hospitals
Shrine members give a million
dollars year for the construction
and maintenance of hospitals for
crippled children. These hospitals
are organized on the broad basis of
non seetarianism,' and the only con-
sheraton in any case is the ques-
ton Of the child's prospect of becom-
ing useful and self-supporting in
6ividual under treatment.
The hospital plan contemplates
10 hospitals i'm as many cities as
follows: ST. Louis. Montreal, San
Francisco. Shreveport. La, Mime
apolis st. Paul, one in New England,
Portland. Ore, some point to be Sc
lected in Virginia, Rocky Mountain
region and Pennsylvania.
Some of the hospitals are now in
operation. That at st. Louis has
been conducting free clinic for
eight months, with an average of
five patients day. New patients
number 141. with large percentage
of dormitories due to infantile
paralysis. The hospital building cost
$500. 900. This is a fair average of
the cost of buildings in other cities.