Evening star., 1932-05-10
MASONS ARRIVING
FOR DEDICATION Of
NATIONAL TEMPLE
Days Activities Center in
Washington, With Hoover
Receiving Delegates.
ENTIRE WEEK SET ASIDE
FOR FRATERNAL ORDER
1S0 Members of Congress, Cabinet
and Others to Honor
Washington.

Delegations arrived in Washington
and Alexandria today from all sections,
for the dedication next Thursday of
the imposing s5,OOO,O00 national tenn
pie of Freemasonry erected in the
neighboring Virginia city as a tribute
to George Washington the Mason. Ac-
tivities in connection with the weeks
program centered today in the Ma
tional Capital.
Each of the 48 States, as we'll as
Porto Rico and Canada were represent
ed at the annual conference of Grand
Masters Of Masons in the United States
which met for an all-day session at
the Willard Hotel. Discussions CEN
tered on a broad program of relief
work, educational activities and other
services associated with the brother
hood Of the great fraternal order.
Meanwhile plans were going forward
for the parade Of $4,000 MaSons in
Alexandria on the morning of the dedi-
cation of the Memorial Temple. which
will be attended by President Hoover,
and the highest representatives of Off
cialdom and the Masonic Order. Signs
reading Welcome, A F. g. A. M"
greeted delegations from many States
upon their arrival in Alexandria today.
Hotels in the Virginia city were crowd
ed and hundreds of arriving delegations
were being ouartered in Washington,
where most Of the pre-dedication cere-
monies will take place.
Whole Week Set Aside.
Freemasonry is the only fraternal
order for which the United State George
Nyoe fol
has set aside a whole week for partici-
patton in the 200th anniversary of the
birth of the First President.
Led by Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune,
commandant of the Virginia Military
Institute and former commandant of
the United States Marine Corps, the
parade next Thursday will be one of
the most gorgeous spectacles of its kind
ever witnessed in this section. Army,
Navy, Marine and Coast Guard person.
mel will join with officers of grand
lodges, representatives of Blue Lodges
and thousands of knights Templar,
Shriners. Eastern Stars and other af-
flliated orders in full regalia.
1t was announced that 180 members
of Congress besides the cabinet and
other prominent officials, will join in
the colorful and impressive tribute to
Melvin NJ. johnson, past grand mas
ter of Masons in Massachusetts,, will
be the principal speaker at the dedi-
cation of the temple. Dedication ex-
erciSes are to be conducted by the
Grand Lodge of Virginia, assisted by
grand masters of the Thirteen original
States.
Hoover Sees Delegates.
Following the morning session of the
grand masters, President Hoover re-
ceived the entire group at noon at the
White House, where he posed with them
for photograph. The masonic dele
cation was headed by Grand Master
E. S. c. Baker of South Carolina, who
was elected chairman of the confer
ence this morning to succeed Herbert
w. Dean, past grand master Of Massa-
chusettS.
James T. Gibbs, past grand master
OF the District of Columbia, was the
marshal in change of the visit to the
White House
The Conference of Grand Masters is
deliberative body, but takes no action
on any of the matters coming before it.
Each grand master has exclusive juris-
diction in his own State. Grand
Master Bogley welcomed the conference
on behalf of the District Masons
The agenda discussions of the confer
ence this morning were led by Robert
B. Gaylord of California, who consid-
cred the problems of Masonic homes,
and Charles S. Percival of Iowa, who
dealt with outside relief problems. Their
discussions involved local problems
growing out Of the unusual demands of
the economic depression.
Grand Masters to Dine.
The banquet Of the grand masters will
be held tonight Meanwhile, another
group-the National League of Ma
sonic Clubs-was registering delegates
for its annual convention at the Willard
tomorrow. Secretary of Labor Doak
will make the principal address after
the opening at 10 O'Clock. The presi-
dent Of the league is Walter F. TidsWell
The convention will continue all week
A radio broadcast by Mrytle Ethel
Cawood at 6 o'clock this evening over
Station WJSV will feature the article
she wrote about the George Washing
ton Masonic Memorial which appeared
in The Sunday Star of April 10
Tomorrow morning at $50 the an
nual convention Of the Memorial Asso-
citation will be held in the temple at
Alexandria. The special communica-
ton of King Solomon's Lodge. No. 81,
will be held in Washington at l o'clock
at Masonic Temple. followed by the
sen1i-annual communication Of the Dis
trict Grand Lodge at pm.
Texans Hold Ceremony.
Two-centurv-old Alexandra dis
played its carnival colors as thous-
ands Of Mason began to arrive for
the week-long ceremonies. Flags whip
ped from Staffs and residences and
business houses were draped in the
national colors.
From Texas $50 Master Masons ar
rived yesterday TO hold the first for
nal ceremony in the auditorium of
masonry'S granite monument to George
Washington. The Texas Grand Lodge
held a special communication in the
presence of hundreds more Of the craft
from other States.
The massive temple on Shooters
Hill overlooking the city and COM
manding a broad view Of the Potomac
and Washington, will be the scene of
the most elaborate ceremony Thurs
day, that masonry has known in many
years.
To Clear Streets.
Extensive arrangements are being
made to take care of the traffic 1t is
expected that more than 5000 cars
carrying Masons and their friends will
enter the city, without counting hun
dreds of others. AS result, Police Capt.
John S. Arnold has requested AleXan-
drians to keep their automobiles off the
streets as far as possible on Thursday.
The three main routes to Alexandria
from Washington will be kept open for
the Masonic caravans. They all con-
verge into Queen street and traffic will
flow into Fairfax street
All other streets will be roped off at
s:15 o'clock. This area takes in every
thing from Queen street from the north
70 Gihbon street on the south. and from