Evening star., 1932-05-12
MASONIC ORDER
| DELEGATES TEMPLE
TO WASHINGTON
Rain Prevents Attendance of
Thousands at Alexandria
Ceremonies.
HOOVER WITNESSES
SHOOTERS HILL RITUAL
High Dignitaries of Order Parade.
Melvin Johnson of Boston
Delivers Grafton.

FreemaSonary, in the presence oi
President Hoover and high officials OF
the Government, solemnly dedicated to
Masonry, virtue, universal benevolence
and the memory Of its greatest son the
imposing S., 900, 900 George Washington
Memorial Temple at Shooters Hill
Alexandria, today.
Undaunted by a steady downpour
Alexandria bravely conquered its bitter
disappointment as scores of delayed
special trains failed to reach the city
In time for the colorful parade of mill
tary and Masonic forces which preceded
the formal dedication ceremonies.
Hoover at Ceremonies.
Weather conditions which upset pre-
vious estimates of a $4,000 attendance
necessitated the holding of ritual cere-
monies within the auditorium, where
President and Mrs. Hoover, members
of the cabinet, the House and Senate
and other high dignitaries assembled
at o'clock.
The President witnessed the major
portion of the dedicatory ceremony but
left a few minutes after 2 o'clock,
shortly before the dedicatory address
was delivered.
Roaring salutes from 81 guns of the
10th Field Artillery stationed back oi
the memorial signif1ed the Presidents
arrival Answering salutes from 81
guns on the historic U. S. S. Constitu-
ton and from five Coast Guard vessels
echoed from the Potomac.
Lieut.. Gov. Price of Virginia, in the
forced absence of Gov. Pollard, was In
the reviewing stand with members OF
the George Washington Masonic Me-
mortal Association and other high dig
nitaries of the order as the five di-
visions Of the parade, dwindled to some
$4,000 marchers, swept by through the
drenching rain.
Col Louis A. Watres of Scranton,
Pa, president Of the memorial asso-
citation, presided at the dedication exer-
cises, conducted under the auspices OF
the Grand Lodge of Virginia. With
Harry K. Green, Virginia grand master
he conducted the presidential party into
the auditorium, where a small repro
duction of the temple was used in the
dedication ceremony. Melvin Johnson
Boston. past grand master of the Grand
Lodge of Massachusetts,, delivered the
dedication Grafton.
Leleune In Cnarge.
Chaotic conditions along the line of
march were gradually overcome by Maj.
Gen John A. Lejeune, former COM
mandant of the Marine Corps, and
Robert S. Barrett of Alexandria. chief
and grand marshal Of the parade. As
the first column of Grand Masons, fol-
lowed by some 5000 soldiers, sailors,
Marines and Coast Guardsmen, ap-
preached the reviewing stand near the
railroad underpass on King street,
hundreds of arriving Masons pouring
from the station formed a second
parade, marching in the opposite
direction. Gen Lejeune, accustomed to
even more chaotic conditions than this
during the days of his fighting career
in France, quickly overcame the diff
flculties and for the most part the
parade proceeded without further
interruption.
Arrangements had been made in the
little Virginia city for an attendance
ranging from $4,000 to 125,000 visitors,
according to the most optimistic re-
ports Of yesterday Scores of special
trains dumped their carloads of in
Washington, leaving the Masons TO
reach Alexandria by various modes of
transportation. Other trains, late in
arriving in Alexandria, accounted for
many delegations missing the parade
entirely. Throughout all the adverse
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