Evening star., 1932-09-18
Thousands Along Avenue to
See Picturesque Colonial
Spectacle.
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES
ARE HELD AT CAPITOL
Re.enaCtment of Corner Stone Lay.
ing Is Interesting Feature of
Bicentennial Celebration.

AASSnJ ACPCdtCO lCoelI Oil CdplIOl
Hill yesterday as District Freemasonry,
| with impressive ceremonies in Colonial
| setting, re-enacted the laying of the
| corner stone of the United States Capitol
! by President George Washington, on
September 18, 1893.
, Following colorful parade from the
Ellipse down Pennsylvania avenue to
the Capitol, in which more than 1000
Masons wore eighteenth Gentry costume,
| and 5000 more marchers participated.
| a new granite stone was swung into
place alongside the original corner stone,
| with full Masonic ritual
thousands Of spectators lined the
ceremonial avenues of the Capital as
the 2-hour long procession. the ranks
of the Masons augmented by detach-
mentS Of naval and military units
! passed in review. Pennsylvania avenue,
decked with banners and flags in hor+or
of the George Washington Bicentennial.
| re-echoed to music from a score of
bands and drum corps as the long
column wended its way eastward
Sponsored by Grand Lodge.
Sponsored by the Grand Lodge Of
Masons Of the District Of Columbia. the
festivities festivities we're a part Of the yea1-long
tlclpated in by high dignitarieS OF the
Masonic society from the Capital and
nearby Jurisdictions The United States
| Bicentennial Commission co-operated in
| planning the event, of which Brig. Gen.
Amos A. Fries was director.
| The day marked also the ami
versaries of the signing of the Constitu-
ton and of the farewell address.
Grand Master Reuben A. Boglev pre-
sided over the ceremonies and was
among the high Masonic officials who
spread mortar on the new corner stone
set in the floor of the Capitol just
beneath the east steps. A. Ernest Tate
took the role of George Washington.
The same silver trowel welded by the
| first President was used. as were the
gavel Washington handled and the
Bible on which he took his Masonic
obligations.
| These cherished relics. owned by three
of the Oldest lodges in the District area,
we're brought forth from the archives
of the Masonic fraternity for yester-
days ceremonies. The Bible is owned
by the Fredericksburg Lodge. No. a.
the gavel by Potomac Lodge. No 5. anC
the trowel bv Alexandria Washington
Lodge, No. %.
j Bloom Makes Address.
In the absence Of President Hoover,
who sent last-minute regrets that he
[ could not attend. the principal address
was made by Representative Sol Bloom
of New York. associate director OF the
United States Bicentennial Commits
sion. Describing the ceremonies as a
i "rededication in the hearts and minds
Of the American people to those prln-
| ciples of government which are the
| foundation of our greatness" Mr..
| Bloom likened the character of George
Washington to the foundation stone Of
| liberty.
Even these great columns may crum-
bic into dust. but the name CT Wash
| ington will live in the wcrld as long
| as the hearts of men respond to the
| finest elements of human character"
he said.
Due to the length of the parade, part
of it was rerouted away from the re-
| viewing stand on the East Plaza, which
was the center of the ceremonies. in
! order that the corner stcne relaying
program might begin on schedule.
After the opening by Grand Master
! Bogley. the invocation was pronounced
by Rev. DR.. John c. Palmer, grand
chaplain of the District Lodge. Will
liam Tyler Page led the audience in
reciting the Americans Creed
Grand Secretary J. Claude KEEPER
and Grand Treasurer Charles E. Bald
| win deposited some articles in a cop
| per box later placed beneath the
corner stone. These articles included a
1,00O-year-old T. V. L. square, bronze
mirror, presented by the Tang Dynasty
Of China Other items placed in the
box consisted of newspapers recording
| yesterdays event, copies of the program
| and general order for parade formation.
| q hictprxy Of tho niSfricf Grand T.0dCa
together with its 1881 proceedings.
history of the participation of the
lodge in the Bicentennial Commemora-
tion, minutes of the 1882 convention
of the George Washington Masonic Me-
| mortal Association, photographs Of
Grand Masters Bogley and of George
R. Forsuch of Maryland and Grand
Secretary KEEPER, two nails from the
floor of the banquet hall at Mount
Vernon. miniature of the George Wash
ington knife, replica of the Washington
gavel, picture Of George Washington as
President and Mason, Bible donated
by Past Grand Master Gratz E. Dun
KUN. United States flag donated by
Grand Comdr. L. Whiting Estes and
books by Charles H. Callahan and Carl
H. Claudy. In addition to these, Bicen-
tennial coins. medal, pamphlets and
bulletins of Masonic lodges and other
papers were placed in the box.
After the corner stone laying, for
which the high officers of the order
descended beneath the Capitol steps.
Grand Master Boglev addressed the
throng gathered on the Capitol plaza.
The grand secretary later read the ad-
| dress by the acting grand master at
| the ceremonies in which George Wash
ington took part.
Prominent Guests.
| Visiting Masons and other distin-
guished guests who took part in the
ceremonies included Past Grand Master
| anthony w. Jones OF Arizona, Past
Grand Master William E. Valiant and
Robert p Robinson Of Delaware, George
r. Gorsuch of Maryland, Martin J.
Deitz. jr.. grand warden of New Jersey:
Charles j. Tobin, chairman of the New
York Bicentennial Commission, and
Maj. Ogden j. Ross, representing the
Governor of New York; Henry S. Borne
man Of Pennsylvania, Harry K. Green
and Past Grand Master James H. Price
Of Virginia; Arthur Whitehead of
Rhode Island, and members of the
supreme and imperial councils.
Members of the diplomatic corps,
including representatives of the order
in foreign lands, also were guests.
Motion picture recordings of the
events were made, and later this month
a film showing entire program followed
by George Washington 139 years ago.
will be completed. Some of the shots"
for this film were made on the banks
| Of the Potomac River and among old
buildings in Georgetown yesterday.
Mrs. Reuben A. Bogley is appearing
In the f1lm in the role of Martha Wash
/ inn y1or ~ IN, 1iac