The Washington times., 1937-09-10
CAPITAL TO NOTE
The BIRTHDAY"
OF CONSTITUTION
Borah Speech to Open
Local Celebration
By EARL GOODWIN

by EARL OODWAN
Constitution Day." as Septem.
Der II, the 150th anniversary OF
the signing Of the Constitution. is
beginning to be called, will find
Washington, D. c.. trimming with
activity.
q The observance will begin the
previous night when Senator Will
liam E. Borah, of Idaho, speaks
from Constitution Hall to the ma
ton at large, under Masonic aus
pices. It will continue through
the next day with activities lead
ing up to the nationwide broad
cast by President Roosevelt, de-
hvered from the Sylvan Theater.
FIELD DAY PLANNED
Among the larger organized &C
tivitieS for the Government en-
ployes' half holiday on September
II are the two major events staged
by the Department of Interior Rec
Teation Association. These are an
athletic field day at Fort Hunt
CCC camp on Memorial Highway,
starting at / p. m, and ball IN
Constitution Hall in the evening.
Another feature is an exhibit of
papers and portraits pertaining to
the Constitution, at the Public
Library, Seventh and K SITS. N. W.,
beginning today and open to the
public for three weeks. Many OF
the papers and exhibits are from
the collection of Herman H. DierS,
an official of the United States
Bureau of Public Roads; others
are from the United States Con-
stitution Sesquicentennial Commits
sion.
MASONS TAKE PART
The Masonic celebration on the
night of September 16 has be-
come more or less an official
part of the activities of the COM
mission, which recently sent out
q printed broadside Of informa-
ton to the masters of $1,000
Masonic lodges throughout the
country. In these lodges ar
rangements are being made to
hear Senator Borah's speech by
radio, it is reported by Paul B.
Cromelin, master Mason in the
District. in charge of the nation
wide arrangements.
Immediate local arrange
>nts are in care Of Reuben E.
ley, chairman of the Grand
ge committee. Mr.. Bogley
announced that Washington
sons will fill both Constitu-
and Continental halls on
night OF the sixteenth.
fasons will parade to these
is from Masonic Temple, at
thirteenth st. and New York
Ave. N. w. Traffic will be halted
in streets adjacent to the hall
and along the line Of march.
Marshall Finnan, director of
the National Capital Parks Serv.
ice, is preparing regulations for
handling the crowd expected at
the Sylvan Theater, Washington
Monument Grounds, the night OF
September II, when President
6OOSGVG1G AZURE G11G udG4OAs
SHOW HISTORIC GAvEL
OF great historical interest, 1t Is
expected, will be the use of the
gavel employed by George Wash
ington at the laying of the corner
stone of the Capitol on Septem
Der II, 1898. The gavel is nov
the property Of Potomac Lodge Of
Masons, No. 5. This will be or
view during Senator Borah's
speech, as will also be the Bible
on which the first President took
his Masonic degree, and the
trowel used by Washington. now
belonging to Alexandria-W aShing
ton Lodge, No. %.
Department Of Interior EN-
pIoyes plan an ambitious program
Of field events and social activi
ties for the afternoon and evening
Of September II. The Fort Hunt
program includes everything from
badminton to swimming for mer
and women; horseshoe tossing
soft ball, tug of war, target shoot
ing, archery and track athletics
The evening program is timed sc
that the Presidents nationwide
address will be the highlight.