Evening star., 1941-04-16
District Cornerstone Laying
Re-enocted at Jones Point
BoIIes Voices Hope at Ceremony
Thot Capital May Be Granted Vote

present District and It's receded
part.
John B. Gordon. president of the
Washington Society of Alexandria,
speaking for Virginia, declared that
the schism which arose between the
different parts of the District of
Columbia as originally constituted
and the final severance of that part
of it south of the Potomac, in 1846,
depicted TO the fullest extent the
need of unity.
Il am sure" he said, that what
ever united action is necessary in
the handling Of any problems af-
fecting the common interest of what
is now the District of Columbia and
what is now the city of Alexandria,
Alexadrians will work with a single
objective in the solving of those
problems.
Sketches History of Legislation.
Mr.. Proctor pointed out that
George Washington was absent from
the cornerstone laying because he
had been on trip into the South
at the time He traced the history
of the legislation setting up the
District of Columbia. introduced to
the gathering by Mr.. Proctor as CO.
operating in arrangements for the
occasion were Fred A. Smith. first
vice president of the Board of
Trade; William Press, executive
secretary of the Board of Trade:
Miss Elizabeth Glenn of the Board
of Trade; Mrs. Charles C. Smoot,
regent of the Mount Vernon Chap
ter, D. A. R.: Mrs. Robert M. Reese,
chairman of the chapters Commit
tee on Arrangements, and young
Peter Railey.
Solemn, colorful and impressive
was the final part of the program
by the Alexandria Washington
Lodge. with its officers re-enacting
the laying Of the cornerstone in
ancient Masonic form. Tools used
symbolically in the ceremony in
cluded the level, plumb. square and
trowel, the last of which was the
original used by George Washing
ton in laying the cornerstone of the
Capitol. After corn, wine and oil
had been poured on the stone, E. T.
Stulz, acting worshipful master of
the lodge, impersonating DR.. Elisha
Cullen Dick, Washington's physi-
clan and the lodge master of $50
years ago, proclaimed: L pronounce
the cornerstone of the District of
Columbia true, trusty and well laid
May the corn of nouriShment, the
wine of refreshment and the oil of
necessities of life abound among
all the people. May the blessing of
God rest upon this work"
c P. Heishley, treasurer of the
lodge, was master of ceremonies.
William T. wilkins, Mayor of Alex
andria, delivered the address of well
come. Charles H. Callahan, past
grand master of Masons in Vir-
ginia, credited with originating the
idea of the George Washington
National Masonic Memorial in Alex
andria, traced the history of the
establishment of the cornerstone.
He declared the place should be
preserved as landmark for
America"
James Sherier delivered the ora
ton originally presented by the
Rev James Muir when the corner
stone was laid. He concluded:
May this stone long commemorate
the goodness of God in those un-
common events which have given
America a name among nations.
Under this stone may jealousy and
selfishness be forever buried. From
this stone may a SuperStructure
arise, whose glory, whose magnifi-
cense, whose stability, unequaled
hitherto, shall astonish the world,
and invite even the savage of the
wilde ness to take shelter under
its roof"
Daniels Speaks.
Ara NJ Daniels, grand master of
Masons In the District of Columbia,
in the closing address of the day,
paid tribute to the good work, true
work, square work performed by
those brethren of an age long
past"
Little did those brethren of that
yesterday year, standing on this
very soil we tread today, ever think"
he said, that this small section
of the earth's surface which they,
with plumb, level and square so
properly marked out as the initial
boundary marker of a Federal city,
the city of Washington, the Capt.
tai of the United States of America,
would have today focused upon 1t
the very eyes of the world as the
source Of ultimate protection and
the abiding hopf Of a world torn