POLITICAL NOTES: Masonry

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Nearly every President of the U. S. (Calvin Coolidge is an exception) has been a Mason of high degree. President Harding was to have been "crowned " honorary member of the Supreme Council, Thirty-third Degree, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, at the Council's 111th annual meeting in Manhattan last week. He was looking forward "with most agreeable anticipation to being present at the meeting and receiving the crowning degree of Masonry."

The name of General Leonard Wood was also on the docket for this honor. The exigencies of Philippine governance prevented his attendance. The Supreme Council thereupon altered its constitution so that it is now possible to confer the degree on officers of the Army or Navy on active service in whatever jurisdiction they may be stationed.

The advisability of political figures enjoying Masonic affiliations is apparent, although they need not expect "direct action" or intervention in political or educational affairs. This time-honored Masonic principle was reiterated by the Supreme Council in response to numerous appeals to the Sovereign Grand Commander for an official ruling. Still, there are over two and a half million Masons in the U. S.

Masonry had its origin in the crafts guilds. The Freemasonry of 17th Century England, entered the U. S. with the foundation of the Boston Grand Lodge in 1733. Benjamin Franklin was an early and ardent promoter of the craft. Likewise George Washington. There are now 49 Grand Lodges in the U. S. with Temples in most state capitals.

Where early Masonry had as its basis the study of architecture and the building arts, modern Masonic teachings embrace all departments of knowledge, reinforced and decked out with a glamorous, heterogeneous heritage more or less accurately attributed to the Order's earliest days. Conservative theorists date this heritage from the dawn of English industry. More romantic Masons claim Solomon for the first Grand Master, and even Euclid.

Degrees are studied for and taken optionally in sequence, depending on a favorable ballot of those already accepted. As progress is made up- wards, the number accepted decreases rapidly. The four chief classes of degrees: "Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch," " Mark Grand Lodge," "Great Priory of Knights Templars," "Ancient and Accepted Rite." These are mutually complementary.

The Thirty-third degree occurs under the last-named class and is conferred only upon Master Masons of the Thirty-second degree in good standing. Deliberations of the Supreme Council determine the eligibility of candidates on the basis of their excellence as officers of subordinate divisions of the Scottish Rite "or other eminent service." Distinction is made between active and honorary members.

Membership in the Masonic Order costs, in most jurisdictions, at least $20. Masonic charities, especially hospitals, are everywhere maintained.

Governor Walton of Oklahoma, who recently declared martial law throughout the state and "absolute martial law" in several cities, found himself facing a difficult situation. He set out to fight the Ku Klux Klan, which he declared was responsible for 2,500 floggings in the state in twelve months.