DRIVE FOR PEACE.

Press, 1 February 1930, Page 12

DRIVE FOR PEACE.

BIG MASONIC? PROJECT.

rraoM ovn owi oo*msfo»bk»*t ) SAN FRANCISCO, Doeembcr 9. Ono of the most tromendom project« ever undertaken by a fraternal organisation —a project to effect and create a sentiment of peace among the nations of the world —has been launched by the Freemasonry Shrioers of North America, Imperial Potentate Leo. V. Youngworth, of Los Angclea, making the announce ment in Milwaukee. Encouraged by the sincerity of President Hoover and Mr Ramsay MaeDonald, of Great Britain, when the two met in the hills of Virginia to discuss world peace, the Shrine will accept the challenge of the two leaders and rededicate itself to the Masonic ideal of brotherhood and goodwill of mankind, Mr Youngworth declared. One of the features of the Shrine pro ject is the fact that the organisation, fundamentally averse to participating in matters of a political nature, will strive to arouse a sentiment bound to effect, directly or indirectly, the politics and political destinies of all nations. Backed by the 000,000 Rbriners of North America —men recognised as the leaders of their communities—the project will reach its climax with the peace meeting of the Imperial Council at Toronto, ('anada, on June 10th, 11th. and l-'th, 19110. According to Mr Youngworth, the Shrine will attempt to make the Toronto gathering the greatest peace demons tration ever held. Grandmasters of Masonic bodies of the United States and Canada will be invited to participate as guests of tie Shrine, together with the Governors of States of this nation and Lieutenant-Governors of the provinces of Canada. There will he a n »g<J peace banquet at which the speaker, not yet named, will dwell on tho principle of the Shrine project. A peace parade will be held culminating with the unveiling of the Shrine world peace monu ment at Toronto —a memorial, Mr Youngworth said, which will be com parable in significance to the Statue of Liberty which France placed in New York "harbour.

A Peaoe Flag A peace flag will be unfurled It will bear tho Arabic, inscription, "Ses salamu aleikum," meaning "Peace on you; and on you be the peace." The world pence project, Mr Youngworth asserted, will be a testimonial to President Hoover and to Mr MncDonald that the Atmri can people stand ready to announce i . tho world their great hope, desire, and passion for peace and brotherhood. The radio will convey that, message. "It will be the culmination of thai meeting in the hills when two fanner boys, the leaders of Ihe greatest nations of the world, revealed themselves frank It and sincerely to each other. Vttcrly shorn of pomp, without secretaries, soldiers, trumpets, and formal stiffness, that meeting was the most tremendous event of its kind in the history of the world," Mr Youngworth said. Nations of the world aro looking (o the United States for intellectual lead orship in the world peace movement, he said. When America signifies her will ingress to place her cards openly on the table, to supplant talk of battleships and defence with talk of friendship, brotherhood, and goodwill, then A met ica will find the world ready to follow her.