SECRET ORDERS FLOOD BRITAIN WITH MYSTERY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3334, 16 August 1926, Page 7

SECRET ORDERS FLOOD BRITAIN WITH MYSTERY.

Though England can boast no KnIvlux Rian, secret societies seem to he springing up like mushrooms in the country. Everybody has been aware for some time of those quasi-political organisations known as the British Fascists and Modern Order of Crusaders, hut it was only within tile i>ast week that the existence of two other secret organisations was revealed. The first is called' Yc Ancient Order of Froth Blowers and the other goes by the name of The Horseman’s Word. The popularity of the Froth Blowers is spreading like wildfire anil already it is reported to have a membership of 000(1. The first of the charter members of the society was Sir Alfred Eripp. surgeon to the King. The distinguishing marks of a Froth Blower are a silk tie and silver cnlf links. He is under oath never to wear Oxford trousers, and lie must not he a prohibitionist, as the rules of the society require him to “gollop beer with zest.” He must also be an adopt in “the noble art and gentle and healthy pastime of froth blowing.”

Like the Rian, the Froth Blowers have their hierarchy. Above the rankami file stands “the blaster.” whose qualifications are that he must obtain 25 members, eat welks with a steel folk, chew the date off his railroad ticket. eat asparagus with boxing-gloves on his hands, doff his hat to all pawnbrokers’ signs and brewers’ drays and carry a corkscrew.

Highest of all comes the ‘‘grand typhoon.” who is .lack Macs. The object of the society is to aid Sir Alfred Tripp's slum charities, and its members are insured against everything except. “life, death, accident, burglary, disease, lire, third party risks, riots, acts of God, deluge and everything that may happen during war or ncaco.” More mystic is the society knowns as the Horseman’s Word. Members of this society have secret meetings in barns at midnight with lighted candles, bottles of whisky and a catechism for neophytes. The origin of the society is connected with the theory that some men possess unusual powers by which they can control the most fractious horse. The existence of tiiis organisation was revealed lately in the trial of throe youths who were fined 1 for cruelty to a horse.