of this book, and if, as is confidently expected by the publisher, a new edition will be called for soon, I intend not only to bring the work up to date, but to utilize all corrections and additions that may be submitted to me, and for which I shall be duly thankful.

St. Louis, Christmas, 1923

ARTHUR PREUSS

NOTE

The use of small capitals indicates that the topic thus empha-
sized is dealt with separately elsewhere in this book, in its regular
alphabetic order.

Information received too late for insertion in its proper place has
been embodied in the Appendix. The alphabetical Index at the
end covers the contents of the entire volume and should, therefore,
be consulted.

PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

In the course of the year 1923 letters of inquiry were sent to representatives of all the different organizations mentioned in this Dictionary whose addresses were obtainable. Most of them kindly responded. The information thus gathered, together with much other written and printed material collected by the Editor during the course of the last thirty odd years since he began to study the subject, constitute the chief source of this work. Other important sources are the following:

The Cyclopedia of Fraternities. A Compilation of Existing Authentic Information and the Results of Original Investigation as to the Origin, Derivation, Founders, Development, Aims, Emblems, Character, and Personnel of More than Six Hundred Secret Societies in the United States. Supplemented by Family Trees of Groups of Societies, Comparative Statistics of Membership, Charts, Plates, Maps, and the Names of Many Representative Members. Compiled and Edited by Albert C. Stevens, Associate Editor of the Standard Dictionary and Former Editor of "Bradstreet's." Assisted by More than One Thousand MemDers of Living Secret Societies. Second Edition, Revised to Date. New York: E. B. Treat & Co., 1907.

[This is the standard work on the subject of secret societies. Unfortunately no later edition is available than that of 1907, which is an almost unaltered reprint of the first edition published in 1896.]

Statistics Fraternal Societies. Compiled by Arthur S. Hamilton, Secretary and Manager The Fraternal Monitor. A Manual for Fraternal Officials, Deputies, Organizers and Members who Wish the Statistics of the Different Societies Presented in a Complete, Concise and Plain Manner. Full Statistics Covering the Records, Plans and Rates of Practically all Fraternal Insurance

Societies, together with Information respecting the Principal Fraternal or Secret Societies not Furnishing Insurance as a Feature. Published annually by the Fraternal Monitor, Rochester, N. Y. Annual Editions of 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923.

[This is "the standard directory of fraternal societies of America," considered an authority by fraternal officers, insurance commissioners, actuaries, and deputies. It gives the facts, figures and histories of fraternal societies and, in addition, interesting and instructive tables showing cost of management, cost of management per member, total membership, lodges, average age of membership, rate of annual mortality, death losses paid annually, insurance in force, and much more valuable information for those who wish to know how the various societies stand. New edition issued each year, showing condition of societies at close of business December 31st.]

The World Almanac and Book of Facts. Edited by Robert Hunt Lyman. Published by the Press Publishing Co. (The New York World), Pulitzer Bldg., New York.

[This popular reference work, now (1923) in its 38th year of issue, needs no description. It is noted especially for the accuracy and freshness of its statistical information. The edition mainly used for this book is that of 1923, though occasionally older issues were consulted for purposes of comparison.]

An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and its Kindred Sciences: Comprising the Whole Range of Arts, Sciences and Literature as Connected with the Institution. By Albert G. Mackey, M.D. New and Revised Edition, Containing an Addendum, Giving the Results of Subsequent Study, Research and Discovery to the Present Time, and a Self-Pronouncing Dictionary by Charles T. McClenachan. With illustrations. Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts & Co. 1906.

[This is a Masonic standard work, and, though somewhat antiquated, quite reliable as far as it goes.]