The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-21

knott ed fringe Of sil Yer and gold three inches
wide, and there is a heavy silk cord, with
tassels, = feet inches long, made OF
red, white and blue intertwined. This nag
was hung in the war room" at the White
House during the Spanish war.
President Mckinley accepted his personal
stand Of colors, although he never gave
written sanction TO its creation. In 1880.
during the peace celebrations IN Chicago
and In Philade phia, Che flag was fret dir
played publicly in decorating the banquet
hall in each Of those places,
Twice subsequently, at army and navy
receptions IN the White House, that nag
and its navy counterpart were hung. IN
the main hall. but II WAS never broken TO
the breeze until March L. 1901 when 1t New
over the Presidents reviewing stand v,
front Of the Executive Mansion where IL
was raised by Mr.. Owen a. the President
entered.
Some months back it was suggested TO
President Roosevelt that as foreign nations
had but one flag for the ruling house IL
was not consistent for us to have Two nags
for the President, and II was urged that as
the navy flag for the Chief Executive was
the older one il would be best to adopt
that one for both arms Of the Governmental
defence.
At the same time il was pointed out that
the shield Of the army flag was not correct,
the fanking bars being white instead OF
red, as in the national flag. IL was here
that the difference of opinion began.
A COMPROMISE has now been effected. and,
by an order just issued by the Secretary
Of War, an enlarged copy OF the navys
Presidential flag Of blue-corresponding IN
dimensions to those originally ordered
for the red flag OF the army-will now be
shown on all ceremonial visits of the fresi,
dent to military posts and viii be hoisted
to the truck alongside OF the stars anu
When the President takes the field in
time of war, however--either actually or
constructively, ~ was done during the con,
fiict with Spain-the sllken banner oi red
over his headquarters:
A change, too, has been ordered In the
navy's flag. After deal OF dehberatlon
between the Assistant Secretary OF the
Navy and representatives OF the Depart
meni of State, 1t has been agreed that the
Great Seal rs portrayed by the Department
of State, is correct. inasmuch ar II has been
officially sanctioned by Congress; and while
the pathways therein arranged are aner,
nately white OF silver and red, instead OF red
and then white as in the ensign. the sh,eh
Of the navys Presidential flag must 10
made 10 conform thereto.
The plain intent of I he Congressional Conn
mttee last having the subject OF the Great
Seal under discussion, was that the bars on
the shield should conform to the color ar;
rangemen, of the field Of the Stars and
Stripes, but the designer, Mr.. Barton.
changed the order, and As such II was
adopted. The creators OF the navy nag Tor
the President may have had that original
intent in mind. or they may have been
guided by the generally accepted popular
idea that the stripes should run red first and
then Matchmaking seven red and six white
bars as arranged on the field Of Old Glory.
Al a result Of the recent agitation OF the
question Of Presidential flags. the Chief
Executive comes out Of the discussion the
richer by another fag-one, the size OF the
No / Admiral's flag for use in the navy both
in time OF war and time of peace, and two
In the army-one much larger than the
ravy's flag, but Of similar design. for peace
display, and the other to he carried only
when the President takes the field in time
OF war. q