The National tribune., 1904-06-09
nENS10NyoHN W.MoRRIa
Washington, y. O.
SucceSsf4iiy Proeecutes Claims.
vrs N civil war. Is adiudicatinG clams atty snce

| partment, and finally approval was Sc.
| cured for the Flag described in General
| order No. IL, of March 2S 1898
| by the amended Army Regulations the
| PRESIDENTS Flag was to be used when the
! PRESIDENT was present on official visits
| 10 Iortresses, military posts. at reviews
| or in the field. The official description of
| the Flag reads:
| THE Presidents flag is of scarlet bunt-
! ing, Ii feet fly and feet hoist. In each
corner is fve-pointed star of five-inch
| radius to the tips.
In the center of the scarlet field is
| large NTH star, also of five points. 2 feet
y inches in radius to the tips. Inside al
this star is parallel star, separated from
| 1t by band of white, inches wide. TIL,
I inner star forms blue field upon whic
| Is the official coat-of-arms of the United
StatesrDagreeabiy to the design of tn,
State Department
"On the scarlet field around the largo
star are, I'D small white stars, one for ca q
| State, equally scattered i'm the reenterin,
angles. and all included within the circum
| terence OF an imaginary circle three fee
| and quarter in radius. In the uppe,
point, over the eagle. is a constelIation al
Is stars. representing the original l.
| States OF the American Confedera ton"
Mr. owen, the designer, thus explain,
his purpose:
''The 13-foot fly corresponds with tn,
13 original States. The Is stars i'm thu
constellation grouped as breaking through
clouds represent National emergence from
| war into the progress of peace.
The IL growths of green olive leaves
the Ii fruits on the olive branches and th
13 arrows also typify the number of thu
original States; while the radial width q
| the imaginary circle of three feet and
quarter circumscribing the A. stars car
ries out the idea of 13 in the quarterine
elements.
1T is singular coincidence that the
official legend of the seal of the United
States-'E Pluribus Unum'-contains 13
letters. while the general order creating
the flag was also No. 13." Certainly, past
National achievements have not given Is
the unlucky significance granted it by
popular superstition.
The Presidents own stand of colors. is
of scarlet silk, 6 feet 6 inches fly and
feet on the pike. which is 10 feet long, in.
cludng the ferule and head The details
OF the colors are the same as those de.
scribed for the big Flag. except on a scale
one-half smaller.
The design. letters. figures and stars
are beautifully embroidered I'm silk and are
the same on each side of the Flag. The
edges of this silken standard are trimmed
with knOtted fringe of silver and goic
three inches wide. and there is a heavy
silk cord. with taSsels. 8 feet 6 inches long
made of red. white and blue intertwined
IhlS nag was hung m the WAR Room
at the White House during the Spanisl
war
President Mckinley accepted his per
sonal stand of colors. although he neve
gave written sanction to its creation. Il
1899. during the Peace celebrations il
Chicago and in Philadelphia, the Flag wa
first displayed publicly i'm decorating TIN
banquet hall in each of those places
Now, at Army and Navy receptions il
the White House. that Flag and its Nav
counterpart are hung i'm the main hall, bu
it was never broken to the breeze unit
March 4, 1901. when it few over the Pres
ident's reviewing stand in front of tn
Executive Mansion. where it was raised b
Mr.. Owen as the President entered
1t was suggested to President Roosevelt
while ago that as foreign nations ha
but one flag for the ruling house it wa
not consistent for us to have two flag
for the President. and il was urged tina
as the Navy flag for the Chief Executiv
was the older one it would he hest
adopt that one for both arms Of the Gov
ernmentaI defense.
AT the same time it was pointed OF
that the shield of the Army flag was M