Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-15

@HE United States flag has been
the theme of speech and story
for more than a century. Al
though much has been said and
written of Its inception. adoption
and meaning, the American people seem
never to tire of the subject and members
Of Congress and the heads of the great ex-
ecutive departments at Washington are
constantly receiving communications re-
questing information respecting the ma
tional emblem.
Perhaps unusual interest has been aroused
| among the people because of the more gen.
eral observance of Flag day In the public
schools or they have been brought to think
OF the flag and for what 1t stands by the
enlarged Importance of the United States
as world power resulting from the war
with Spain, but the long deferred acquies-
cence of the public in the adoption of Fran
els Scott Keys beautiful Star Spangled
Banner as the national anthem appears
to have been the finishing touch necessary
to stir the heart and pulse Of the masses
OF the people to a proper appreciation of
their beautiful and symbolic flag.
Recently the War Department received an
autograph letter from well-known sena-
tor requesting, in behalf of a most esti-
iduyy IL ttdCHtT III Olle Oh the puDlIC
schools, full description of the American
flag as authorized by law and custom, the
lawful number of stripes and the proper
color. and what the union jack" means;
also requesting information as to what is
the lawful American coat-of-arms.
Replying thereto, the Secretary of War
transmitted copy of a memorandum pre-
pared under the direction of the quarter
master general of the army descriptive of
the several flags carried by the army of
the United States, together with a descrip-
tloh or the union jack and the seal of the
United States, procured, respectively, from
the Navy Department and the Department
of State.
In the memorandum referred to It is
stated that the American Congress- in SEES
sion at Philadelphia, Pa, established by It's
resolution adopted June IA, 1117, national
flag follows:
That the flag of the thirteen United
States be thirteen stripes, alternate red
and white; that the union be thirteen stars,
white In blue field, representing a new
constellation"
The of the thirteen stripes was not
new feature they had been used. In
alternate white and blue, on the upper left
hand corner of a standard presented to the
Philadelphia Light Horse by its captain in
the early part of 1875, and moreover the
union flag of the thirteen united colonies
raised at Washingtons headquarters at
Cambridge, January 2, 17T6, had the thir-
teen stripes just as they appear in the flag
~
George and ST. Andrew on blue ground
in the corner, instead of the thirteen stars.
No. satisfactory evidence has ever been
produced to prove that a flag bearing the
union of the stars and stripes had been in
i777 - N'
1t is now conceded that Mrs John Ross
of Philadelphia was the maker of the first
flag corn Inning he eff nd ctr
descendants assert that committee of
Congress. together with Gen. Washington.
engaged her in June, 1776, to make the
flag from rough drawing. which, at her
suggestion, was redrawn by Gen Wash
ington with pencil in her back parlor and
the nag thus designed was adopted by
Congress.
Although the resolution establishing the
flag was not officially promulgated until
September 8. TIT, IT is we'll authenticated
that the stars and stripes was carried at
the battle of the Brandywine, September
IL. 1IT7. and thenceforward during all the
battles of the revolution.
The ship Ranger, bearing the stars and
stripes and commanded by Capt Paul
Jones, arrived at a French port about De-
cember l. 117I, and her flag received on
February IA, ITS. the first salute ever
paid to the United States flag by foreign
naval vessels,
The flag remained unchanged until May
1, 1875. when, in consequence of the ad-
mission of Vermont and Kentucky into the
Union, Congress provided that 1t be changed
to include fifteen stripes. alternate red and
white, with union of fifteen white stars
on blue field.
That was the national banner from 1875
to 1878. during which period occurred the
war of 1872 with Great Britain.
BY 1878 five additional states-Tennessee
Ohio. Louisiana. Indiana and Mississippi
had been admitted into the Union, and
therefore further change In the flag seem
ed to be necessary. Congress, after much
discussion, decided on April 4, 1913, that
AFTER the Fourth of July next following