Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-12
The Stars in the FLAG.

1
roll of red tape will be untangled. and
Oklahoma will formally and finally
take her place in the great sisterhOod
of states which make up the Union.
This brings another star into the blue
| field of the American flag and brings
I'D again the old problem-how shall
! This question has not been raised for
a decade nOw-since the admission Of
Utah in 1S36-but it has had to be
considered at short intervals for over
a century. The longest period be-
tween the admission of states since the
adoption of the constitution was that
between the admission Of Maine and
Missouri in 1920 and 1871 and that Of
Arkansas in 1896
Vermont. the first to join the Union
following the ratification of the Con-
stitution by the thirteen original
states. was admitted on March 4, 1871,
but the star marking that event was not
placed On the flag until May l, 1875,
when the national emblem of 10 stars
and 10 stripes came into use. This IS
the longest time between the adnis-
sion of state and the placing of its
star on the flag.
BY the act approved April 1. 1918.
which established the flag of 20 stars
and Il stripes, that came into use on
the fourth Of July of that year, it Was
enacted, that on the admission OF
every new state into the Union, one
star be added to the union of tile flag:
and that such addition shall take effect
OH the fourth of July next succeeding
such admission" Under this, law the
longest wait for the placing of the star
upon the flag. was that of Wyoming
which entcred the Union on the tenth
of July, 1890. and the shortest that of
Idaho. whose admission occurred on
July ., of the same year Oklahoma.
the only state formed by uniting two
territories, viii To admitted to tic
Union on the 18th of November. by
proclamation Of the President, and she
must wait nearly eight months before
her star appears on the national flag.
Harrison states. in his stars and
Stripes and Other American Flags"
that in neither the law that cstab-
lishcd the original national flag. nor in
either Of the two amendments which
nave been enacted, is their designation
OF the manner in which the stars shall
be disposed in the canton" By dircc-
ton of President Monroe. a circular
was issued on May Is. 1918, from the
office of the navy commissioners.
directing that the twenty stars DE
placed in four parallel rows of five
stars each. the second and fourth rows
to be indented. On September Is. Of
the same year. the circular was
amended by directing that the stars be
placed without indention.
Utah was admitted into the Union
GA Jaau;lry 4. 1896. and in anticipa
ton of placing the 18th star in the
canton Of the flag. to mark that event
on March ~. 1896. Secretary of War
Lamont issued an order directing that
the stars be arranged in six rows the
first. third and fifth rows To haze
eight stars. and the second. fourth and
SlHth rows seven stars each. these
latter to be indcntcd Secretary
herbert agreed to the same arrange
ment for the enSigns of the navy and
since July 4. 1896. the stars in thc
army and navy flags have been placed
III thiS manner. Sometime since
national government officials decided
'iidt me arrangement of the 46 stars
"hich VIII go into effect on ,JuIv
l'"S. should be eight stars in the first
third, fourth and sixth rows and seven
stars in the second and fifth row.
those latter to bc indented.