The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-06-04
THE FLAG BILL.


THE FLAG BILL.
Senator Bacon, of Georgin, SOIicitOus fOI
the Confederate COlors--IIouse t.
Tackle Next. e"~
The following bill ITO prevent ant
improper use of the flag OF the United
States of America has passed the
United States Senate:
That any person who, in any man.
ner, for exhibition or display. puts or
causes to be placed any inscriptions, pic
ture, design, device, symbol, name, ad-
vertisement, words, characters, marks
or notice whatever upon any flag
standard color or ensign if the United
States, or ensign evidently purporting
to be such flag, standard, color or en-
sign, or who in any manner appends,
annexeS or affiXeS to any such flag,
standard, color or ensign any inscrip-
ton, picture, design, device, symbol.
name, advertisement, words, marks. no
tice or token whatever, or who displays
or exhibits or causes to be placed or
exhibited any flag. standard color or
ensign of the United States, or flag,
standard, color, or ensign, evidently
purporting to be such flag, standard
color, or ensign, upon which shailnin
any manner be put, attached
annexed, or affixed any inscription, pic
ture, design, device, symbol. NAME, adj
vertisement, words, marks, notice or
token whatever, or who publicly mutt
lates, tramples upon, or otherwise de-
faces or defles any such flag, standard.
color, or ensign, whether any such flag
standard, color or ensign is public or
private property, shall be fined not
more than 800, or imprisoned not more
than six months, or both, for each of
Tense:
Provided, however, That flags,
colors, or ensigns, the prop
erty of or used in the service of the
United States or any State, Territory. or
the District of Columbia, may have in
scriptions, names of actions, words,
marks, or symbols which are placed
thereon pursuant to law or authorized
regulations:
provided, further, That this act, shall
not apply to banners or flags carried by
or patriotic organizations au-
thorized by law" ~
1t seems incredible that this bill
should be halted in the United States
Senate, but it was Senator Bacon. OIL
Georgia, was afraid that the provisions
Of the bill would prohibit the carrying
of the Confederate colors with the, flag
and wanted the bill held up until ne
could assure himself that this would
not happen. The very fact that the |
Senator from Georgia saw that kind of
an objection to the bill is proof posi- /!
tive that there is a question whether the !
colors that once led treason should ever
be permitted to fly at all. A suggestion, |
in fact, that 1t is not the proper thing
in the eyes of loyal citizens of the
United States for the flag of the coun-
try to be combined with any flag cx-
cept itself.
Senator Lodge, to get the bill thru
the Senate, proposed an amendment,
the last one named in the foregoing |
bill and then Senator Eacol permitteGi
the bill to pass without objection. His
was the only voice raised against the
bill at any time. The bill is said to be
almost true copy of the Connecticut
law.
In the hearing that was had on the
bill before the Military Committee there
was a large attendance of members of
patriotic societies, including the Grand
Army of the Republic, represented by
Past Department Commander Ivory G.
Brighten. Thomas NJ. Vim
cent, U. S. Army, retired; Mr.. w. vi
Cox, for the United Patriotic Societies;
Mrs. George T. Smallwood, Vice Regent
OF the District of Columbia, d. A r.; Il
Mrs. John r. Walker, representing the
President-General, Mrs. Donald Mel
Lean; Mrs d. w. Lothrop, for the Chill
dren of the American Revolutions; Mr.. |
w. II. Singleton. representing the Wash |
ington Board of Trade; Maj.-Gen. John
NJ. Wilson, U. S. Army, retired, and
Mrs Isabel Worrell-Ball, Chairman of |
The National Committee of the Woman'st I
Relief Corps. Ky
There were a great many ladies In !
attendance upon the hearing, repre-t
senting many patriotic organizations of
and all interested in the adop-t
ton of some kind of legislation that
will keep the flag from the degradingl
uses to which it is now put by men who /
recognize its commercial value in trade
marks and other advertising.
Mr.. w. v. Cox said in part, in openingi
the hearing:
ut was SO years ago on the 18th Of
this month May that Samuel S. Cox,
Of New York, introduced the first flagl
bill in the House of Representatives.
That bill died in the committee, as have
all other such bills since that time. 1
have from time to time collected illus
trations of the misuse of the flag, which
submit for your inspection (exhibitingl
IN album with pictures). These illus
Irations will show you what so many
patriotic Americans protest against. We
also believe that they will emphasize
the need of protecting old Glory from
uses never contemplated by its makersl
Or by those who have defended it. Mr.
Chairman, we are not sentimentalists,
but all sense Of propriety is outraged
whenever we see our emblem used for
improper purposes. We understand the
flag TO be an emblem of our liberty, and
that we owe to our fathers who strug-l
yled to win it the moral duty of sus-
tanning it unsullied at home as well as
abroad. We maintain that the flag of
the United States is the creation of the
Federal law, and should be protected
from insult and commercial degrada-
ton by a National law.
las to these bills, the Grand ARMY
Of the Republic indorses Senator War
ler's bill; the American Flag Associa.
lion indorses the Lodge bill; but most
Of us. Mr.. Chairman, indorse them both,