Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
MAHOOL PRAISES KEY
Mayor of Baltimore Partici-
pates in Flag Raising.
WILL SAVE FORT MCHENRY
Monumental City to Rescue Ruins
if Government Fails.
MANY PROMINENT SPEAKERS
Exercises Held at Home of Author
of Star Spangled Banner-Sa-
lutte by U.SS. Dolphin.
MANY PROMINENT SPEAKERS

form of songs and instrumental piece:
and in the presence of a great crowd
which blocked NJ street completely, the
birth of the American flag was fittingly
commemorated at the old Key mansion
in Georgetown yesterday afternoon.
An exact duplicate of the flag which
inspired Francis Scott Key to write 1.-The
Sta., Spangled Banner" was flung aloft
The unfurling of its stars and stripes was
the signal for a tremendous cheer from
the assembled crowd and a salute OF
twenty-one guns from the U.S.S. Dol
phn. which lay in the river in full sight
of the mansion.
The exercises were presided over by
Commissioner Henry B. F. mcfarland
who introduced the speakers and sing
ers. The Marine Band played the hymn
Lord, with Glowing Heart I'd Praise
Thee" composed by Francis Scott Key.
Commissioner Mcfarland Speaks.
Commissioner Macfarland then made his
address of welcome. He said:
Il gazed this morning at the origina
Star Spangled Banner. the flag that float
ed over Fort McHenry VIGOROUSLY ir
the bombardment Of September, 1914
More eloquent than any orator. as ii
loaned by descendant of the gallant
Col. George Armistead, who held Fort
McHenry against the enemy, it tells the
story of the national anthem which it
inspired and of the heroic service which
1t represents.
Every man, woman and child in Wash
ingtOn ought to see this priceless remem-
brancer of the great past. 1t will thrill
them to reverence and stir them to new
patriotism. Without such sentiments as
the flag suggests-love of home, of coun-
try, of God-men are but beasts and
life battling tragedy. Washington is
fortunate in having here the home of the
immortal Francis Scott Key and there the
Star Spanged Banner which flies forever
in his poem.
notably this year by contributing to the
children's Fairgrounds. But we can cele-
brate 1t no better than by honoring this
house and the flag of Fort McHenry. Here
Key lived when he went on the mission
of friendship to Baltimore which brought
him into the hands of the British and
furnished the opportunity for the entering
into lasting fame. Every patriotic Amer;-
can must want to see this house pre-
served and we can count upon the pa
triots of America to see that it is done.
What the Practical Man Misses.
There are self-styled practical men to
whom this will not appeal. AS they say,
time and money spent on sentiment are
wasted. Such gradgrind would prob
ably convert this house into a business
place and sell the tattered ensign of Fort
McHenry to the highest bidder, and spend
this hour and this day in getting some
material advantage to himself
OF course, even such man does not
escape the sovereignty of sentiment for it
rules all men, and denying its power does
not detract from 1t. But he will miss
the wealth and beauty which due regard
for the nobler kinds of sentiment will give
to any life. He is the poorer if the Star
Spangled Banner is nothing but bunting,
and the home of Key nothing but a build
ing. and if his heart does not beat faster
when he hears the music of the national
anthem.
''Ho does not see the heroes of his
country who have made and kept her
nation as they fought under the flag
in the great sacrifice of battle. He does
not see those equal heroes of peace who
have served in public office and in pri-
vate station under that same flag at home
and abroad. The millions and millions
who have lived and died for it. the mil
lions who are living in it's spirit today,
not only in the homeland, but in the
islands and on the seas, in that expan-
sion of our power of which the men of
1914 hardly dreaned-all these stand in
the ranks of the really practical men.
For the practical men are really those
WHO know all the facts, spiritual as we'll
as material. and act upon them. They
look not only upon the things that are
seen, but upon the things that are un-
seen. They know that country is not
simply natural resources of mans use
of them, but that it is the united spirits
Of men and women living nobly. They
know that where there is no vision the
people perish. and that it is the duty of
true to the highest national sentiment.
SO that the vision may not be lost"
The flag was presented by Master
Charles Vexil Domus Weisgerber. the
only boy born in the Betsy Ross house,
the home of the original American flag.
The flag was raised to the top of the
staff on the mansion, where it was un-
furled by jerk of the lanyard.
AS it floated out upon the breeze the
band played The Star Spangled Banner
the crowds cheered and the gunners
aboard the Dolphin began to fire the sa-
lutte. Mrs. T. c. Noyes then sang The
Star Spangled Banner.
Justice Thomas II. Anderson of the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia.
recited the history of the song which has
since become the national anthem of
America. written at the battle at Fort Nc
Henry, in which Key was prisoner on a
British ship Then he told of the morning
in Manila Bay, when Admiral Dewey or
dered his band to play The Star Span
gled Banner"
THE determination of Admiral Dewey
that this song should be accepted as our
national anthem has resulted in the fact
that since that memorable day it has been
acknowledged as such. Some days later a
German admiral visiting the American
flagship said:
"'You Americans have no national an
them?'
'Indeed we have said Dewey. 1T is
THE Star Spangled Banner" which is
played aboard my ship every morning
THE christening of the song at Manila
bay led up to Admiral Dewey cOmmuni-
eating with the President as soon as he
returned to America. An executive order
was sent out to the army and navy In
which The Star Spangled Banner was &C
cepted as the great anthem Of our coun-
try
The "Oath of Allegiance to the flag
was effective and picturesque Mrs. Isa-
bel Worrell Ball had called to her aid
about 100 of the patriotic women of the
District. These ladies wore white and
carried large flags. The Isabel Worrell
Ball Flag Association and the John A.
Logan Girls Flag Brigade were the most
prominent
Mrs. Ball was called upon by Commits
sioner Macfarland to give the toast to the
flag The color bearers came to the front
and grouped themselves about her at the
front Of the platform and with flags at
salute. waited till Mrs. Ball had given
her toast. Then they crossed flags in
groups and repeated the oath of allie
glance assisted by the audience
"Our Flags Motto" was sung by Miss
Christine Church. accompanied by the
band.
Mayor Mahool Makes Address.
Mayor ]. B. Mahool of Baltimore was