The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-08
MORE CONFEDERATE FLAGS ARE NEEDED
VETERAN SAYS ABSENCE OF CON- FEDERATE FLAGS SHOWS LACK OF RESPECT FOR VISITORS WHO ARE COMING.
To the Editor of hTe Age-Herald:


 Is this the month of June or July? Are Are the people of Birmingham decorating the city for the Confederate soldiers re- union or preparing for a fourth of July demonstration? Are we honoring our selves by giving hearty welcome to the grandest and bravest soldiers that ever ;miacched under any flag or are we courting the favor of Teddy's bears by an inwise and shocking display of the stars and stripes for political gain?
 Walk through your streets and pay par ticular attention to the decoratlons-notice the extreme prominence of the national flag, and the very conspicuous absence of the Confederate flag, and then tell me is this intended as an insult shall we say, to those grand old men who for four years fought for the liberty of the people and the rights of the states?
 We make no objection to the display of "Old Glory but we do object to making it so prominent; and to the almost entire exclusion of the Confederate flag at 0 reunion of Confederate veterans, and 1t is being commented upon, to the dsadvant- age of Birmingham, by both citizen and visitor.
 We are glad to know, MT. Editor, that you and your able reports had the man. hood to write of this in your issue of this morning. It evinced a true patriotism, and :, devoted fealty on your part to the sacred cause for which the veterans fought, and should command you, and your paper, to their cordial support and patronage.
 The people of Birmingham, especially after their invitation to the veterans to hold the reunion here, should, to use the language of one of your large advertisers in this mornings issue, Be respectful enough to the halting and feeble remnant Of gray that's left, to unfurl the colors they love so well"
 One other matter, MT. Editor, for the serious consideration of the reunion com mittee. In The Age-Herald of this day, | read the following: This committee wilt give special attention to the incoming officers After reading this we looked carefully through your. paper to ascertain if similar, or any, committee had been appointed to receive and escort, or even direct, the private soldier to his place of abode during the reunion, and l failed to find any such committee mentioned. This is unfair to the men, the soldier who worn the gray. Every officer owes his rank and his celebrity to the heroism and the bravery of the private soldier, and it was his daring and valor that shed im- pershable lustre, and grandeur and un- dying glory upon the Confederate cause and made the names of Davis, Lee, Beau- regard Johnson and Jackson, household words throughout the civilized world. This being so, these grand old men deserve and need some special attention from the committee They come here, strangers, knowing nothing of the location of board ing houses, Hotel Gordon, or any other hotel, and they are left to wander through the city until they meet some good samari- tan, who will direct them to places of safety
 At ? o'clock this evening, we were at the Terminal, when a train arrived, bring ing many Confederates and visitors, and the only person there so far as we could see. to give any information to the pri- vate soldier, was the policeman on that beat.
 MT Editor, this should be corrected. The cc mmittee should make some provision for the reception of the Confederate sol dier as well as for the officers.
 N. A. STUART,
 Fifth Alabama Regiment. Birmingham, June s, 1905.