The National tribune., 1909-01-14
THE FLAG BILLS.


Many Before Congress--The Gouldcn
Draft Probably the i3est-Heariiis
Before Judge Parker, Of House Ju-
dietary Committee-Many Societies
Interested in the HeaFing-Woman's
Relief Corps and Grand Army Prom-
inent.
For the first time since the patriotic
societies have been hanmering at the
doors cf Congress for legislation TO
prevent desecration of the flag a hear
ing has been had in the two Houses OF
Congress in the same term. That IS
something gained at least The United
States Senate passed a bill last May,
which, tho not all that could be desired,
was at least an entering wedge. The
Goulden bill. which is printed else
where in this issue, is all that one
could ask for in the way of stringent
legislation to keep our flag free from
degrading commercial uses, but all the
bills had good features.
Just exactly what bill will become
law. if any, is predetermined
The Grand Army Of the Republic
was represented by Col. John McEl-
roy, Past Senior Vice Commander-in-
Chief. The Sons of the American Rev
oiution We're represented by Hon. W.
V Cox, who is also President of the
Washington Board OF Trade, President
of the Second National Bank of Wash
ington and member of the Washing
ton School Board. The Daughters Of
the American Revolution were repre-
sented by Mrs Ellen Spencer Mussey,
who is a Senior Vice General,
and also Patriotic Instructor for the
District of Columbia. The American
Flag-Association was represented by
Col. Ralph E. Prime, veteran. Inc
Army was represented by Gen. John M.
Wilson and Gen. Thomas Vincent. Rep
resentative Bennett, OF New York, and
Representative Bradley, one OF the vet
Grams Representatives of the same
State. made brief but strong talks for
the bill.
The Womans Relief Corps was rep
resented by its National Chairman on
Prevention of Dissertation of the Flag,
Mrs Isabel Worrell Ball, who is also
a member of the National Executive
Board of that body. Mrs. Ball was
accompanied by the members of her
committee, Mrs Annie w. johnson,
Mrs. I,ida ]. Hart Mrs. Margaret g.
Tew, all Past Department Presidents
and by Mrs. Ida A. Oldroyd, Past Ma
tional Junior Vice President; Mrs. Ida
" Hendricks, Past National Senior Vice
President; Mrs. Anna 4. Peck and Mfs,
Rosamond 3. Meacham, all Past De-
partment Presidents, are also men-
DerS OF Ine MI -heAi ~
North National Press Correspondent
of the Womaa's Relief Corps and Mrs
Christine Walton Dunlap. Director of
the Isabel WorreH Ball Flag Assoeia-
ton, were also present. The hearing
was originally set for later date, and
was unexpectedly changed to an carrier
one, and there was not sufficient time
to send notifications Had 1t not been
for that there would have been 4 very
large attendance OF all the societies.
The presentation of the bill was made
by Representative J. A Goulden, who
has been very much interested in the
matter frcrn the yery first He stated
that in his opinion Congress was conf
petent to enact statute covering all
dissertations of the flag and to protect
the flag and the shield and coat of
arms of the United States from being
used for commercial purposes. He
spoke OF the New York flag law, of the
prosecutions under It, some half hun
dred of which had been prosecuted by
him, and convictions were obtained III
each case. He believed that such
law ought TO be passed. and that IT
would be declared constitutional If il
ever passed up to the United States
Supreme Court.
Maj.-Gen. John NJ. Wilson, retired,
made a stirring appeal for some law
TO protect the flag. He said that he
spoke from the standpoint of soldier
who had followed wherever it led for
period of more than so years he
told of some of the disgusting exam
pies of desecration of the flag which ne
had himself witnessed. The General
received much applause when he had
finished.
Hon. ". v. Cox in his talk sketched
the birth and growth OF the nag, ana
declared that 1t had been the cream
of the forefathers that it should be
clean flag He then placed before the
committee a large scrapbook filed with
examples of the degrading commercial
usages to which the flag has been put
There were postal cards, table napkins,
whisky advertisements, beer signs, ice
cream plates from a Loyal Legion pan
ouet inaugural programs, hundreds of
advertisements of one kind and anoth-
er. and campaign posters OF the differ
ent political parties all using the flag
in come form or another This book
was examined closely by the members
Of the committee, and caused much
comment favorable to some law that
would put stop to the use of the flag
In such q manner. M, Cox has been
years gathering these samples of nag
desecratlon, having commenced even
before th, general agitation. The Wo-
mans Relief Corps as far back as 1893,
when Capt. Wallace Foster, of Indian
apolis. began to urge the adoption OF
patriotic teaching In the various or
eanizaticns which have the flag for a
guidon. urged some kind of law against
Improper use OF the flag.
Col. Prime opened the discussion by
presenting his views of what bill
should be- and said that he had writ
: ten with his own hand every flag bill
that had been passed By the States. He
desired the bill of the American Flag
Association passed, declaring IL to be
the bes. eyer He said that bill by
Congress would supersede all State
laws but this was denied by other
constitutional lawyers later.
Col. McElroy spoke from conSu-
tt,tioual standpoint, and said that Con-
eress had the power to make such 2
law, and he believed 1t would be good
law. He said that to soldier the nag
was about the dearest thing on earth
and that no loyal comrade could look
upon the degrading uses TO which the
flag was put unmoyed. He cited re-
cent decision of the Supreme Court oi
the United States, which was rendered
by that staIwart soldier jurist, Col
John NJ Harlan, Associate Justice, and
assorted that the Supreme Court would
In like manner uphold National issue
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey, who j
the only woman dean of law college
and who looks mighty pretty in cal
and gown. even If her hair Is hi
frosty about the temples, and whf
practices before the Supreme Court o
the United States with much success
also presented the constitutional sid
of the question, and declared it to b