Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-06-16
THE BIRTHDAY Of
''OLD GLORY"
1t Is Faithfully Observed
Wherever Americans
Have Their Homes.
|I52 Anniversary OF FLAG
In Many States 1t Is q Legal He'll
day and the Sentiment Is
GfoWtng to Make II Gen.
efal in all America.

/ Washington, d. c., June IA
! Throughout the length and breadth
of the United States, from the Attain
| tic to the Pacific, from the Canadian
| frontier to the Gulf of Mexico, as well
| as in the detached American posses
| sions in Alaska, Hawaii, the Philip
| pine Islands and Porto Rico, patriotic
| Americans celebrated today the one
| hundred and thirty second anniversa-
ry of the American flag, created by act
of Congress on June Il. 1777. AL
| though not a legal holiday by national
| consent, Flag Day is perhaps more
generally and more faithfully observ-
| ed wherever Americans have their
homes than any other day in the year,
| excepting independence Day, the "Glo-
| rious Fourth"
For many decades after the adop-
| ton of the Stars and Stripes the Gel
ebration of Flag Day was principally
| confined to the official observance of
| the anniversary by the Federal Off
cials throughout the country and oc-
caSional celebrations by patriotic So
| cietieS and patriotic school teachers.
But, since the Civil War, which put
| the loyalty of the Stars and Stripes
to the supreme test, a wave of patriot
ism swept oyer the country. The SEN
timent for the flag of the country grew
| stronger and with it the desire to hon
| or the symbol of Union and freedom
| by the appropriate observance of its
hirf The frin
Citations Of the country combined their
| efforts to bring about more general
| public observance Of Flag Day and
| their efforts have been crowned with
| gratifying success, In six Of the
states, Illinois, Michigan, Connecticut,
Wisconsin, Oregon and California,
Flag Day has been proclaimed legal
holiday and there is every reason to
believe that other states will initiate
this example.
On every school house, from every
Federal and other public building, and
! from hundreds of thousands of private
buildings and homes Old Glory was
unfurled this morning and every
where the anniversary of it's birth was
observed in an appropriate manner by
patriotic exercises. It is safe to say
that no patriotic organization in the
country neglected to honor the birth
| day of the Stars and Stripes and no
! district or other school, even in the
| remotest parts of the country failed to
teach a lesson of national pride and
| loyalty to the future citizens of the
American commonwealth.
The national capital, the birthplace
| of the honored flag, naturally made
| special efforts to observe the day ap-
propriately and there were few build
ings if any, public as we'll as private,
that did not display the Stars and
Stripes. Flags of every dimension,
from the enormous emblems on the
government buildings, to the diminu-
tive flags adding cheer to the other
wise dismal aspect of the cottages of
the poor, were displayed in all parts
of the city and Pennsylvania avenue,
the majestic thoroughfare, leading to
the Capitol, was perfect blaze of the
national colors. In all the public and
private schools exercises were held in
commemoration of the flags birth and
! the various patriotic organizations, in
Guiding the G. A. R., the Sons of Vet
Grams, the Woman's Relief Corps, the
f Spanish War Veterans, the Sons of the
1 Revolution and many others, observed
, the day by holding memorial celebra-
1 tions with speeches, singing and mn
! sic.
The American flag of the presen
day although unlike the original fias
n made by Betsy Ross in Philadelphia
e after a sketch by George Washington
e in May, 1777, is merely an elaboration
n and augmentation of the original
s Congress decided. AThat the flag o
the United States be thirteen stripes
alternate red and white that the I'm
i ion be thirteen stars, white in a blu
d field, representing a new constella
h tion.' At first it was decided to ad
l. new stripe and a new star for ever
= new state admitted to the Union. Blu
when the number had reached twent.
Congress, in 1918, decided, upo
" careful deliberation to adopt the pla
r suggested in bill by Representative
- Peter H. Wendover, of New York, an
< order the flag to be thirteen hor
lie zontal stripes alternate red and whit
e, with union of twenty white stars
blue field" 1t was also ordered tn;