Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-06-14

The United states lighthouse beard and
the United States fish commission have
numerous shore stations and great fleets of
vessels, large and small all OF which must
be provided with flags. The United states
life-saving' service, too, makes extensive
use Of flags. Not merely the familiar tri-
oolored flag OF the nation. but the whole
complement OF signal flags Of standard de-
sign, for, be 1t explained, the life savers
in signaling to shlpwrecked mariners make
extensive use Of the ''wig-wag'' system Of
communication by flags which has long
been In vogue in the navies OF the world,
and which will not be displaced for certain
functions even by the wireless telephone
and wireless telegraph. Finally, the ma
tional soldiers homes and the national
cemeteries very appropriately make liberal
use Of the flag that their wards fought to
preserve
For all that Uncle Sam spends thousands
upon thousands of dollars each year for
flags. Congress makes no special appro-
priation for the purchase of these badges
OF nationality, and none OF the government
departments has a fund devoted solely to
such purchases. The army and navy, our
biggest flag customers. and whose proceed
ure may be cited as representative, pay for
their flags out OF general QUILTING or
equipment funds. However in a single de-
paftment the flag purchases may be made
from several different funds For instance,
In the navy the cost of flags for the ship
comes out Of one budget. whereas the pur-
chases OF flags for use at the various navy
yards Of the country are paid for out OF
quite another fund
The maintenance OF Uncle Sans flags Is
no slight Job, as may be appreciated when
one stops TO consider the excessive wear
and tear to which flags are subjected when
exposed to the weather day in. day out
On every warship and at every military
post are enlisted men who are handy
enough with the needle to make ali sorts
Of minor repairs to flags. n the damage
is serious the flag must be sent back TO
the factory or issuing depot 20 be rejuve-
mated. Disposal OF worn-out flags Is made
in various ways. Those that are not too
utterly dllapldated are sold TO junk deal
srs, while those that are so far gone as 70
be useless are destroyed Some flags. nota-
bly, specimens OF the presidents special
flag. are never allowed TO fall into the
hands Of secondhand dealers II is easy
to imagine that presidential flag that
had hung In the White House OF been dis
eagerly sought by relic hunters
In this connection II may be noted that
the presidents own flag is the most *
pensive flag manufactured or purchased By
the government. The presidential banner
consists Of a blue ground on which Is dis
ployed the coat OF arms OF the United
States. the eagle being life size and the
other details Of the coat of arms in f'ill
cslor. The costliness OF the preside tial
flag Is due principally 10 the fact that the
eagle, with long outstretehed wings. and
the other intricate details OF the coat OF
arms must all be embroidered by hand.
using the finest grade OF embroidery silk
costing 81 pound. This is tedious work
even for the most deft-fingered OF the
feminine flagmakers, and under the most
favorable circumstances IL requires q wo-
man one month 10 complete presidential
nag.