Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-12
The Buford and Its Flag.
To the Editor OF The Star.

LIZ Luton VI star:
In looking over The Star OF the Sth in
slant noticed an article in which if was
stated that the United States TRANSPORT
Buford was sailing for Mexican ports to
take OF refugee Americans, and, in order
! to avoid Insulting % the Mexican people.
the Red Cross flag would be flown instead
| OF the national colors of the United
States. Your editorial of the 9th instant.
coming as it did to confirm my opinion
that you would take exception to such
coWardly action OIL the part of the United
States government, encourages me to
| make the following comments.
You will remember that up to within
the past few months the United States
government has been hySterical in it's
| effort to prevent the warships flying the
stars and stripes entering Mexican ports,
fearing that the sight OF that flag would
Insult the inhabitants thereof: this in
spite OF the fact that We are at peace
with them have the assurance of their
off1clalS that they nave the highest re-
spect and regard for Americans and. to
further emphasize this assertion. are now
paying the difference between steerage
and f1rst-c!aSs passenger fares for Ameri-
cans ordered out of Mexico BY this gov
eminent: an order indicative Of a hostile
intent on our part, the declaration Of
armed Intervention on no account to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
1t would appear to the people Of every
other country on the face of the globe
that the people of this country have de-
generated into q nation of Shopkeepers,
money grubberS, or mollycoddles; that We
nave forgotten the cause for which thou
sands of Americans have died: that the
stars and stripes, which is the emblem of
liberty and equal rights 10 every man.
however humble. is not entitled TO the
respect OF Mexicans. but that the Red
Cross is more powerful, commands more
respect. and should in this case be the
representative of ninety million people
inhabiting the richest and freest country
on the planet. and should the hostile
CD MeXicans fire on the Red Cross flag
the United States government will not be
insulted, as 1t is not. the emblem of this
country, and We are officially irrespon-
sibIe.
BY the shades of Washington Jackson
and Lincoln. 1t is wonder that the
thousands of good loyal Americans who
have shed their blood on the battlefields
of America from Lexington to San Juan
Hill do not turn in their graves, hide
their grinning faces and groan in shame
at the thought that the American flag
should be displaced b. the Red Cross flag
in an errand of mercy in which the
United States government is lawfully and
in demands CT humanity protecting its
own people from seeming slaughter %.
and to avoid the responsibility openly
DISCUSSES the errand 10y sailing a flag for
which they unable to hold an as
Sauiter responsible.
There is nor g nation On the face OF the
globe today that would so ignore its re-
sDons'biiities i'll the Way this is being
handled by this country, and when the
authorities OF this country think that the
people are fond OF peace at the price
We are now paying. will continue to pay
in the efforts of those crying peace.
peace" and considering the price. they
woefu!ly nl;sunderstand their position.
The American nag should fly. must fly
and never be lowered under that of the
Red Cross any other flag SO long as
the american people have one drop of red
blood. and the action of those in au-
thority In this case should be resented by
every loyal American in tie world and
any country. nation or man firing on
that flag will find ninety million red
Dlooded Americans anxious and willing to
aTen the score. Do the authorities be-
lieve for one instant that Americans APP
prove this action OF lowering the Ameri-
can flag and replacing it with the Red
Cross and that unit of the lighting
force of the country. the army? No. a
thousand times no, and mine is not the
only voice, nor will it be the last protest
at such ignoble acts.
P E. SHOMETTE.