The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1914-04-29
THE STARS AND STRIPES

The American flag, in the hearts OF
most of us, stands for everything that
is best in national life. 1t is the en-
blem of our ideals. AS such, we sa-
lutte it and that salute is our express
sion of hope that the ideals of right
and justice may prevail and of conf
dence that our nation is, after all,
worthy of the confidence which we
have in it.
We say latter all" because the flag
is too often made the bait with which
crafty politicians lure deceitfully a
trusting constituency and, on the 9TH
er hand, because the flag is too often
denounced by those who place upon
it the responsibility for the sins of
these demagogues and charlatans.
The position which the flag should
occupy and the attitude which we
should maintain toward it, are sub
jects which are currently discussed in
all .eras and which are topics of more
Importance than we ordinarily recog-
nize. We have forbidden, by law, the
use of the flag for advertising pur-
poses. But we cannot, by statute,
prevent the cheapening of the flag by
the false statesman or the hypocrit-
ical politician. In fact, it is a ques-
ton whether or not law-compelled
patriotism is much good.
In Massachusetts, this month, there
is a heated discussion which involves,
indirectly, this very question. 1t has
happened in Worcester county, the
superintendent of the Spencer schools
having included in his official report
a question whether the daily use of
the flag is desirable and an answer
to the effect that the law requiring
it is an invasion by the state upon
local school management. The vet
Grams of the civil war are protesting
against the superintendent opinion
and are joined by the men who shar-
ed in the Cuban war.
1t is Immediately assumed that the
man who questions the use OF the
flag is lacking in patriotism. He Is
declared a foe to the flag, when he
may be one of it's best friends. But
the plea that the flag loses in effect
when it becomes commonplace is not
inconsistent with devotion to it and
what it stands for. 1t is as friendly
to wish to conserve it as to make 1t
a constant presence. If, after years
of compliance with the law, there
must be still discussed the question
of the laws wisdom, it deserves to
be conducted with fair treatment of
the men who question the wisdom of
the government. And it would seen
that there ought to be a basis for a
conclusion in the observation by the
teachers of the degree Of respect that
develops in the pupils, or of indiffer
ence.
Theoretically. the scloOlhouse |:
just the place where the national CO.
ors need to float. There can be nc
too close relationship between the
school and the nation, no too deer
sense of the school as a part OF the
government. There is not h remot
est peril that the school will be toe
strongly marked, distinctly from al
other institutions, as the peoples at
fair, the affair Of all the people. The
flag can hardly fail to be the emblem
of that connection. It's value as {
means of awakening and developin:
respect for what it symbolizes mus
depend upon the instruction given il
the building over which it floats. VIII.
the flag is hoisted there ought no
to be left in doubt and there is N
basis for belief that it's instruction /
neglected.
Not many people would wish t.
have the flag disappear from tn
school houses. Not many would favo
the restriction of it's use there to Gel
tain holidays. The patriotism |
teaches is not of occasional days am
the relationship it marks betweev
\. school and nation is not intermittent
The MisSOulian.