Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-22
SECRETARY LANES FLAG DAY ADDRESS

Have you read Secretary of the Interior
Lanes Flag Day speech?
1t has attracted remarkable attention. The
secretary delivered it to his department clerks
quietly and unostcntltiously and "a Washing
ton newspaper published the text The unaf-
feected patriotism no less than the originality
of conception gave the speech instant popular
ity Here il is:
This morning, as Ipassed into the land office,
the flag dropped me most cordial salutation,
and from its Iippling folds heard it say: "Good
morning, Mr.. Flag-maker"
II beg your pardon, Old Glory" | sad 'you
are mistaken. / am not the president of the
United States, nor the vice-president, nor mem
Der of Congress, nor even general in the army.
] am only a government clerk.
Il greet you again, Mr.. Flag-maker,n replied
the gay voice 81 know you we'll You are the
man who worked in the swelter of yesterday
Strengthening ont the tangle of that farmers
homestead in Idaho
NO, i am not, was forced to confess
swell, perhaps you are the one who discoy-
cred the mistake in that Indian contract in Ok
lahoma?'
''No, wrong again" said
"Well, you helped to clear that patent for the
hopeful inventor in New York, or pushed the
opening of that new ditch in Colorado or made
that mine in Illinois more safe, or brought re-
lief to the old soldier in Wyoming. No matter,
whichever one of these benefcent individuals you
may happen to be, give you greeting, Mr.. Flag,
makeer,
was about to pass on, feeling that was be-
ing Knocked, when the flag stopped me with these
words:
you know, the world knows, that Yesterday
the president spoke word that made happier
the future of ten million poems in Mexico, but
that act looms no larger on the flag than the
struggle which the boy in Georgia is making TO
winthe corn club prize this summer Yesterday
the Congress spoke a word which will open
the door of Alaska, but mother in Michigan
worked from sunrise until far into the night to
give her boy an education She too, is making
the flag. Yesterday We made new law to pre-
vent financial panics; yesterday, no doubt a
school teacher in Ohio taught his first letters to
boy who will write song that will give cheer
to the millions of our race. We are all moking
the flag
But | said, iInpatiently, ''these people were
only working" Then came a great shout from
the flag
Let me tell YOU who am. The work that we
40 is the making OF the real flag. | am not the
flag, not at all. j am but its shadow am
whatever you make me, nothing more am
your belief in yourself, your dream of what a
people may become | live changing life. a
life of moods and passions, of heart-hreaks and
tired muscles. Sometimes | am strong with
pride, when men do an honest work, fitting the
rails together truly. Sometimes j droop, for
then purpose has gone from me, and cynically
play the coward Sometimes l am loud, garsh,
and full of that ego that blasts Judgment But
always | am all that you hope to be and have
the courage to try for. | am song and fear,
struggle and panic, and ennobling hope am
the days work of the weakest man and the larg-
est dream of the most daring am the Consti-
tuition and the courts, statutes and statutemak-
ers, soldier and dreadnought, drayman and
street-sweep, cook, counselor and clerk. am
the battle of yesterday and the mistake of to,