Milford chronicle., 1915-06-18
HONOR OLD GLORY
EVERY DAY IN YEAR
Wear the Flag Always, is the
Presidents Plea.
CALLS FOR PATRIOTISM

Heart of America Shall lnterpre
Heart of World, He Says In Flal
Day Speech.
President Wilson, speaking at tht
Flag Day exercises held in Washing
ton, urged Americans to remember
their patriotism on other days thar
national holidays and to carry the hag
OF the country ever in their hearts.
The president made no direct refer
ence to the European war or to inter
national questions, but he was ap
| plauded whenever he made any refer
ence to the patriotism Of the people
OF the United States.
The exercises were held on the
south steps OF the treasury building.
When the president arrived a large
audience stood and cheered until he
waved his hands for silence.
For me-" said President Wilson
'the flag does not express a mere
body OF vague sentiments. 1t is the
embodiment, not of a sentiment, bur
OF history, and no man can rightly
serve under that flag who has not
caught some of the meaning OF that
history.
you do not create the meaning Of
a national life by any literary expo.
sition, OF it, but by the actual daily
endeayors of a great people to do the
tasks OF the day and live up to the
ideals of honesty aid righteousness
and just conduct.
"And as we think of these things,
our tribute is to those men who have
created this experience. OF these men
we feel that they have shown US the
way. They have not been afraid to
go before. They have known that
they were speaking the thoughts of
great people when they led that great
people along the paths of achieve
ment.
"There was not "a single swash'
buckler among them. They were men
of sober, quiet thought. the more eff
fective because there was no buster
in 1t. They we're men who thought
along the lines OF duty, not slong the
lines Of sel1-aggrandizement. They
were men, in short, who thought OF
the people whom they served and not
OF themselves.
"But while we think of them and
do honor to them as those who have
shown us the way, let US not forget
that the real experience and life OF
nation lies with the great multitude
of unknown men. They constitute
the body of the nation. This flag is
the essence of their daily endeavors.
This nag does not express any more
than what they are and what they de
sire to be, and as l think of the life
Of this great nation it seems to me
that we sometimes look to the wrong
places for its sources.
There are no days of special pa {
There are no days when {
you should be more patriotic than on {
other days.
81 am solemnized in the presence OF
such a dayC | would not undertake to
speak your thoughts. You must in. ,
erpret them for me. But | do feel
hat back not only of every public Of
icial, but of every man and woman
If the United States, there marches :
hat great host which has brought uu
o the present day; the host that has -
lever forgotten the vision which it :,
aw at the birth of the nation; the :
lost which always responds to the
Iictates OF humanity and of liberty; .
he host that will always constitute Q
he strength and the great body OF {,
riends OF every man who does his .
uty to the United States. :.
81 am sorry that you do not wear :.
little flag of the Union every day :
instead of some days; and l can only :.
SIX you, if you lose the physical EN-. =
lem, to be sure that you wear it in =
our heart, and the heart of Amer !,
"a shall interpret the heart of the y
rorld" a.
The exercises were attended by a
Lansing, Secretary Daniels -
nd Senator Simmons and many other
Overnment officials. A chorus of
'easury department employees sang
atriotic songs before and after the G.
residents address.