The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-06-03
FLAG DAY COMES JUNE 14TH.
Organization Would Promote Reyer-
ence of Stars and Stripes.

GIcc Oh SIiHS anu foVtlYCSs
The 13Sth anniversary of the
adoption of the flag of the United
States of America will be celebrated
this year on June 14th. The Ameri-
can Flag Association formed OF in
dividuals AMI committees from patrl-
otto societies in the United States to
promote reverence for and prevent
the dissertation Of the flag of our
country. Following closely upon the
Lusitania and Gulflight outrages the
day should be peculiarly appropriate
this year.
The association sends the follow
ing letter to President Wilson, to the
governor of each state, to state
boards of education, to mayors OF all
American cities and members of all
American patriotic societies and to
all fellow citizens:
In accordance with it's custom for
the past eighteen years, the Ameri-
can Flag Association reminds you
that Monday, June 14th, 1915, will
be the 13Sth anniversary of the adop-
ton of the stars and stripes, as the
flag of our country. 1t is a genuine
satisfaction that the public recogni-
ton of Flag Day as a national ami
vcrsary is each year becoming more
and more general. Any reminder
would seem unnecessary to secure
your cooperation in securing the
widest possible observance this year.
In the past and increasingly every
year, the governors of many of the
states have by their proclamations,
called public attention to the day
and ordered the flag to be displayed
on all public buildings, and invited
their fellow citizens to celebrate the
day.
Also, mayors of. cities, for recog-
milton Of this anniversary, have also
ordered flags to be displayed upon
municipal buildings of their respec-
tive cities, and by formal proclama-
ton or otherwise, have invited their
fellow citizens to do the same upon
their private buildings.
And the editors of newspapers, by
general action among them all, have
by editorial comment and the publ
cation of historical articles upon the
subject of the flag, called attention
to the day end urged the public to
display the national colors on Flag
l. ay.
School officers and teachers have
ordered and arranged for patriotic
exercises appropriate to the day.
American patriotic societies,
through their officers and members,
have stirred up popular enthusiasm
by public appeals through local med
iums and by observances of the an
niversary.
The American people from year
to year, more and more, and with a
growing enthusiasm have celebrated
the day.
We call upon all American citizens
and earnestly invite them to join in
the public recognition of the birth
day of the emblem of our nationality.
In many of the states, pursuant to
law, in the public schools exercises
will be conducted in celebration of
Flag Day. By voluntary impulse let
this also be done in private schools.
Let us extend this practice. Teach
the story of the flag, what it repre-
sents, and have the young people
pledge their fealty and loyalty to it.
on the 14th day of June, 1777,
congress enacted: "That the flag of
the thirteen United States be thirteen
stripes, alternate red and white; that
the Union be thirteen stars, white in
a blue field, representing new con-
ISOLATION" The number of stripes
having been increased by the admis-
sion of new states, the possibilities of
the nations future development
dawned upon our fathers, the origin
al thirteen stripes were unchange-
ably restored by act of congress on
April 4, 1918, when it was enacted:
That from and after the fourth day
of July next, the flag of the United
States be thirteen horizontal stripes,
alternate red and white; that the
Union be twenty stars, white, in a
blue fold, and that on the admission
of new state into the Union one
star be added to the Union of the
flag, and such addition take effect on
the fourth day Of July next, succeed
ing such admission.
Since the struggle of 1S61-1S65,
the flag has become the symbol of
mighty nation. 1t has been carried
to the>utmost parts of the earth, car
rying liberty wherever it has been
thrown to the breeze.
At this time of the great Europ-
can war, the limits of it's baleful in
fuences are not confined to the
theatre of the awful conflict, but our
own country is in great danger Of
being involved in it's consequence,
and patriotism and love of our Won
derful country is called for more
than ever, that we may be watchful
against those who would involve us
and do us i'll.
We are now in the midst of an
anxious time in all our nation, again
calling for an expression of our most
sincere devotion to the flag Of our
country, and what it stands for. The
stars and stripes have come to pos
sess new beauty for friendly eyes and
new terror for the foes of liberty,
and of law and order, and OF lawful
government.
We respectfully appeal to the pres
ident of the United States of Ameri-,
ca, to the governors of all the states
of our land, and to the mayor of
each American city, to herald the
coming and celebration of Flag Day,
June IA, 1915, by proclamation; we
call unon every public officer. every