The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-16
T Simple True the First Flag

for purity. blue for truth. Chairman Niles words are: %rhe three colors of which it is composed. red. white and blue. are the true republican coIors-- in heraldry they are emblematic of the three great virtues, vabor, purity and truth" His report winds up with these words about the flag: The cher ished symbol of it's valor. purity and truth"
 This completely disposes also of Mir Orien R. Smiths claim of the Trinity three in one-white for church, Father. Son and Holy Ghost. etc"
 Third: That stars to represent mum Der of states seeding did not, as claimed, originate with Orrin R. Smith is proven by the historic fact that as early 8 December 20. 1860. an associ- ation, "rhe Sons of the South" com posed of gentlemen of Georgia. had banner upon which. among other de- vices. were five stars and the motto. Separate State Action"
 Fourth: The committee stated the flag accepted must be simple, read fly made, 1t should be different from any other country, place. or people should be significant, readily distin- guished at a distance. The colors should be well contrasted and durable and not the least import tant; it should be effective and hands Dme."
 Is 1t any wonder that Gov. A. B. Moore should in his wisdom and his knowledge of the gerius of his friend and fellow townsnga n, the noted art ist, have turneds hEs thoughts to the one person able to meet all these re- quirements. Is it any wonder that a real artist. skilled 'ih ideas of propor- tion. contrast of color, who had all ready designed acceptable flags for Alabama regiments, should have been consulted? Who but a skilled artist all f.-nr, and yet made 1t "hffective and hand some?"
 It is also natural to suppose that the provisional Congress- meeting in the state capitol of Alabama would Gall other things being equaD greatly prefer to ac-- cept a design made in Alabama a state already seeded, rather than one from North Carolina. a. state which had not seeded.
 5. In reply to contention. that neither the Marschall nor the Smith designs were among the flags in scrap book of Confed- crate flags in war department at Wash ington, beg to say this is proof in Mars challs favor-is proof that the Smith design must have been different in some particular from what he thought also having been sent early in February, it would naturally have been among those received during that time and printed with them On the otlaer hand it proves Alabamas contention--that, at last in spite of all the designs sent i'm the com mittee had to procure other and more suitable designs.
 In further proof of this also is the fact that MT. Miles own design also produced after other flags were dis cussed, and which he urged the commit tee to accept was also not among the designs recorded in Washington
 The reason is clear that Mr. Miles de- sign and MT. Marschalrs were procured by the committee, after all flags gent in had been found wanting.
 G. One writer attempting to prove for Miss Smith that her father designed the Stars and Bars acknowledged Orrin R. Smith to have been highly imagin- ative." These are about his own words about Orrin R. Smith: Tine youth wa, highly imaginative and exctabie tenn perament which was manifest throughout his long life.
 '. Opponents of MT. Marschall, in the Smith flag book, quote largely iron, stories of the flag by various newspaper reporters who, While their interviews are In the main true. make many mistakes as is natural in such work, in such as dates. places and members of the Marschall family. etc.
 These opponents find their strongest
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