Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-11
SQUELCH|NG THE
SLAPSTICK PATRIOT

| When the gallant Naval Militia OF
New York City was marching down
Fifth Avenue the other day on its way
to some unknown destination and
glory, most of the big throng on both
sides of the street uncovered as the
! clean, new colors bravely whipped by
| In front of me stood lithely erect
middle-aged man q could tell by the
I back Of his grizzled heaD who kept
| his hat on. I could just glimpse that
he was holding his hand to the brim
of his derby hat when over my Shout
, der reached an arm and knocked off
the unoffending headgear. 1 looked
about.
i Dent you know enough to take off
! Your hat to the flag" blatted Il burly
individual behind me. "I'!l learn you!"
The man in front of me turned
about, white with well-restraineG in
dignation. TIE look he gave the man
as I picked up the hat at my feet
might have withered an enterly sober
person.
Sir" said he, clenching his hands
beside him. II am an officer in the
! army. a major, and l don't know
whether to give you the beating you
4
ogiZe to me-"
'I-I-didn't mean to-" stammered
the would-he bully. II thought you
didn't salute the flag and I'm q patriot
you know sheepishly.
The fellow turned away and disap-
peared amidst /the outlaws of the
crowd Then the officer turned to me
and laughed.
ITO tell the truth. I was wrong, too,
but I have been saluting this way for
at least ten years and 1t has become
habit with me. forgot about
Changes No. IL"
More OF Changes No. II" later.
First for incident No 2:
The other night the orchestra in q
hig hotel played The Star Spangled
Banner" A gentleman in one Of the
chairs in the lobby failed to rise. An
other ''Ill-learn-you" patriot prompt
" walked over and yanled the unof-
Tending person out Of his chair
My mind was on something else"
protested the sitter.
well" beloved the insistant one,
next time YOU think. This is no
place for man to sit while the Ma
tional Anthem is played"
SlapGtck patriotism is n good name
for such a display of bad manners as
this. Many a better patriot than this
/ limo-lighter has been caught wool
| gathering. rnmindful Of tinklng ho-
tel orchestra, and anyway maybe the
national air was being played as a
part of n medley. when it oughtn't to
be noticed-yes. I mean it. Hotel or
chestras have that habit, painfully So
! Then. how DO we paw the proner
respect to the Flag? What honor DO
we observe when 1.-THE Star Spangled
Banner" is played?
Now we get back to Changes No
H."
In the Drill Regulations Of the Army
are certain fixed rules for all honors
and salutes to be paid by soldiers to
the Flag, to the National Anthem and
to each other. OF course no such
rules are laid down for civilians. but II
| these latter really wish to observe the
conventions. then the military code for
soldiers in civilian attire is naturally
the best one to be followed. And
"Changes No. II" are the latest orders
on the subject promulgated on Jan. 9
last. These are the up-to date rules,
to he followed by all in the military
service.
| Six different situations the soldier
must consider for himself-in uniform
or civilian dress; covered or uncov-
cred; armed with a weapon or not. For
a civilian but three Of these conditions
could happen-covered or uncovered,
and in civilian dress.
And there are but two things he can
do-salute with the hand, or "uncov-
err" which letter Is the military way
of saying that the hat is to be taken
| off.
Here is the precise and formal mill
tary manner Of executing the hand sa-
lutte. AS laid down in the Infantry
Drill Regulations. paragraph So:
| 1.-Raise the right hand smartly till
the tip Of the forefnger touches the
lower part of the headdress or fore
| head above the right eye, thumb and
| fingers extended and joined. palm to
the left, forearm inclined at about AZ
| = oc,reoS hand and 0uriSt stro }ph<. ~