The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-04-10

In view of, the wave of patriotism
which has swept over the United
States since our entry into the war,
and which finds one expression in the
flying Of the flag, the following article
BY a member of the staff of the Smith
sonian institution on the history OF the
flag is of special interest:
Probably several million American
flags today are waving in our land,
significant of the patriotism OF the
American people. Be this our native
land or adopted country, we pledge al
legiance to that nag, uncover as we
pass and wear it in miniature as a
token of our loyalty.
And yet what do we know about It's
origin, it's meaning and it's history
National museum in Washington. the
national depository Of American relics
will tell you much Of the flag.
Early Forms Many
Naturally there were many forms OF
early flags, especially colonial types.
used by the individual colonies, and
militia regiments before the nag OF
the United States was established py
our continental congress on July IA,
1777 now celebrated as flag day.
This act required that the flag OF
the United States be Of thirteen alter
nate red and white stripes, and that
the union be thirteen white stars on a
blue field; representing new constel-
lation, but it did not define how many
points the stars should have. how they
should be arranged or make provision
for additional ones.
At the time of the adoption Of this
resolution washington is said to have
ohRAfwed: +
we take the star from heaven.
thu red from our mother country,
separating IL by white stripes, thus
showing that we have separated from
her. and the white stripes snaH go
down to posterity representing hp-
First Display of Emblem.
The first display of the stars and
stripes il believed to have been on
Aug. s, 1777, when the new flag was
hoIsted over the troops at Fort Schuy-
Ter. Rome. N. Z. a
John Paul Jones is said to nave
been the first to fly the stars ana
strines over the high seas. on the
RANGER. in November 1777. The Ma.
tional museum has an early naval
twelye-star type flag said to have
been flown by John Paul Jones dur
ing the war OF the Revolution.
Stands For Whole People.
Ii has been well said that our ma
tional emblem stands for American
ideals and ideas-it is not the nag OF
. family or a house. but the flag OF
the whole people. 1t is the emblem OF
liberty and freedom. being indicative
of individual Independence and yet
symbolic of a united and closely
bonded people.
Far from being merely painted and
dyed cloth. it representa- the constitu-
ton and government OF q hundred
million free people. 1t stands Tor the
people themselves. and records the
history of their nation:
Thirty Historic Flags.
In the national museum at Wash
in0ton are displayed thirty historic
American dags. On the labels, the
history OF each is recorded; some
Der from famous sea fights. and 9TH
ers were flown over garrisons or forts
bv DISTINGUISHED American officers.
Changes Shown by Series.
The series of flags show very well the
'pariodic changes which have taken
nIace in our flag. From the time or
the Revolution the Stars and Stripes
in the flag have varied. There were
thirteen stars during the Revolution
flfteen in the war of 1919. twenty-nine
To thirty-five in the Civil War, forty
ave In the Spanish American and for
Ave in the Spanish war, and forty -eight
today. The stripes were changed first
from thirteen to fifteen and then back
again to thirteen.
One of Oldest Banners.
II may be surprising to know that
our national flag is among the Oldest
fIags OF the nations, being older than
the present British Jack, the French
tricolor, and the flag of Spain, and
many years older than the flags of
Germany and Italy. some of which are
either personal flags or those of the
refgning families.
Has Fort McHenry Flag.
The nag Of the highest historic and
sentimental value to the whole country
is l., the National museum collections.
IT Is the original Star Spangled Banner
that few over Fort McFTenry In Balti-
more harbor, during the bombardment
on September 1914, 1914. and inspired
Francis Scott Keys immortal poem,