The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-06-10
THE AMERICAN FLAG. AND
WHAT 1T STANDS FOR"
BY Tom Kennedy. P. H. s. ~.

II mas often been remarked by for
eslgners visiting our country for tho
1lrst time, what little show of patriot,
ism we make. To the excitable and
Impulslve son of Italy, Spain and
France, filled with a patriotic enthus-
la5m and ardOr, this is especially odd.
However, no matter how Indifferent
we may seem, ordinarily, it has been
proven, time and again, that there is
no more staunch and true patriot in
the world than the American. Oar
patriotism is of the strong. deep-in-
st!lled variety, rather than the uick
Catch-fIre, On-the- surface kind. You
may Judge for yourself which is the
test in the long run.
From the very beginning, the
thought of-freedOnl has been associat-
ed with the American flag. The de-
sign of one Of the first flags was of
& rattlesnake, couched in a menacing
attitude on the union of England, witt
TINS motto, Don't tread on me-" 1t
IS significant that in the first Of these
Tags the rattlesnake was divided into
thirteen equal parts, but later on these
parts were joined, as. in a few wears.
the colonies they represented. were
also.
1t was not until 1918 that the pres
ent form of the American flag, the
most beautiful in the world. was
adopted. Before this. there had been
fifteen stars and fifteen stripes. one
Tor each state. But in the above-ram-
ed year 1t was decided that the num-
Der Of stripes should be permanently
reduced to thirteen to represent the
original colonies, while a star should
be added for each new state. On the
ourth Of July, following its admit
lance into the union. So at the pres
enC time the flag contains forty-eight
stars, symbolic Of the grandest collec-
ton OF states. people and institutions
that the earth has ever beheld.
Inc colors of the flag themselves,
stand for what the nation holds most
oear-the red for courage, the white
for purity and the blue for LOYALTY.
What more could be asked Of any
nation than it be loyal, brave and
pure?
We, living peacefully at home.
amidst familiar SURROUNDINGS. cannot
appreciate the full meaning OF tho
flag. But if ever we chance to 90 into
a foreign land, among people who
speak another language, or who have
different ideals, customs and habits.
then 1t IS that we shall appreciate to
the fullest extent Just what it means
to be an American, and this will be
impressed twice as strongly upon us
Il we have the opportunity of seeing
the flag of our country, Strong,
rough, men, and blase, wOrld-wearied
women, who at home pay scarce a
thought to their flag, have often been
known to shed tears upon seeing it in
a foreign land. Such is the wonderful
power of patriotism, no matter how
deeply buried!
What does the American flag stand
Tor? Naturally, in a broad sense. it
stands for the American nation. the
greatest, most civilized nation on the
face of the earth. But to narrow the
question down q little. If YOU ask
the eXpatrioted title-hunting ey-
American who doesn't count for any
thing worth while, he will probably
say, ooh, very nice sort of a place
Amerlca-Ive summer home over
there If you should ask the heavy
eyed, young gambler at Monte Carlo.
he'll say, "ROtten old country, no ey-
element at all, not nearly so gay as
this place" But ask the real men,
the men who live in America, believe
in 1t, love it with all their hearts and
souls, and who are willing, if neces-
sary, to sacrifice their lives for it, and
they will say. That flag stands for
the grandest nation under Gods
heaven: for the greatest people, with
the highest ideals in the world. Ii
stands for strength, mental, moral ana
physical strength. 1t stands for right
thinking and right-doing. 1t stands
for a nation strong as a lion, vet
gentle as a child. And above all. 1t
stands for millions of reverent, God
! loving and God-fearing men, women
and children, who realize their
strength in this world of ours, and
their weakness in the presence of their
Maker. and who are trying to live
good, clean, honest, upright lives. 3"
That is what the American nation is