The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-07-06
METHOD TO DISPLAY
ANE SALUTE AMERICAN FLAG

The Adjutant General of the War
Department has issued the following:
Many inquiries concerning the pro-
per method of displaying, hanging,
and saluting the United States flag
are being received in the War Depart
ment with the evident object Of secur-
ing some authoritative statement re-
lating to the subject.
In this connection it should be re-
marked that while it is within the pro-
vince of the War Department to pre-
scribe rules and regulations govern
ing the matter in question for OBJ
servance within the army, yet it is be-
such rules or regulations for the guild
ance Of civilians or to undertake to
decide questions concerning the sub
ject that are presented by civilians.
There is no Federal law now in
force pertaining to the manner of dis
playing, hanging, or saluting the
United States flag or prescribing any
ceremonies that should be observed in
connection herewith In fact there are
but two Federal laws on the statute
BOOKS that have any bearing upon this
subject, one the act of congress, ap-
proved February 20, 1905 (33 Stat L.,
p. 1850, providing that a trademark
cannot be registered which consists of
or comprises, inter ALA, "the flag, coat
Of arms, or other insignia of the United
States, or any stimulation thereof" and
the other the act of congress approved
February 8, 1917 Public-No. 305-
S4th Congo, providing certain penal
ties for the dissertation, mutilation, or
improper use of the flag within the
District of Columbia Several states
of the Union have enacted laws which
have more or less bearing upon the
general subject, and it seems prob
able that many counties and munich
palities have also passed ordinance;
concerning the matter, to govern &C
ion within their own Jurisdiction.
Warming Against Dissertation.
Warning against dissertation of the
American flag by aliens has been is
sued by the Department OF Justice,
which has sent the following notice
to Federal attorneys and marshals.
amy alien enemy tearing down,
mutilating, abusing, or desecrating
the United States flag in any way will
be regarded as danger to the pub
lie peace or safety within the mean
ing of regulation II of the proclama-
ton of the president issued April 6,
1917, and will be subject to summary
arrest and punishment"
1t is the practice in the army, each
day in the year, to hoist the flag
briskly at sunrise, irrespective of the
it slowly and tremendously at sunset,
indicating the commencement and
cessation of the activities of the day,
and to display it at halfstaff on Mem
orial day MAY 800 from sunrise until
noon and at full staff from noon until
sunset, and also on other days .spe-
cially designated for that purpose by
the proper authority, the flag always
being first hoisted to the top of the
staff before being lowered to the half
staff position.
There has been some question
among civilians concerning the exact
location Of flag hung at 'halfstaff. -
theoretically, the flag is always hung
on a separate staff, much shorter
than the stats usually erected on
buildings, and as consequence a
flag hung at halfstaff would be located
much higher on the ordinary flagstaff
than under the present practice, but
still the custom OF placing the half