Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-03
NO Law GOVERNS
DISPLAY OF FLAG
War Department Provides Rules
for Army, but Not for Guild
anCe of Civilians.
WOULD RESTRICT IT'S use
Adjutant General Urges That Emblem
Be Suspended From Poles and
Not Used for General
Decorative Purposes,


partment, IN statement with refer |
ence to the many inquiries which the
department has received concerning |
the proper method of displaying, |
hanging and saluting the American |
flag, declares that there is no federal
law now in force pertaining to this |
subject and that while the war de-
partment prescribes rules and regula-
tions on the subject for use in the
army, it has no authority to prescribe
any rules for the guidance of civil
ians.
Concerning the rules observed in the
army, the adjutant general says:
ut is the practice in the army, each
day in the year, to hoist the flag brisk
ly by sunrise, irrespective of the con-
dition of the weather, and to lower it
slowly and tremendously at sunset, in
dicating the commencement and
cessation of the activities of the day,
and to display it at half-mast on Memo
rial day MAY 30) 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 hoisted to the top of the staff
before being lowered to the half-mast
position.
Use Should Be Restricted.
considerable discussion has arisen
throughout the country concerning the
proper manner of hanging and display
ing the flag for decorative purposes.
AS already stated, there is no federal
Jaw governing the subject, and individ-
ual opinion differs as to the procedure
that should or should not be followed.
1t has been suggested that as far as
possible the hanging of the flag should
be restricted to Suspending it from a
fiagpole, in the regular way, and not
to displaying it otherwise; that for
purposes of decoration only the ma
tional colOrs should be arranged in
the form of bunting and not used in
the form Of the flag; that if it is never
theless the desire to use the flag for
decorative purposes it should always
be hung fiat whether on the inside or
the outside OF buildings, with the union
to the north or east, so that there will
be general uniformity in the position
of the union of each flag displayed; !;
that the flag should rarely be displayed
in a horizontal position or laid fiat !;
| that under no circumstances should it
| be hung where it can easily be contain
mated or soiled, or be draped over
| chairs or benches to be used for seat
ing purposes, and that no object or en-
blem of any kind should be placed
above or upon it. This department
sees no objection to flying the flag at
night on civilian property provided
! 1t is not so flown for advertising pur-
poses.
''It is becoming the practice through
out the country, among civilians, to dis
play the national flag on all patriotic
occasions, especially on the following
days: Lincoln's Birthday, Washing.
toms Birthday, Mothers day, Memo.
rial day, Flag day, Independence day
February II, February %, second Sun.
day in May, May 80, June IA, July 4
In certain localities other special days
are observed in the same manner.
'It seems to be appropriate thai
where several flags or emblems are
displayed on a pole, or otherwise, the
United States flag should always bt
hoisted first and hung or displayed a
the top; that in any parade the United
States flag should always have the
place of honor, and that the flag should
never be hung or displayed with tn,
union down except as a signal of dis
tress at sea.
How Soldiers Salute Flag.
Existing regulations governing tn,
army provide that when officers anC
enlisted men pass the national flag
not encased, they will render honor
as follows: If i'll civilian dress and GOV
cred. they will uncover, holding tn,
headdress opposite the left shoulde
with the right hand; if uncovered
they will salute with the right hand
A flag unfurled and hung in a room il
which officers or enlisted men of tn
. army are present will be saluted b,
them the first time they may have oc
casion to pass it, but not thereafter
The hand salute is as follows: Rails
the right hand smartly till the tip O
the forefnger touches the lower par
, of the headdress above the right eye
thumb and fingers extended and Joined
palm to left, forearm inclined to abou
! 45 degrees, hand and wrist straight
at the same time look toward the per
, son saluted; drop the arm smartly t
the side.
r sold or worn-out flags should not b
. used either for banners or for any sec
r ondary purposes. When a flag is il
4 such condition that it is no longer
t fitting emblem for display, it shoul
8 not be cast aside nor used in any wa
e that might be viewed as disrespect
Z full to the national colors, but shoul
. be destroyed as a whole, privately, pre-
: ferably by burning or by some othe
e method lacking in any suggestion O
e irrevefence or disrespect due the en-
: hlem representing our country"
e Take Nitrogen From Air.
t A plant for the extraction Of nftrt