East Mississippi times. (Starkville, Miss.) 19??-1926, 1917-04-20
MAKING OUR FLAGS
Uncle Sam Does a Big Business
In the Bunting Line.
GYMS HIS OWN FACTORIES.
Al the Standards Used In the Army
and Navy and on Government Build.
inss Are Made al the Brooklyn and
Mare island Navy Yards.

aHu NaNy ana on SoNefnment buiids
lnss Are Made al the Brooklyn and
Mare island Navy Yards.
The making of over 400 different
kihds OF flags for use In the navy, Rt
army posts and on government build.
ings In the United States is a pretty
big job. Most Of these flags IRE made
at the Brooklyn navy yard, where an
up to date shop is maintained by the
government for the work. Practically
all of the flags for the needs of the
Atlantic coast and interior posts and
buildings are made here. Flags re
quired for the Pacific coast are made
at the Mare Island navy yard.
No government ship or building can
be without Its Stars and Stripes, and
no one connected with the service Is
willing to ay tattered or patched
flag. Consequently the fag making IN
dustry Of the United States govern
ment Is an important one.
On seeing battleship In full dress
one can easily imagine how much bunt-
ing Is required to be carried In the
ships lockers. Such a ship is an inspir.
ihg sight. In addition to flags for sig.
mailing purposes, each battleship must
be equipped with an extensive array
Of flags for official occasions. In the
ceremonial outfit there are about $50
flags. Each battleship carries more
than forty foreign 6ags each 25 by 10
feet.
For Its flag making the government
buys the best bunting. but weather and
constant use wenr out flcgs. A naval
regulation requires that each ship shall
have complete outfit every three years
aud oftener II needed, Nothing but
wool bunting is used IN the manufac.
tiirc Of the flags, and II is subjected to
aschemical AID physical test before II
Is accepted FOR use. The first test con.
sists Of soaking the bunting in soap
and water and then exposing 1t TO the
weather for ten days. Thirty hours of
this time the material must be In
bright sunshine. If the bunting stands
this test then tits accepted and sent to
the cutting rooms.
These rooms present Il colorful and
interesting picture. Many modern
Betsy Rosses may he seen busily en-.
gagged In assembling the flags Of for.
eign country or putting the forty-eight
stars on the Stars md Stripes. Much
Of the sewing is done by machinery,
but many expert necdlewomen are
necessary, for tho flag master does not
throw away any dag that can be neat
ly mended to do further service.
All flags are cut from measurements
arranged on chalk lines and markers
on the floor. Tue first basting Is usual
ly done on the floor also as here strips
and pieces can be more conveniently
handled in this way. The final sewing
is done on machines.
1t was but few years ago that Tn
Gle Sam decided to make his own
Gags. Today lie has specialized
force. with each workman doing the
part best suited to him. Many women
nrc employed Some excel IA making
stars, others In stripes, ard some do
their best worb on II complicated em
blem Of a foreign country.
Machinery IL used to cut the many
thousands % stars required Oh Old
Glory. Eieit sizes rre required, vary.
ing from fourteen to two p,hes across
The flag Of the president requires the
most labor. and womuIi takes full
month IN putting one together. This
flag, consisting of II blue around with
the coat OF urms uf the United States
In the center, IL hand sewrd It takes
days Of patient stitching to place the
life sized eagle with Its great wings
otltstretchetl This 6aT Is made In two
sizes, 10 by "A and 3 by s feet.
II Is the making OF some Of the for.
eign flags that taxes the ability Of Un.
Gle Sans best workmcn. For color
and embcms he has to get special ma.
terial. Some Of the Latin countries, al.
though small IN power have elaborate
flags. The dragon flag uf China con.
slsts Of 10 separate pieces, which
must be carefully assembled and neat.
ly finished The dag Of San Salvador
Is very expensive to make.
After zach fns ls finished by the
workmen heading Is sewed on aud
the border Is stamped with the name
Of the flag The master hag naknr
then passes on II, after which 1t goes
to the stnrckceper Of the navy yard
for Observation-Disclosures York Sun.