New Britain herald., 1917-04-07
Tou,n Topics i',lI'

,--'@ --',ss.', 3 'se.s.s + 7 One of the most inspiring sights in the city is that of the large .Amert- can flags on the F. 6 F. Corbin face, tory plant standing forth in all their Eesplendent glory, the brilliant rays of powerful searchlight illuminat- ing it's broad stripes and bright stars'' by night. No less patriotic and inspiring are the scores of flags that are now seen daily flying from many flag -staffs and draped from many buildings Particularly arc the fac- tories of New Britain prominent in the display of the colors. Almost every concern shows one flag and the larger plants have several, each futtering bravely from masts on the tops of various buildings. The patriotism of the factory workers is also reflected in the street by the small American flags flying from row after row of. windows in some of the concerns. Truly there is no sight that 90 stirs the blood of the true American as the sight of Old Glory snapping in the breezes, and the innovation of illum- mating 1t at night, as the F. & F. Cor bin factory has done, is an ideal one. It brings something of an impressive realism of some of the feelings that must have surged through the mind of Francis Scott Key as, while pris- oner. he penhed the immortal lines of the ''Star Spangled Banner embody- ing those beautiful phrases:
 Gave proof thro' the night that our
 flag was still there.
 Then conquer we must, when our
 ca,ise it is just,
 And this be our motto: "In God is our
 trust!"
 And the Star Spangled Banner in tri-
 umph shall wave,
 Der the land of the free and the
 home of the brave.
 A daily display of the colors on the massive stan on the summit of Walnut Hill park is also destrous.
 Many people have decided to, and many more will, display the colors from their private dwellings until the war is over and the boys have re- turned. One flag being displayed on residential street has something of a history, despite its dingy and some- what tattered appearance. Nineteen years ago, when war was declared be- tween the United States and Spain, this flag, then bright and new, but no. more charming, was unfurled to the breezes and remained at full mast. night and day. rain and shine.i until peace had again been declared. Since then 1t has been unused, but once more. this w4rtime banner has been unfurled and, the owner states, will not again be furled until peace once more draws the nation to her bosom.
 The past year has been an epoch making one in New Britain in many ways, but chiefly from a militaristic point of view. Until this year never before had either or both of New Britain's National Guard companies been called into the federal service twice within the short span of twelve months. Yet this epoch has now been made. In June, 1916, the boys were called to the colors and mustered in- to tho federal service for field action and now, scorcely ten. months 1ater, they have ,been called from their pri- vate pursuits and mustered into the. federal service again for fiefd duty just how extensive a service time alone can tell. Only three times since the militia was established have lOCAl kIVOQA UGCH uuOSC01Su lutO LA1V United States service for action, the first time having been in 1898. at the time of the Spanish-American war. On only five different occasions. have local guardsmen been called upon for any duty other than drills. maneu- vers and routine summer encamp- ments. These were the Spanish war, the Waterbury strike, the Mexican crisis, the policing of the city on the night of the fire-bug rampage and now The men serving today are rendering their service during his tory-making period and the city is proud of them,
 Centered around Company I and Captain A. H. Griswold, who this week led the boys out of the armory for active service. is something rath- CT unusual, if not romantic from a military standpoint. It has been in Company I, in which he enlisted as a private twenty-four years ago, that Captain Griswold has seen all his ac- tive military service, with the excep- ton of last summer when he cap tained a company of recruits to the l Mexican border; and he has also been with Company in all it's active ser vice until last summer. In addition l to that Captain Griswold is the only | man in either local company who is |