Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-31
What The Flag Means

of WASHINGTON u. e.. on June T. tn" exercise
were held under the auspices OF III" Grand Army
the Republic, and III" speech full Of PATRIOT
inspiration for every American.
One feature Of tn" speech. that will b" OF mn''
interest to young Americans. and 10 Il great man
old ones as we'll. is that wherein h" states that IN
American flag is IN" oldest flag in tn" world. MtrE
ing up the assertion by dates that history. II
said in part
This is a sacred day. 1t is day OF memory and Of
hope. It awakens thoughts OF byg"ne time ana 'n'
time that is vet 10 be. As look upon the starry
banner hat CLEANS proudly our sight We see
America and the principles for which she stands
Washingtons consuming idea was Independence
and the StarSpanged Banner foat"d trlumphahuE
nation signify to all the world that tha
idea had been made a reality
Lincolns inning idea was "tnlon, and us
flame burned brightly in during all the years
of fratricida strife; burned there until it was trans
ferred by universal consent to the flag when "a'eu
over a nation and nSeparable.
One hundred and fortyone years ago our flag was
flung to the breeze Only short time and fleeing
in the annals Of earths pee pies and yet strange 10
say the flag that has foated for that period as the
emblem Of America is the oldest flag in the world.
John Paul Jones the first to raise the new ban
ner With delight that hardy hero hosted the new
flag with its - red and white stripes and its stars IN
the blue field, his vessel With delight he Sa"
the colors Of the nation sauted with respect IN
foreign ports. 1t the pride Of his valiant heart
and ever loved it more than he Paul Jones
was who, when his vessel was sinking under muir
derous fire from enemy ships, was asked II he had
surrendered. He glanced toward his flagstaff saw
his starry emblem still flying proudly in spite or
gashes and rents, and Numbered out his immortal
response Il have just begun to fight Little wonder
that such irresistible courage the day and that
the Bon Homme Richard, though itself a wreck was
the victor and that it's commander took his place
among the kings Of the sea.
On land the American flag was first given 10 the
breezes when it hosted over Fort StanwlX in
New York August, 1777, during that momentous cam
pagn which ended with the surrender of Burgoyne
nd rkad he in n
luton.
The oldest flag in the world that flag, ypfying the
great Republic of the West, outdates all the other
banners swung aloft by presentday nations. 1t is
older than the British flag which adopted in 1901
1t older than the French trcoor which first saw
the light in 1894 1t is older than the flag Of Spain
which was born in 1885, older even than the emblems
OF the ancient empires of China and Japan
The Star-Spangled Banner is much older than the
flag of the imperial German government, which was
adopted in 1870.
One hundred and forty-one years of growth and de-
velopment. Yet in all the changeful circumstances
which have marked those years that flag has never
bowed conquered before any foe. Its history is all on
one side-victory Though bent by of the blasts
II has weathered every gale floating out in new
strength and splendor in the sunshine that fol-
lows storm
It waved over Washington and his continentals. Be-
fore it Burgoyne laid down his arms. 1t the in
spfrin beacon light amid the horrors of Valley Forge
1t was the conQuering banner at Yorktown when the
brothers in arms, Washington and Lafayette, casped
hands in the final struggle for national liberty.
That flag went through the storm of Lundy's Lane
and waved from the new-made ship from which Com
modore Perry sent his message, I'VE have met the
enemy and they ours, 1t floated defiantly over
the ramparts at New Orleans where "Od Hickory
beat back the veterans of the Iron Duke Wellington
That flag waved VIGOROUSLY in the halls of the
Montezumas in Mexico City. 1t crowned triumph
ant at Cerro Gordo and Buena Vista 1t was at the
head of the triumphal march to the Golden Gate and
the snow-cad Sierra Nevadas.
Th.t flag endured the shot and shell Of civil strife
and came forth in new vigor and virility.
That flag floated from the ship from which Dewey
sent his orders the Battle Of Manila Bay 1t led the
way for the reunited fighters from North and South
I'D the hill at San Juan. 1t the inspiration of
Hobson and his daring associates at Santiago.
These records Of victory all of them. have been
written into the fabric Of the flag be
ed Not less surely have been the victories of
peace, the achievements Of material kind during that
century and more of history.
But these have not made the flag complete and
changeable. The making of that flag is
pleted >Incon spoke of the Nations unfinished task
at Gettysburg So today speak Of unfinished tasks
and those which await the makers of the flag in this
generation greater than ever before
That Gag today stands for democracy around the
world. Last Flag Day it carried such meaning but
never again will it be without it, While its bright
coors CLEAN bravely on high in the future the world
will read in them the doom Of dynastes the down
fall of thrones.
Today, wherever the American flag waves in the
breeze, on schoolhouse home, capitol at the head
of valiant fighters the battle lines of Europe or
the masts of gallant ships in the seas it is
a blazing symbol that every government on the face
of the earth must be built the consent of the gov
erned All America and whatever it possesses in men
and under requiston to carry out that
determination
The flag is harbinger of hope to all in America
who battle against wrong where it is wrong and who
have faith to believe that this government of ours
must be one for the people, of the people and by the
people.
"Above all our flag is cleaning promise to all
hose who lon. for and hope for AID pray for the
acting brothe hood of nations and enduring peace
mong men. Even on the black clouds of war NAV
e seen the beautiful bow of freedom and CAGE for
he peoples of the earth
What this city and county needs at the present
1oment is an engineer who is one hundred per cent
noineer who knows exactlN what be is doing Mhn