Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-13

coived."
Granting Mr.. Harrison tho right to
MS opinion. he Is noverthoesa wrong
concerning tho origin Of tho American
iiag. according to the best evidence
that extensive research has brought 10
light. The flag was not modelled latter
the ancestral emblem" OF George
washington. but after the Nag OF the
Dutch republic
Wo have absolute records to tell us
when the American flag was adonted.
ana what IT was then supposed TO be.
INC thirtccn war vessels, which then
constituted the Colonial Navy, were de-
alrous OF nag to use i'm foreign
waters. so on June Il. l7T7--the same
day that John Paul Jone. was alp
pointed captain OF the nanror--th.
Continental Congress passed tho FOL-
lowing resolution:
"Resolvcd. Thut tho flag of tho thir.
teen United states be thirteen stripe.
alternate rcd and white; that the Union
DC thirteen stars. while In u blue field
representing new constellation"
rms. however. says nothing about
how the stars should be placed Tho
flag designed by Washington and made
by Retsy Ross contained circle of
stars. but there lis no evidence to prov.
THAT this was the nag generally used
In fact. from what evidence has been
Eathercd together II Is practically
certain that the first American flags
used had no stars whatsoever. In "a
book Of photographs OF e4tant flags
used ar alleged to be used, in the
american Revolution" compiled By
Gerhnrdi Davis tNew York, iooS). the
field of stars is seldom seen,amd
never AS an absolute surety---until
1850. In Faunces Tavern. in New York
| city. there is also collection OF Rrit.
i"h prints of tho American Gug which
| SHOWS the same thinS-no stars until
1850.
Now. according 10 the greatest num-
Der OF authorities. the alternate red
>nd white stripes used In the flag
wero not taken from Washington.
shield. bat were borrowed from the
Dutch flag. ~ the beginning OF the
Ecvolution. II must be remembered
Tho Dutch had strong hold upon
america. In the greater part Of New
YORK, pennsylvania. New Jersey aud
Delaware The language vas Dutch
Moreover. the greater percentage OF
the commerce WAS Dutch. SO that tho
Dutch flag on trading ships as well
az OH handkerchiofs. boxes title pages
OF Bibles. and lnsny other articles. was
Il familiar object
The Dutch flag consisted OF alternate
rcd and white stripes and it's meaninr
vas popular With the colonigts at the
time or the Revolution. 1t sicniGcd
the union of the provinces OF Holland.
which had dcposeG It's monarch and
, become q republic. with Il written
Constitution. "a judiciary free from the
executive, and public schools free 10
all and susta ined 'by taxation" long
before 1915. Thus II IL Interesting to
| noe tic fact. the Importance of which
!" OFTEN overlooked by historians that
the Dutch influence wan strong In the
rebellion OF the colonsts We have
benjamin Frankln's word for II in a
letter which lie wrote during tho war.
which saSa; In lovc OF liberty and
bravery in the defense Of il. she Iio!-
,~f.
Hence. In using tho stripes in the
nag, the United States borrowed tho
IDEA from the Dutch TO signify the
union Of the colonies. As far as can
ne asSertained' this striped nss WAS
Immediately employed by the navy.
but In the army il was mover adopted
ihcrc flag bearing q rattieSnukc F..
cmh!"in was the most popular, al
,housh other designs were also used.
IN May OF 1913. Washington wrote To !.
the Board or War. stating that no w,
IN receipt Of constant applications for
coiorS. but there were many different
haGs used by tho various regiments
ana ~ Is NOT yet settled what is the
STANDARD OF the United States"
To this. tho War Board replied. ask
ing Washington to Eivo his opinion as
TO what the "orc common az
OF the United states" a: which recon-
nchdation would be made to Congress
10 order nome for the army. In his
reply Ia this inquiry. made on SEN
tc:nber j. l7's, Washington makes no
reference whatever to stars, but sur-
gests that the number belonging 10
each regiment BIO inherited within the
curve OF the rattlcsnakc
From this !, may bc seen that the
Siripes arc tho only sure and per.
rianent feature OF tho American nag
as IL has come down TO us in his
tory. In 1918. when IL became ar.
parent that many more. States would
eventually he added to tho Union, the
OBVIOUS Inconvenience of adding :, new
stripe each time caused Congress to
limit The number to tho original thir-
teen, placing tho responsibility Of fu.
tuTe entries on the stars Since then.
many dinerent and probably more ar
tistic designs for flags have been Of
Tered TO the government. but tho pres.
cnt arrangement, is good enough for
Americans. And, IL IL ever docs get to
the western battle front, il is likely
TO change European opinion concern.
ing *;