The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-12-04

service is entitled to representation
under the service flag. Members of
the national guard, not federalized
state militia or reserves, and home
guards, are not entitled to representa-
ton under service flags.
Clearly persons in any of the re-
serve forces are not entitled to repre-
sentation until they are called into
and enter upon active duty.
People rendering patriotic service
through organizations in war defense
work are not entitled to representa-
tion under the service flag, as praise
worthy as such patriotic service is.
The use of the service flag is GUS
tomarily limited to those in the mill
tary or naval service of the United
States, but no objection is seen to ex-
j tending the honor of representation
thereon to those in the service of our
allies, at least where they enlisted be-
fore our entrance into the war or
were so situated that they could not
enter the military service of their own
country.
Nom -COmbatant Service
Of those in non-combatant service
General MacChesney justly decides:
The army and navy are vast organ
izations and competent men in admin
istrative, supply, medical and other
non-combatant services are no less
essential than in the combatant serv-
ice, the efficiency of which in large
measure depends upon the adequacy
and efficiency of the former. To draw
invidious distinctions between them is
in most instances unjust. None appre-
ciate this more fully than the men in
combatant service, who understand
how others in the military service re-
gard it as a. hardship and misfortune
not to have the opportunity of dis
| tinguishing themselves at the front. 1t
| is believed that it would be unjust,
even if practical, to determine who
will be protected from danger thruout
the war, to disregard the sacrifice
they are making and their willing
ness for any service, and to penalize
them by such visible stigma as omis-
sion from the service flag. All those
who serve in the zone of the advance
in the war will receive the war
service chevrons as the official dis
tinction for undergoing such hazards,
and those not called upon to perform
service there should, it would seem,
at least receive such recognition as is
given by representation on the service
flag.
| Household Privileges
When flown from a home a hus-
band, father or brother may properly
be represented on the service flag,
even though he did not actually leave
from that household directly to go
into the service, but in case of any
more distant relatives they should
actually be members of the household
| where the flag is displayed and have
left for the service directly from such
household. Domestic employees, and
roomers or boarders should not be
represented.
| When flown from the house of a So
ciety only those who are actually
members, active or honorary, of such
club or society should be represented.
Stars should not be placed thereon
for husbands, sons. fathers or broth
ers, or other relatives or members
merely because of such relationship.
| When flown from business concern
lit should represent only members of
the firm and, employees going directly
/ to the service from such place of bus
mess, with some continuous relation