The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-06-10

AHC duJutcAt 6ChCldI OA tuc wal department has issued the following:
 Many inquiries concerning the proper method of displaying, hang. ing, and saluting the United States flag are being received in the war department with the evident object of securing some authoritative state ment relating to the subject.
 In this connection it should be re. marked that while it is within the province of the war department to prescribe rules and regulations gov erning the matter in question for observance within the army, yet 1t is beyond it's province to prescribe any such rules or regulations for the guidance of civilians or to undertake to decide questions concerning the subject that are presented by civil. ians.
 ONLY TWO LAWS ON SUBJECT
 There is no federal law now in force pertaining to the manner of displaying, hanging, or saluting the United States flag or prescribing any ceremonies that should be observed in connection herewith. In fact there are but two federal laws on the statute books that have any bearing upon this subject, one the act of congress. approved February 20, 1905 (33 Stat L., p. 725), providing that a trademark can not be registered which consists of or comprises. inter alia, "the flag, coat of arms, or other insignia of the United States, or any stimulation thereof" and the other act of congress approved Feb. ruary 8, 1917 (Public-No. 3O5-64th congress), providing certain penalties for the dissertation, mutilation or i'm. proper use of the flag within the District of Columbia. Several states of the union have enacted laws which have more or less bearing upon the general subject, and it seems probable that many counties and municipalities have also passed ordinances concerning the matter, to govern action within their own juris- diction.
 DESIGNATION WARNING
 Warning against dissertation of the American flag by aliens has been is. sued by the department of justice, which has sent the following notice to federal attorneys and marshals:
 Any alien enemy tearing down. mutilating. abusing, or desecrating the United States flag in any way will be regarded as a danger to the public peace or safety within the meaning of regulation F of the proclamation of the President issued April 6, 1917, and will be subject to summary arrest and punishment.
 It Is the practice in the army, each day in the year. to hoist the flag brlskly at sunrise, irrespective of the condition of the weather, and to lower it slowly and ceremoniously at sunset, indicating the commence ment and cessation of the activities of the day. and to display it at half staff on Memorial Day (May 30) from sunrise until noon and at full staff from noon until sunset. and also on other days specially desig- mated for that purpose by the proper authority, the flag always being first hoisted to the top of the staff be- fore being lowered to the hallstaff position.
 There has been some question among civilians concerning the exact location of a flag hung at "halfstaff" Theoretically, the flag IS always hung on a separate staff, much short CT than the staffs usually erected on buildings, and as consequence flag hung at halfstaff would be located much higher on the ordinary flagstaff than under the present practice, but still the custom of placing the halfstaffed flag in about the center of the flagpole, whatever it's length may be, is rather generally observed throughout the country, and this department sees no real objec. tion to this custom.
 Considerable discussion has arisen throughout the country concerning the proper manner of hanging and displaying the flag for decorative purposes. As already stated, there is no federal law governing the sub ject, and individual opinion differs as to the procedure that should or should not be followed. It has been suggested that as far as possible the