The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-24
Of
AMERICAN
OLDEST EMBLEM
H Mr.. GRACE NJ. SAMhoNs'
Vice Regent, Local Chapter D. A. H.

a. a surprise to most America 10
rsaIIzs that the Stars and Stripes Is
The Oldest national flag in existence
France comes next England's royal
standard was not adopted until 1901
In 1906, in honor of the union Or
England and scotland. the English
nag which for years hsd been white
with the red cross OF ST. George eH-
tending 70 its its edges, was changed
10 q rrld OF blue across which was
pl-ced the upright red cross OF ST.
George and thu diagonal white cross
Of, ST. Andrew. This was the mas
that foated over the Susan Constant
At jamestown and the Maynower al
Plymouth.
Flew Here For $50 Years.
Although the coIonists frequently
used devices OF their own, the Eng
IiEh nag was the Tag Of this country
for more than $50 years. So different
were the symbols OF the colonies
regiments and ships thst Warrington
IN 1TT5, wrote: Please fix on some
Gag by which our vessels may kno"
each other"
In 1T77 Congress appointed a com
mittee consisting OF General wash
.nEton,I Robert Morris, and Colonel
-Rosa TO designate q suitable nag for
the nation
This committee, a. all the world
knows. conferred with Mistress Betsy
Ross. and Afterwards recommended
Gar In which the stripes recently IN
tPoduced were retained, but In which
the crosses, the symbol Of British au-
thority, gave place TO the stars. which
were henceforth TO shiGe for liberty.
ConEress' Resolution.
This committee having reported on
June Il. 1777, IN Old Independence
Han, Philadelphia, Congress adopted
the following resolution:
Resolved, That the haE OF the thir-
teen United States be thirteen stripes
alternate white and red; that the
Union be thirteen starr, white in
blue neId representing . new con
oscillation. The stars to be arranged
n . circle"
Enter here ne BtGr-spanS1Od Ban
~ with thirty-sevSn years TO wait
SoI the cong that VGs TO immortsliEe
he mama. The nag was not changed
Wutil I7e6, when two stripes and two
1aoro stars were added for Vermont
ana BOntncIy. In 1915, four more
states, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana
md Indiana were IN the family and
a committee was appointed to give
them Q place on the nag.
Realizing that there must Be
Huoit 70 the stripes. the committee
uaaA0 q Recommendation which was
aASotsd April &, 1913 that the nag
kS psrrnansntiy thirteen stripes rep
RNS0atInE the thirteen original States,
aaA that q new star be added for each
state a. admitted.
ms plan Of arranging the GtGzB to
arm one large star was abandoned
AZ that time, and the method OF plao-
Ing than In rows vas adopted.
Rtu4s ADDE'S July =
Gtnos thsn . Etar hes been added te
ne Gag On the 9Th OF July following
the admission ef . State to the Union
The sts-E and Stripes were frst used
"a actual military service st Fort
GtSuEfE. renamed Fort Schuyler, now
Titled. y. 7.
The nag OF ne United states A. the
zine Of the Revolution had thirteen
stars; IN the war OF 1872, fifteen; In
the Mexican var, tweuty-nine; IN the
EVIL war. thIrty-hVe, and In the Span
iSh-Iunerican war, forty-nve: the num-
h.r today. forty-eiEht. II has re
cent? been suggested that the stars
On the blue ground OF the dag be re-
arranged, 80 that twenty Of them will
form a large hye-pointed star In the
eSntsT, and the others be arranged
in q circle about this star.
FIrst Striped Flag RHIEiHE.
II 80 also proposed that g red disc
- inserted IN q blue ground At the
center Of the large star 10 honor OF
the American pegseEsionB beyond the
EeGA The 6rFt striped Gag was
raised At washiuEtoo's headquarters,
Cambridge. NGGE, January ?, i776,
and saluted with thirteen Euoa. About
the came time John Paul ,ones hoist
ed {. with hiH own hands over Com
nodore HopkinF flagship Alfred IN
PhfIsdslphiS hHrbor.
Captain JoDes received his appoint
rnsnt to the command Of the Ranger
on the very day that our national nag
vac adopted by Congress. He said:
THAT nag and I are twinL We
cannot be parted In life nor In death.
60 long a. We can hoat we shall hoGt
together; - we must sink. We shaII
20 down - one"
"AorninE and evening eoiorT' are
observed on board all our naval
vssSslG, At naval stations, ana army
posts. The ceremony offending the
rGiGipC and lowering OF the flag Is
vary funPFessive. The StsT-SpGnslsd
Banner" has long been PLAYED at the
rAiGiuE, btt In 1904. at the request OF
Admiral Dewey. President Roosevelt
nvdersd that 81 be played at the eve
pipE ceremony also.
EsY was Prisoner.
Francis ecstt Key, the Suthor Of
s7Eny excellent poems. gained fame a.
an attorney aud statesman, but he 80
known 70 pogtsEity most entirely a.
the GutheF Of the The stAr-SpGAGiSd
BapnST." During the war of 1914
when Fort McHeury OF Baltimore
Vas bembarded by the British, Mr..
key with two other Americans Wa
a prisoner aboard one Of the vessels
OF the eAsmys fleet. All day long
Ehot and shell rGined on the fort
and its brave defenders.
About midnight there was 4 lull
during which the British admiral
learned that the land attack had fall