The sun., 1918-10-19
FLAG RAISED FOR
MOTHERS OF GOTH
Scarlet Banner With White
Centre Tops staff at AL
tar Of Liberty.
MANY WEAR GOLD STARS
Majority Of Their Service Pins
Show More Than One
Relative in Army.

Up TO the top OF n Flagstaff In front
OF the Altar Of Liberty at Madison
Square late yesterday afternoon nut
tered a scarlet banner with n white CEN
tire. raised by Mrs Robert Bacon and
an officer In khaki. The air had been
still for while and tho Stars and stripes
and the French nag on either side Of the
altar, had hung ifteiess. but Just as the
new banner reached the top the wind
awoke and the scarlet folds flung out
proudly, revealing n great gold star.
And a hundred pairs OF tear dimmed
eyes. many OF them under hats trimmed
with Grape, looked UP at the star and
then down at its tiny repilcas on many
a sleeve. For this was the honor flag
of the Fighting sixty NINTH" made by
the mothers Of that regiment and raised
by them In memory or their hero sons
who have fallen at the front.
II was "Hero's Hour" at the Altar Of
Liberty, the announcement said. but Il
really was Mothers Day. There were
$50 of them, plainly dressed, sober look
ing women, with the marks. most OF
them. OF lives spent In hard work. Those
whose service pins did not carry more
than one star were the exception, Some.
notably Mrs Catherine Leary. 90 East
Ninety-fifth street. and Mrs. Helen Col
Inns. have the proud record Of five sons
In the service.
own Liberty Bonds Too.
Among the women who wore the gold
star were Mrs. Mary kaitwasser. whose
brother. Private Edmund Riordan, was
killed in action: Mrs. Louis Findstedt.
one or whose sons is dead but the other
is In the Aviation Corps. and Mrs. LII
Ian W. Philipoteaux. whose son fell
to his death while testing airplanes. II
seems as II the women who have done
so much for their country could hardly
be expected to do more, but these women
did. In the last twenty-four hours the
mothers of the old Sixty-ninth have
bought Liberty bonds TO the amount OF
$4,000. And that Is additional" for
the mothers had already subscribed
generously to the Fourth Liberty Loan.
They didn't think anything CT II.
Sacrifice bonds'' others at the meeting
called 1t, but not these mothers, Sure,
who would back UP our boys II we
didn't inquired one white haired
woman in black as she looked UP from
signing her name to pledge for a
800 bond.
II am earning my bonds running an
elevator In an ONCE building" said An
other. ITS not hard work and It keeps
me from being lonely"
A pleasant faced woman stopped by
the table. Ladies', ia be glad to sub
scribe for another bond but I Just
bought one In New Jersey. where
live now. My boys In France and
I'm wanting you to know that I'm lend
ing every cent l can scrape TO the Gov
ernment," she said with an air Of
apology.
"Taps" Sounded by B,nd.
Mrs. Robert Bacon. who husband
and four sons are in the sci &c, bought
a 500 bond for each of her ten grand
children after che had raised the Sixty
ninth's honor fiag-sl.00o in all Mrs
Leland Stillmsn bought a 800 bond in
memory OF Allan Seeger the poet, who
gave up his life in France.
A huge crowd gathered early around
the Altar of Liberty. drawn by the
announcement of Hero's Hour oere-
monies. At 4:ao a platoon of mounted
police rode up. followed by military
band selected from tho Fifteenth Coast
Artillery Band and the Army Musical
Training School on Governors Island
First they played Halvorsen's Entry
OF the Boyards." and then. the men
standing with barred heads. the Taps
was sounded.
Miss Margaret AnglIn recited an
Flanders Fields" Walter Damrosch ac-
companying her on the piano. and then.
to orchestral accompaniment. she gave
Eugene Cammaerts's ''Carrillon." Dr.
l.. S. Rowe. Assistant Secretary Of the
United States Treasury made brief
speech and read the message from Sec
rotary McAdoo telling how imperative
It was that the Fourth Liberty Loan
should not fail. The finale OF Tchaikow-
sky's Fourth Symphony ended the
musical programme. Than the mothers
OF the Fighting Sixty-ninth gathered
around the table below the altar and
sold bonds, and with them for an OBJ
ject lesson the crowds played up nobly
to the occasion. Mrs. Franklin Hoyt
commanded the saleswomen.
The gold star flag was made under
the direction OF Mrs. A. Grady. l04
East Thlrty-first street. George Cha
pelle was chairman for the afternoon.