Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-16
NO SENTIMENT BACK
OF GERMAN EMBLEM
Stars and Stripes Stand for Lib
erty, But Black, White and
Red Represent No Ideal.

Does the German flag mean to the
German the same that our stars and
Striprs mean TO Americans? Born and
brought up in Germany having served in
the German army, | can speak from en-
ucrlcncc. 0f course. the German has his
flag. vet flags would perhaps better
exprcSs II, because, aside from the na-
tional German colors, black. white, and
red. each State has its colors, which are
shown lust as much as and probably even
more than those of the Fatherland.
For instance, whenever we had occa-
sion to iiv flags IN our town there we're
fully as many green and white ones-the
Saxon colors-as there were of black,
white, and red Yet il must not be un-
dcrstood that these were hoisted together.
No. If a man had a Saxon flag that was
all he had. while his ncIghbor had Just
the German flag one.
No IDEAL RACK OF HUN EMBLEM.
Rut the greatest difference lies in what
the flag stands for. Ask an American.
and he will unhcsitatlngly tell you that
the Stars and Stripes stand tor freedom,
liberty, and democracy. Ask German,
and he will have no answer, except that
black. white and red stand for German,
green and white for Saxon. and black and
white for PrlSsian and SO on. We were
never told when going TO school OF any
ideals either the German or Saxon flag
represented When joining the army we
had to swear hv flag not the German
flag. but the rcgimcutal standard In Saxon
colors. which simply meant to be loyal 10
the Emperor and "a | now look at 1t,
swear away what little thought of free
dom there NAV have been, and submit
without question 70 serving IN absolute
blind obedience the greatest autocrat
the world has ever known.
Was the flag over there such an in
spring sacred emblem as here? Never
True. we had reglmental standards, that
is. each battalion had its flag, but II IS
iverv little any one could tell atout them
# asked 10 give description. All know
IS that tlloSe OF my regiment were not
German colorS. but Saxon green and
white. Md why this seeming ignorance"
Because | know of hut two occasions IN
my entire military service when the flags
were unfurled when swearing IN the re-
cruits and during the revue on the hing
birthday Although on other OCCASIONS.
such a. drills In battalons or larger
units and during mancuvrcS. the flags
were present, they were never unfurlcd
but always carefully rolled and wrapped
in an oilcloth cover After all the reg
mental colors were our highest con-
cention Of a flag because. whether UNI
furled or wrapped. we had always 70
give them the same salute as that ac-
corded TO his Majesty himself In other
words. the flag represented a personality
instead OF beng an emblem for noble
ideals
wTRI,Ty DFrOP 4TTVF
As a general thing. flags meant in Ger
manv only - much bunting They were
hoi>ted on the Kings birthday, with no
more enthusiasm. and perhaps not even
a. extensively. than when the CroSS-BoW
Shooting SocIcty or any other society had
it> annual festivities IN midsummer OF
course in those circumstances II mattcrcd
not whether the flag was black, white. red,
or green ana white. or somei hing else, as
long aS il made a gay picture
! remember some one III our town had
a Belgian flag: how ard why hc got il
don't know. hut we always rather adj
rnired it becaUSe II was a little different
which only again confirms he lack Of any
thought oi an ideal underlying the Ger
man flag There i only one flag never
saw IN ~axonv. and that is the Prussia
flag. probably because the Saxons didn
have much love for the Prussians
On another occasion the King visited
town Quite naturallv there were flags
galore but by no means all green and
white. the Saxon coior-. for anything
would do as long as Il was g flag. The
school children were all lined UP along the
treets. but to think thar each one was
waving q flag would be mistake ! don't
believe such a thing occurred 10 the
reception committee The Older children
wore green and white sashes. and the
younger ones were waving sticks with
wreaths tied on them. / never could see
patriotism, and the Youngsters did not
seem TO like them either
80 HUN FLAG IN PARADEs.
Could you think Of parade here with
out at least one American flag? Never
Yet in Germany they don / even have the
national colors on such occasions and
sometimes no flag at all How proudly
every one here carries the American flag
whenever We have a parade. and il in
variably arouses profound enthusiasm IL
is not the ,,retty cOlOrs-a beautiful flag
though il is-that stirs us. but the ideals
which that greatest Of all flags represents
Even children here manifested an enthu-
NiSctU IOf tllFli nag rtit-li d. ] NAVE never
seen with the Germans
Il may not be aIniss also to say word
about the American eagle and the symbol
in use in Germany The United State
has always clung to the true eagle. which
is shown holding in the right talon an
olive branch and in the left a bundle Of
thirteen arrows, signifying alertness. not
only first Of all 10 offer and maintain
peace, but also, should the situation 50 de-
mand, 10 send forth it's darts 70 fight for
the right The Germans however. have
conventlonalized the eagle. and it appears
now as q black fantastic counterfeit, hold
ing in IT'S red claws the sceptre and i'm
perial globe, both signs Of great personal
authority and power, and above il is ustl-
ally shown the imperial crown. the sym
Dol Of sovereignty
] am certainly glad that the Stars and
Stripes are flying over my home today
Inht. Z AInllcr IN TIC Y nu. Y nrL D.