Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-03
STARS AND STRIPES
HUNDRED YEARS OLD
Emblem of Liberty Had an Inter
esting Birth; Design Much Dis
cussed Before Adopted.

The Continental. or Grand Union. flag
of the Colonies was the first standard to
have embodied IN its design any attri-
butte which endures In the flag of today.
The union In the upper left-hand corner
still showed the device of England the
combined crosses of st. George and st.
Andrew. and Is alternate red and white
stripes filed in the field These stripes
were substituted for the red field that
England WAS then using. This flag was
raised for the first time on January l..
11l6. on Prospect HILL Camlrldge, Mass. :;
notw ithstanding It's adoption, other flags
hearing various devices and mottoes con
tinued in use among the American pa
triots. On June IA. l117. the American
Congress adopted the flowing resolution:
Resolved That the flag of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes. alternate
rcd and white: that the union he thirteen
stsns. white in a blue field, representing
a new constellation.
STARS IN A CIRCLE.
The stars in this flag were arranged In a
circle. and the credit for making 1t ~
usually given to Mrs. Betsy Ross OF
Philadelphia After the thirteen original
States were increased to fifteen upon the
entry into the Union OF Vermont on March
/ 1871. and Kentucky on June |. l|92,
Congress passed an act increasing the
stars and stripes TO fifteen each. 1t was
this flag, tlying over Fort Mclicnrv In
1914 that inspired Francis Scott Key to
write The Star Spanglcd Banner
Between 1895 and 1916 Tennessee.
OHIO. Louisiana and Indiana were adj
united to the Union. No provision hay
ING been made for representation upon the
FLAG of these States, the Hon. Peter IL.
Wcndovcr. a member Of Congress from
New Y ork CITY strongly favored a change.
Accordingly, a bill was introduced into
the House. 10 make change IN the flag
that would adjust it 70 the increased num-
Der OF States.
DISCUSSION OVER DESIGN.
The Historical Magazine for August.
1871. gives an account Of this. taken from
The National lntclhgcnccr Of July. 1901.
a part 81 which follows
on the admission Of Indiana into tho
I mon. IN 1910. Peter II Ncndovcr OF
New York Offered a resolution, that a
COMMITTEES, be appointed 10 lnquIre INTO
TIN, rxpe,liencv af altering the flag Of tho
| nited States \ committee was an
pointed, who reported hill on the ID IT
January. 1917; but II was not acted upon
Mile the committee had the matter under
consideration, Mr. Wendover called upon
Captain : c. Reid, who was IN ash
incton at that time, and requested him
e. form a design OF orr flag, 80 As 70 repre-
sent the increase Of the States without
DESTROYING - distinctive character, as the
committee were about 10 increase the
stars and stripes ~ the whole number of
States.
Captain Reid recommended that the
striue.s be reduced t. the original number
al thirteen States. and 10 form the num-
Ter Of stars representing the whole mum
Der of States into one great star IN the
mon. adding one star for every new
State. thus giving the significant meaning
Z. the flag. synbolicallv expressed, Of
"F PhIribus mum This design Of
{ a,,taln Reid was adopted in the commit
t,.,. but the bill did not pass until the next
Congress, ia 1878
Captain Reid also recommended the
committee to establish national stand
ard. ia be composed Of four mathematical
demonstrations of our eScutcheon, 10 be
1,lsced in The four quarters OF the flag. as
follows. The stars ri the top IN the LETT
hand corner. the eagle IN the rlght-hand
3. .rDer. with the Goddess of Liberty under
tie stars. and the stripes under the eagle;
TINS standard 10 be hoisted over the halls
4. I 'oncress. and on our ships Of war. navy
,aris. and other public places, when visit
I'll hv the President and other dIgnI-
;lrlcs.
He also desired 70 make a distinction
between the flags worn by our national
vessels and those Of the merchantmen. by
sunny arranging the stars IN parallel
lines In the union Tor the naval service,
and forming them N one great star IN the
union for the merchant service. Captain
Reid also proposed To adopt national
,1ckade upon our flag. instead OF the black
English cockade which our officers now
y csr. but the4e designs did not succeed
before the committee
COMMITTEE OPPOSED CHANGE.
On January ,. 1877 the committee re-
ferred to above reported 70 the House
that they had matureiy examined the
Subject submitted 10 their consideration
and added:
We are well aware that any proposit/ In
essentially to alter the flag Of the United
states. either II the general form or IL the
distribution OF its parts would be as IN
acceptable To the Legislature and 70 the
people as II would be uncongenlal with
the views of the committee.
Fully persuaded that the form selected
for. the American flag was truly en-
blematical of our origin and existence as
an independent nation, and that, az such
II mas received the appreciation and sup
port of the citizens Of the mon, II ought
10 undergo no change that would decrease
It's conspicuity or tend 70 deprive II of ITS
representative character. The committee
however. believe that change In the