The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-01-30
War-C Camp Community Ser
vice Officials Suggest I'm
pressive Ceremony for
Returning Soldiers.
FOR Washington S BIRTHDAY
Exercises Include Community Singing,
Decoration of Service Flags,
and Speeches by Many
Repatries

IU1I y tdhC uOWA yuul SClVlCO AdSs
yet and don It keep them up until they
gradually disappear, weather beaten,
tattered and unnotieed. This is the
plea of War Camp Community Service,
which does not believe that these en-
blems of all our hopes and fears dur
ing our nineteen months of war should
be laid aside without fitting cere-
monies.
Instead of taking down the flags one
by one as fast as the boys are mustered
out or the stars have turned to gold,
War Camp Community Service urges
that their proud possessors should keep
them exhibited until fixed date when
they can be demobilized at a public
ceremony. The service flag has been
the one central emblem that has repre-
scented the sons, the brothers, the IA
theirs and the sweethearts Of those
who have remained behind. 1t has ap-
peared everywhere throughout the
country as great sign Of reverence,
an emblem of pride and hope. Great
mansions and isolated little huts have
displayed it alike, and flag has waved
to flag from the humblest milk wagon,
geous limousines.
War Camp Community Service sug-
gests the period in which Washington IS
Birthday falls as fitting occasion for
the first ceremony of the "demobiliza-
ton Of the service flag. February
22nd is national holiday, and on Fri
day the 21st the schools will be held
| ing Washington Birthday program
mes. On this same day, factories, de-
partment stores, Office buildings, banks,
industrial institutions and fraternal or
ders might well also have the exer-
cises Of the rehabilitation Of the
service flag" On Sunday, the 23rd,
the churches should have their demo-
bi1izations.
The Service does not put this forth
as a vague suggestion, but has planned
a well defined programme for these
three days. Service bars should be pin
med (and later sewed) across the stars
which represent the boys WHO have
come home. For the flags with stars
which have turned to gold specially
designed permanent service flag, to be
known as fGold Glory should be sub
stituted, and these should be kept on
public exhibition as long as the mind
of man retains the memory Of this
most just Of wars. The chief feature
of the celebrations at which these
ceremonies take place should be COM
munity singing.
The following programme could easily
be arranged if the Mayors of Cities
and Governors Of States and Presi-
rent Wilson himself, back from plan
ming the Great Peace, would include
in their. Washington s Birthday pro-
CARNATIONS a plea for its fulfillment.
IL. The singing of America
Il. Ten minutes of community singing.
Sing the war songs and the home
songs, and above all the "wel-
come home' songs.
3. Ten minute address by a civilian.
a. Ten minute response by service
man.
| 5. Solo.
is. Ten more minutes of community
singing.
IL. Fifteen seconds of silent tribute
to the men who have fallen. This
would be the most impressive part
of the ceremony. Prior to the per-
iod of silence the gold starts ex-
hibited should be pointed out, and
as each star is crossed by a bar
the name of the soldier represent
ed by that bar should be read.
Is. Decentralization of that service flag
stars for those men who have been
mustered out.
70. Prayer.
10. Community singing, ending with
"Home Sweet Home and the
sfStar Spangled Banner. -
Only those stars, of course, should
be demobilized which represent either
death or dicharge from the service. In
the former case ssGold Glories'' should
be hung in a place for permanent ex-
hibition. These rehabilitation cere-
monies should be repeated several
times during the year. Until our
great army is demobilized there should
be at intervals of several months User
vice flag demobilizations at block
parties church, Office buildings, depart
ment stores, fraterna1 orders high