Trench and camp., 1919-01-30
FEB. 22 Il Set For
"DemObiliz0tion Of
The Service Flag"

IAttero0 9AQ u00OtlcoO, Is Iuo pl0o
OF the War Camp Community Service
to relatives OF soldiers. The w. c.
C. 8. does not believe that these en-
blems of all our hopes and fears dur
ing our nineteen trying months OF
war should be laid aside without ht-
ting ceremonies.
Instead of taking down the flags
one by one as fast as the boys are
mustered out or the stars have turned
to gold, the War Camp Community
Service urges that their proud pos
SCISSORS should keep them exhibited
until a fixed date, when they can be
demobilized at public ceremony.
The service flag has been the one
central emblem that has represented
the sons, the brothers, the fathers
and the sweethearts of those who
have remained behind. It has ap-
peared everywhere throughout the
country as a 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
or peddler's cart to the most gor-
geous limousines.
The War Camp Community Serv-
ice suggests the period in which
Washington's Birthday falls as
fitting occasion for the first CT remony
of the "demobilization of the service
flag" February 22 is national holi-
day, and on Friday, the 21st. the
schools will be holding Washington's
Birthday programs. On this same
day, factories, department stores.
Office buildings, banks, industrial In
stitutions and fraternal orders might
well also have the exercises OF the
Rehabilitation of the service flag"
On Sunday, the 23d, the churches
should have their demobilizations.
The Service does not put this forth
as q vague suggestion, but has
planned a well-defined program for
these three days. Service bars should
be pinned (and later sewed) across
the stars which represent the boys
who have come home. For the hags
with stars which have turned to gold
a specially designed permanent serv-
ice flag, to be known as Gold Glory
should be substituted. 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
ut which these ceremonies take place
should be community singing.
The following program could easily
be arranged IL the Mayors OF Cities
and Governors Of States and Presi-
dent Wilson himself, back from plan
ming the Great Peace, would include
in their Washington's Birthday proc
lamations a plea for its fulfillment:
/. The singing Of America"
2. Ten minutes of community
singing. Sing the war songs and
the home songs, and above all, the
welcome home" songs.
8. Ten-minute address by
civilian.
4. Ten-minute response by
service man.
S. Solo.
6. Ten more minutes OF COM
munity singing.
z. Fifteen seconds Of silent
tribute to the men who have fallen.
This would be the most impressive
part of the ceremony. Prior to the
period of silence the gold stars ex-
hibited should be pointed out, and
as each star is crossed by a bar tie
name of the soldier represented by
that bar should be read.
8. Demobilization of the serv-
ice flag stars for those men who
have been mustered out.
8. Prayer.
10. Community singing, ending
with Home, Sweet Home" and
1.-The Star-Spangled Banner"
Only those stars, of course. should
be demobilized which represent either
death or discharge from the service.
In the former case, Gold Glories"
should be hung in place for perma-
nent exhibition. These demobiliza-
ton ceremonies should be repeated
several times during the year. Until
our great army is demobilized there
should be at intervals of several
months service flag demobilizations"
at block parties, churches, Office
department stores, frater-
nal orders, high schools, colleges,
small communities and at every place
where there is q service flag.
On Washington's Birthday the
theatres could take advantage of the
plan to the extent of having singing
at each performance, led, if possible,
by soldier or sailor song leader.
Word of the V-~-ement has been sent
out to the more than six hundred
which War Camp Com
munity Service already reaches. and
it is hoped that on this - 1t national
holiday a great chorus of song CT