Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-10
AS ONE WOMAN SEES iT
The Unusual and Stirring Histories
Of Three Flags Taken Abroad
by PhlladeiphIan
BY SARAH ID. LOMRIE

/ WAS standing ut the gate OF country
i place on Old York road the last Sunday
in October, when n little band of men and
women marched swiftly and silently by car
rying the green and orange and white flag
of the Sim Feiners. ] say silently, but by
that I only mean there was no music; they
were talking among themselves as they
walked in an informal, almost chatty man
ncr, but they never lost their formation or
their swinging rhythm. There must have
been Il hundred of them.
That night at dinner we were exchanging
notes as to the days experiences, and it
turned out that most Of those present had
seen similar bands marching along the roads
Of the suburbs on the way to join the main
parade in town.
good deal of quick industry must have
been expended on the making Of the hun
dreds Of little fags-for each marcher carried
little black cross attached-and the large
banners the size of regimental flags were
even more astonishing; for even now flags
are not easily come by.
DROBABLY those who used them tha.
L Sunday had shown the same kind Of
foresight that Barclay Warburton did WHOM
he was ordered to England during the war as
second military attache of the American
embassy. He took with him, much rs an
other man might provide himself with extra
heavy underwear for his war kit, three large
and beautiful American flags, to have on
hand "just in case they might be needed"
The history UP to date of those flags is a
very spirited tale.
The following cory Of letter sent event
unlly with one of the flags to the President
gives part Of its history:
March %, 1918.
The ;nr. President; tie White House, Wash
Sir-I take the liberty OF presenting you
with this American flag on account Of the
o1N rel, oh .g "a
and for that reason feel that 1t should be
in your possession.
This particular flag was carried in Lon
don by the Seventeenth Regiment Of rail-
way engineers. U. 8. n. A., on the 18th
of August, 1917 when the four regiments
of railway engineers of the United States
national army paraded and were reviewed
before their majesties, King George and
the Queen Dowager Alexandra, in front Of
buckingham Palace.
When the review was decided upon it
was discovered that the regimental flag of
the Seventeenth railway engineers had
been sent to France with their heavy
equipment, and happily this one which I
possessed became available. I am in
formed that this was the first foreign body
OF armed troops that marched through
London since the days of Prince William
OF Orange, and therefore this was one of
thc hrst four American flags ever saluted
oy relCning monarch of the British en-
pIc unuer SuCn circumstances.
Inc secretary of war, Mr. Newton n
Baker, has kindly consented to present Il
10 YOU on my behalf Very sincerely
BARCLAY HARDING WARBURTON.
Major, Assistant Military Attache.
THE person who told Barclay Warburtor
L that the marching of the American troops
through London marked an epoch in English
history was the kings uncle the Dukc NJ
Eohnausht He happened to be passing
through the Green Park as Major Warburton
vas r@rturnlng @ from delivering a message
me Americans He stopped and stared at
inc soldiers and then. returning Warbur-
tons salute. asked him what was going On
II ne was Immediately absorbcdly interested
I'D the occurrence. and charactcriStically re.
mcmbcrcd not only his history but also that
he had met Major Warburton in New York
during brief visit he had mnde across the
Dorder year or two before He said rotbcr
emnhatically that it was the merest chance
ne was IN London that morning and that TO
plorablc. "'' o'e" ne-
FOR: said he. "thesc are the first armed
troops that have marched through London
since since the days Of William of Orange. I am
quite sure | am correct in this statement,
put II am not will let you know
So 'hucu ior the brst of the three flags
A 1 a banquet given by the lord mayor of
a London that same year or the following
Mr' rage, the American ambassador, madc
the speech OF the day, and at the end, amid
great chcerlng, he wrapped the second of the
American flags about the high seat Of the
mayor. The mayor in accepting II placed II
again against r the VAL on one side Of his official
presented by the Earl of DERBY TO he n,acod ""S
on the other side. Between these two flags
there smiles. blandly down the face Of tSe
las last kim King of the thirteen colonies-George
FNHE third flag was placed in the American
L embassy in London, which, strangely
enough lacked one OF any, real proportions
indoors. '' u'eo
One, would be curious to know what the
etiquette OF the White House would be as
to the flag which Major Warburton nres
sentGd to the President Does it belong to
the President as President and therefore TO
the nation, or does it belong to woodrow