The New York herald., 1921-08-27
Was This the Same Flag?

There could be nothing more touch
Ing and suggestive than the grief
of some of the Panama patriots over
Secretary HUGHEs's firmness in
bringing about a complete il unwill-
ing acceptance by them of a just
arbitral decision. DR.. NARcIsso
GARAY, Minister OF Foreign Affairs
in the aggrieved little republic, takes
ship for the Isthmus, shooting back
at Washington a Parthian arrow in
the shape of note crying to heaven
against the outrage he alleges and
declaring that some day "redeeming
justice will come by the inexorable
design of GoD." This sounds more
like Colombia than Panama.
President PoRRAs is the successor
of the President AMADoB whom that
maker OF Central American history,
PHulpPE BUNAu- VARILLA, helped
with his brains and cash to set up
in Office nearly score OF years ago
after the liberation of Panama and
the end Of the regime OF Colombian
tyranny. President PoRRAs is re-
ported as signing decree which puts
the republic in mourning for whole
month and which half masts its flag
during that considerable period.
These demonstrations are harm
less If somewhat ostentatious. They
are not likely to impress the great
world or to change the chirography
of the Moving Finger that writes
events. On the contrary, to every
body who remembers the contents OF
the first chapter of the Book of Gene
sis in Panama's history they are
calculated to inspire sentiments Of
kindly mirth rather than pathos.
We wonder whether the flag which
DR.. PoRRAs has hauled half way down
the pole as protest against the just
actions of his great and good friends
in Washington is the same flag
whereof the origin is thus described
by the organizer Of Panama's inde-
pendence. The scene is New York:
"AMApoR had listened to me with
a distressed air WELL he said,
shall try to carry your point
Nothing remains I added, but
to make the model of the flag. I am
at Highland Falls on the Hudson at
the Bigelows', and 1 shall find there
the agile and discreet fingers that
win make the new fiag.'
1--WE separated. ! hastened to go
and buy at the nearest shop the
silk necessary for making the new
standard OF this republic whose
birth was to be. I spent the rest
OF the day correcting and revising
the documents I had prepared for
DR.. AMApoR.
Il left the following day, Sunday,
for Highland Falls, to join my
wife and children, who were enjoying
the delightful hospitality OF the
Bigelow family.
Mime. BuNAU-VARILLA remained
in her room in the greatest secrecy
the whole day making the flag OF
liberation. On Monday It only re-
mained to have copy Of all the
documents made by dactylograph.
A young woman totally ignorant OF
Spanish, and who acted in the ca
pacity OF secretary in the Bigelow
family, came 70 New York for the
purpose. She executed the work.
far from indiscreet eyes, in the then
empty residence OF the Bigelows in
Gramercy Park.
"On Monday came back. having
everything ready. AMADoR came to
admire the flag, which he found
perfect"
| II 1t is this same original flag OF
Panama which President PogRAs has
now ordered TO the half mast for q
month to come the interesting incl
dent serves to illustrate both the
humor of events and the yicissitudes
tS,e hunting