The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-12
HetIin Pays Tribute
 To American Mothers

Washington, May 1.-z(Special.)-Sena- tor Heflin, regarding Mothers Day, made the following brief address to the Senate:
 Mir. President, in the spring of 1914, While member of the House, l intro dIced joint resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mothers Day. i The House passed that resolution, and requested my good friend, the able and distinguished senator from Texas MT. Sheppard, to take charge of the measure l in the Senate. He did so, and the Sem ate passed it. President Wilson issued a proclamation. under the authority given l by the resolution, requesting all tf,e of ficials of the government to display the flag on all public buildings on the second Sunday in May. He sent a message to our foreign possessions to have the flag displayed there in honor of the mothers | of America
 l The first Mothers Day officially ob- served l stood in front of the White House at the noon hour. The fountain iE front, in perpetual play, looked like sunburst of diamonds. Back of It, in solemn grandeur, stood the White House. Above it, in all the pride of civic glory, waved the flog of the republic, said, That dear old flag has been unfuried many time above the brave armies of America, but never have it's sacred folds fIoated above a braver army thaE that of the heroic mothers of America. The poet spoke truly when he said: The greatest battle that ever was fought
 Shall I tell you where and when? On the map of the world you will find 1t
 not;
 It was fought by the mothers of men.
 On this day President Harding has is- sued proclamation for the observance of Mothers Day, which is tomorrow. He will call upon government officials and men and women everywhere to display the flag in honor of the mothers of America
 In honoring the mothers of America we honor ourselves. We honor the govern ment.
 Man inherits the nobler, gentler quail ties of being from his mother. They come from the treasure house of feminine charm and sweetness. They are filtered through the finer sensibilities of the fe- male soul The hearthstone, as Henry Grady said, is the true altar of liberty and the strength of the republic is lodged in the homes of the people. MT. Presi- dent another poet beautifully describes the feeling of us all. when he said:
 
 In battles I have fought; Not always has the-god Success
 Touched tasks in which I wrought: Full oft has fortune dealt blow
 Instead of bent to bless And heartach4 followed close upon
 The heels of happiness; And often when 8 solemn woe
 Of grief my heart intoned. And often when my spirit writhed
 And all my nature groaned There stole refrain that softened pain,
 Not phrased by mortal tongue But born of memories old and sweet
 The songs my mother sung When she took me in her arms
 And gently stroked my hair, And pore me with her down to sleep
 In that old bye-bye chair. One of the most fascinating scenes in all the world is mother in the home circle with baby In her arms MT. President, the most beautiful thing this side of heaven is the mothers love for her child. It is the only love amongst mortals which will suffer all things and endure all things. Through poverty and good fortune, through sickness and health, through life to death. it is the same beautiful, unsefish, unchangeable mother love; and
 He who marking back to youth
 Goes forth and nobly dies To color life to match the light
 That shines. from mothers eyes. He wiN not pride his faltering feet
 Upon the race they've made, But will search his heart and bless tns
 part
 That mother love has played. Hell walk adown the ways of life,
 And in his daily prayer
 Thank God that all his best was born
 In that old bye-bye chalr.
 Ali honor to the mothers of America. On tomorrow let those of us whose moth- CTS have preceded us to the better land wear the white flower, and let those' whose mothers still finger to bless with their benedictions and love the households of America wear the red flower, and let the flag of our country fly from every government building and rooftree in the country in honor of the mothers of America.