New-York tribune., 1921-06-14
Nation Will
Pay Homage to
Flag To-day
Colonel Galbraith, Shortly
Before His Death, Asked
Public to Pledge Again
Its Love for Old Glory
Exercises Arranged Here
Outing Will Be Held for
Wounded Ex-Service Men
i'm All Local Hospitals

A few days before his death in an au
tomobilc accident Mt Indianapolis Col
onel F. w. Galbraith jr commander of
the American Legion, dictated n state
ment calling the attention of the pub
lie to the fact that to-day would be
Flag Day, when the people throughout
the country will, as he worded it,
''pledge again their love for their flag
and their firm purpose to serve it"
In view of this expression Of their
late commander Legionnaires represent
ing more than 10000 posts in this
country and abroad have arranged to
induce the communities where they are
located to show proper Difference to the
Stars and Stripes on this day.
The Legion has been pushing a cam
paign to place the flag on every public
building throughout the country. Col
onel Galbraith's message on the ami
versary of the flag comes with peculiar
force because of the sudden end of his
career soon after he prepared it. The
message reads:
"Flags are like people. They are full
of personality, endowed with character
istics, traditions, ideals-and faults.
"These qualities flags borrow from
the nations they represent the peoples
ever whom they wave. If nation is
great and benign, striving to make The
golden rule an international as we'll as
an individual tenet, then is the flag Of
that nation a glorious emblem and a
symbol of right and truth, But if the
nation is mean, jealous and un
trustworthy group, then it's flag is only
a bit of colored cloth.
Down through the ages men have
fashioned banners; have marched be-
meath them into battle and toiled be-
meath them in peace. They have died
for their flags. Flags have been the
has thrilled with recognition, the last
thing taken by the soldier to his grave.
"But is the flag worthy of such rev.
erence? Only, indeed, if those who re-
we're it have a group conscience and a
group aspiration to be honorable and
just.
"Our flag was born when the nation
was an infant. The breeze that first
rippled its starry folds brought whis
perings of troubled events, violence and
bloodshed. But our flag lives on, to
see the nation live and grow and
prosper. Our flag has been carried into
many phteiSSJ Co1 ~ 80" va viz cioN
of conquest. 1t has known grave dan
gers, but never has been sullied by a
national shame.
"This flag that ripples in the wind
to-day is worthy of our reverence, be-
cause we of this nation have striven
and always must strive to keep our
ideals lofty. To-day we will pledge
again our love for our flag and our
firm purpose to serve it, Our pledge,
made to-day and acted every day, will
keep the Stars and Stripes glorious"
The following events have been ar
ranged in connection with the observ-
ance to-day Of the 144th anniversary
of the birth Of the American flag:
Flag Day exercises Of Society of
Colonial Danes, Van Cortlandt Man
sion, 10 a. m.
Award of Americanization certificates
to pupils of Public School 4, 173d
Street and Third Avenue, 10 a. m.
Flag Day outing for wounded and
disabled ex-service men of local hos
pitals. Men leave st. George ferry,
Staten Island, at p, m. and return at
4. Entertainment by men of S. Rankin
Drew Post of the American Legion en-
route.
Regular Flag Day celebration of Sons
of the Revolution. Parade of patriotic
societies from Fraunces' Tavern to City
Hall, beginning at 1880 p. In.
Flag Day exercises by Brooklyn Elks