Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-07-06
Respect the Flag.

ture flag on your person, be sure
you know the rules before you go
ahead. Every patriotic society in the
country has a jealous eye on the
National Flag to see that it gets the
full measure of respect on all occa-
.sions. The fact that you do not pre-
tend to be an expert on flag etiquette
will not save you from being regard
ed as an American of doubtful pedi-
gree if you Inadvertently display the
flag with the stars in the wrong cor
ner.
Not so many years ago the flag was
treated with enthusiastic but misguid-
ed familiarity. On any occasion when
the American Revolution or Repub-
lie were apt to be mentioned hall
was decked out in flags. They were
looped and twirled and fastened into
rosettes. They were nailed. to chan
deliers and ratings, and if corner
of flag here and there trailed on the
floor no one thought anything of it.
A large bunting flag was regarded
:as the most appropriate covering for
the speakers desk. The gavel was
laid on the flag, and if the chairman
found it necessary to rap for order
there was no alternative but to bang
on the patriotic table cover. A pitch
.er of ice water, set by the gavel, gen.
orally completed the setting for
rousing meeting.
The piece de resistance of the pa
triotic evening was generally solo
dance. by some star pupil of dane
ing school, in which the performer
appeared in costume made out of
"a flag, or put together to resemble
a flag. The dance usually began with
4sHail Columbia" and progressed
through a list of patriotic songs to
"The Star Spangled Banner" as a
climax,
But all that is over. For some years
the flag has been under the protec-
ton of nobody knows how many
members of all the patriotic societies.
History and heraldry have been tap
ped to ascertain the exact etiquette
suiable on every possible occasion at
which the national emblem appears.
Points to Remember.
It has been discovered that when
the flag is used to decorate room or
building, it should always be hung
in straight lines, never draped nor
twisted..sIt should not be nailed but
hung by, loops or through rings in
the building.
IF it is used to cover pulpit or
desk nothing should be placed on top
of it unless it is Bible. 1t must new
er in any circumstan be allowed to
touch the floor for fear someone
might step on it.
If it is hung as banner-that is,
with the stripes horizontal, as we US
ually see them-the field of stars,
or union, should be in the upper left
hand corner. If it is hung on end,
stripes running up and down, the un-
ion should be in the upper right hand
corner.
If these rules are followed, flag
decorations are sanctioned by patri-
otic experts. Some of the patriotic
societies however, hold that it is
really more desirable to use bunting
in decorating the walls of room.
Red, white and blue bunting may be
,draped or festooned in almost any
way desired.
The only technical point in using
bunting is that it has top and bot
tom. Unfortunately for the bewilder-
ed flag hanger, experts do not agree
as to which is the top side of bunting.
Four years ago a deputy quarterlnas-
ter general decreed that the proper
order, for good taste, is red, white
and blue-red at the top. This, he
said was in accordance with the her
aldic colors of the flag which always
are read in the order he named.
Another. authority differs. He
maintains as firmly that bunting
should be hung with the blue al the
top, followed by white and then red,
so as to follow strictly the rules OF
heraldry as they are shown in our
shield. The shield, you may rernem-
Der, has blue field at the top and be
low that the white and red stripes. AS
there is disagreement over this and
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