The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1921-09-30
Sister NATION
WANiliS OWN FLAG
Canada With Uarepresentative
Ensign Seeks IDEAS for Proper
HeraldiC Device.
MAPLE LEAF IN HIGH FAVOR
Emblem Now in Use Unauthorized
and No Longer Represents Canada
as Five Of Its Provinces Are
Not Included.

TOrontO.-Canada Is q nation" hut
Ii has no flag. Herein IL is unique
among all nations.
A so-called Canadian flag is In use
but Its use Is unauthorized and il no
longer represents Canada Ii is the
red ensign OF the British mercantile
marine with the coat of arms of ON
tario, Quebec, Nova Scotu and New
Brunswick I'm quartered shield on
the field of the flag.
This flag, by warrant dated Feb.
ruary ?, 1892, was authorized by the
British admiralty, ito be used on
board vessels registered In the Do
mlnion.' This limits It's domain to
Canadian merchant ships, as no au-
thorlzatlOn was given 10 fly Ii on
shore. When 1t is flown on land, IL Is
out of It's Jurisdiction. In any case,
1t has not been formally adopted by
the Canadian people and 1t now has
decided limitations.
Its shield contains the devices of
only four OF the nine provinces which
now form the Dominion of Canada.
The four coats of arms make an aI-
most indecipherable emblem owing To
the crowding of their devices into so
small n space. III the emblem was
brought up TO date by adding the arms
Of the other five provinces, the result
would be a hopeless confusion of
armorial bearings; the sign:
would be destroyed and the Gag be
lacking In distinction and beauty.
AustraIia's Flag.
Australia, when IL organized its
commonwealth. chose n flag from go
ONO competing designs. Ii has the
Union Jack in the upper left-hand cor
ner, with the constellation of the
southern cross. white on blue field.
New Zealand also has flag Ii is
also based on the southern cross con-
stcllation red stars on blue field.
There are only four stars compared
with Australian six.
AS for South Africa, Premier SHUTS
has declared that she, too, will have
her own national flag.
The Manitoba Free Press, speaking
present unofficial Canadian ensign. is
agltating for new Canadian flag and
has received hundreds of proposed de.
signs. The Free Press itself puts for
ward an adoption of the most promi-
nent fenture of northern skies as an
appropriate design. Certainly the
clipper" and the pole star are not
without some symbolism 10 most Ca
nadianS. The dipper. the Free Press
says, lis the conspicuous constellation
of our Canadian heavens. circling
slowly around the Steadfast polar
star; IL lights up the night sky over
the Atlantic provinces aud over the
Pacific slopes Of British Columbia ii !
circles above the night silences Of the
Western prairies; il can be seen by
west territories. by the settler on his
homestead, ny the city dweller high
above the glitter Of his lamp-lit streets,
the most distinctive constellation OF
the northern hemisphere" The dip
per and the pole star. Ii thinks, look
as though they were n great heraldic
emblem on the dark field Of the Cana
dian night sky. and II seems natural
TO take them down and emblazon them
on the white field Of flag for the
young Canadian nation. The only oh
lection would come from those who
objected 10 Kipling's "Our Lady Of the
Shows"
Favor Maple Leaf.
Most suggestions involve some use
of the maple leaf
Nationhood flowers In q flag. thinks
the Free Press. which argues the case
this way Canada hss one Of the
great geographical surfaces of the
world Canada has vigorous. thrlv-
Ing and enterprlsng people. Canada
sent Goo.0o0 men 10 the war. good sol
put luSter on the Canadian name
Canada has rich tradition behind
her. her laws and system OF govern
ment are rooted in the principles OF
liberty and justice: the great high
way OF national expansion Is opening
before Canada. AM as nation shs'is
preparing 20 wal IN IL; Canadian
status and nationality haze never been
so universally admitted as they are to-
day. and despite all this, Canads lacks /.
the distinctive badge OF nationality
possessed by even the smallest and
humblest nation--a national flag. The
national flag stands for something
vital In the nation. National flags are
emblems around which nations rally.