The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-09-19
SISTER NATION
WANTS OWN FLAG
Canada With Unrepresentative
Ensign Seeks Ideas for Proper
HeraIdic 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and No Longer Represents Canada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 a nation" bu
1t has no flag. Herein it is UNIQUE
among all nations.
so-called Canadian flag is in use
but Its use is unauthorized and it nc
longer represents Canada. 1t is the
red ensign Of the British mercantile
marine with the coat of arms Of On
tario, Quebec Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick in a quartered shield on
the field of the flag.
This flag, by warrant dated Feb
ruary 2, 1892, was authorized by the
British admiralty, ito be used on
board vessels registered in the Do
minion." This limits it's domain to
Canadian merchant ships, as no au-
thorization was given to fly 1t on
shore. When it is flown on land, 1t is
Git Of its jurisdiction. In any case,
1t has not been formally adopted by
the Canadian people and it 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 al
most indecipherable emblem owing to
the crowding of their devices into so
small space If 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 significance
would be destroyed and the flag be
lacking in distinction and beauty.
AustraIia's Flag.
Australia, when it organized its
commonwealth, chose flag from 3d.
600 competing designs. 1t has the
Union Jack in the upper left-hand cor
ner, with the constellation of the
southern cross, white On a blue field.
New Zealand also has a flag. 1t is
also based on the southern cross con-
stellation, red stars on blue field.
There are only four stars compared
with Australias six.
AS for South Africa, Premier SHUTS
has declared that she, too, will have
her own national flag.
The Manitoba Free Press, speaking
for province not represented in the
present unofficial Canadian ensign, Is
agltating for a 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 feature of northern skies as an
appropriate design. Certainly the |
clipper" and the pole star are not |
nadians. The dipper, the Free Press
says, SIS the conspicuous constellation
Of our Canadian heavens circling
slowly around the steadfast polar
star; it lights up the night sky over
The Atlantic provinces and over the
Pacific slopes of British Columbia it
circles above the night silences of the
Western prairies; it can be seen by
he trapper in the woods of the North
vest territories, by the settler on his
by the city dweller high
bove the glitter of his 1amp-lit streets,
he most distinctive constellation of
he northern hemisphere. The dip
er and the pole star, it thinks, look
s though they were a great heraldic
mblem on the dark field of the Cana
ian night sky, and it seems natural
} take them down and emblazon them
n the white field of flag for the
Dung Canadian nation. The only OBJ
,ction would come from those who
ojected to Kipling's "Our Lady Of the
nows."
Favor Maple Leaf.
Most suggestions involve some use
the maple leaf
Nationhood flowers in flag, thinks
lie Free Press, which argues the case
is way: Canada has one of the
eat geographical surfaces of the
Orld. Canada has vigorous, thriv-
6 and enterprising people. Canada
Mt 100000 men to the war, good SOL
ers who fought with distinction and
it 1uster on the Canadian name;
Inada has rich tradition behind
r; her laws and system Of govern
mt are rooted IN the principles of
erty and justice; the great high
~ of national expansion is opening =
fore Canada, and as nation she is :
eparing to walk in it. Canadian
Ltus and nationality have never been
universally admitted as they are to-
=, and despite all this, Canada lacks
, distinctive badge Of nationality
,sessed by even the smallest and
nblest nation-a national flag. The
.ional flag stands for something
al in the nation National flags are
blems around which nations rally.
: crosses on the Union Jack, the
, of Scotland, the lion Of England
irish harp, the stars and bars Of
! Glory are of piece with the ma
lal life out of which they merge" -