The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-02

Washington, D. c.. July LII you
hoist the stars and stripes on the
glorious Fourth, or display q minia-
ture flag on your person, be sure
you know the rules before you so
ahead. Every patriotic society in
the world has 4 Jealous eye on the
national flag to see that it gets the
full measure of respect on all oc-
casions. The fact that you do not
pretend to be an expert on nag
etiquet will not save you from
being regarded as an American OF
doubtful pedigre if you in advertent-
ly display the flag with the stars
in the wrong corner.
Not so many years ago the flag
was treated with enthusiastic but
misguided familiarity. On any oc-
casion when the American revoiu-
mentioned a hall was decked out in
flags. They were looped and
twirled and fastened into rosettes.
They were nailed to chandeliers and
ratings, and if a corner of a 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 pitcher of ice water. set
by the gaVel, generally completed
the setting for q rousing meeting
The piece de resistance of the pat
riotic evening was generally a 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
flag. The dance usually began
with Hail Columbia" ard pro-
crossed through a list of patriotic
songs to THE Star Spangled Ban
ner" as a climax.
But all that is over. For some
years, the flag has been under the
protection of nobody knows how
many members of all the patriotic
societies. History and heraldry
have been tapped to ascertain the
exact etiquet suitable on every pos
sible occasion at which the national
emblem appears.
Points to Remember.
1t has been discovered that when
the flag is used to decorate q room
or building it should always be
hung in straight lines. never draped
nor twisted. 1t should not be nailed
but hung by loops or through rings
in the binding.
If it is used to cover a pulpit or
desk nothing should be placed on
top of it unless it is a bible 1t
must never in any circumstances 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 VIC
usually 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 AMI down,
the union should be in the upper
right hand corner.
If these rules are followed, flag
decorations are sanctioned by pat
riOtic experts. Some of the pat
riotfc societies, however. hold that
it is really more desirable to use
DunLlns IN decorating the walls or
room. Red, white and blue bunting
may be draped or festooned in al
most any way desired.
The only technical point in using
bunting is that it has top and but
tom. Unfortunately for the be-
flag hanger, the experts do
not agree as to which is the top side
of bunting Four years ago a dep
uty Quartermaster general decreed
that the proper order, for good
taste. is red, white and biue-red
at the top. This, he said, was in
accordance with the heraldic 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 at the