, 1922-06-01

~MEaZA OkT MHENRN VIII be restored
"a and preserved rs a national
park and perpetual national
.NS8N memorial shrine as the birth
JES8S& place of The Star-Spangled
Xxx 1NM Banner written by Francis
NV NNb Scott Key-if a bill Is. 3349)
ANY, w introduced by Senator France
NA&H9lHW of Maryland goes through con
E&S gress.
w An act was passed in 1914
which granted the Use of the
Fort MicHenry Military reservation to the city of
baltimore for park purposes. The new bill
amends the 1914 act so as TO read. In part:
The secretary of war is hereby authorized and
directed, S" soon as It may no longer be needed
for uses and needs growing out of the recent war.
to begin the restoration of Fort McHenry. in the
state of Maryland. now occupied and used as a
military reservation, including the restoration Of
the old Fort Mclery proper to the condition In
which II was on the LIST of September, 1914, and
to place the whole of said military reservation In
such a condition as would make 1t suitable for
preservation permanently rs n national park and
perpetual national memorial shrine as the birth
place of the Immortal 'Star-Spangled Banner
written by Francis Scott Key; and that the sec
retsrS Of war he, and he is hereby further author
lied and directed, as are his SUCCESSORS. to hold
the said Fort McHenry in nerpetuity as a mill
Wry reservation, national park and memorial, and
60 maintain Il as such the said reserva-
tion to be maintained as a national public park.
subject to such regulations as may from time to
time be issued by the secretary of war: Provided,
A'AA NV VT ilnIl CHI H0U oil N
state of Maryland shall be given as free and full
access to and use of said national park as they
would enjoy IL this were a part of the, park system
OF Baltimore city"
Provision is made for restoration and Improve
Dients under approval of the secretary of war and
at the expense of the United States. The sum of
100000 is appropriated for the work and O,OOO
annually for maintenance.
Nothing is said in the bill about a museum OF
appropriate relics. Nevertheless. If Fort McHenry
lie n ha rpcinraI and prayarv,I nc m ,o.,o...
5aation,d memorial shrine as the birthplace of the
inmortal "Star-Spangled Banner" 1t would seem
that the Flag which inspired the national hymn
should be u feature Of the shrine.
For the original Star-Spangled Banner-the nc
tunl piece of red, white and blue bunting that Key
was 81 anxious to see "by the dawn's early light"
Is still In existence. 1t is probably the most inter
esting hit of bunting In the world to good Amerl-
cans. It Is In the National museum In Washing
ton and thousands go to see 1t every year.
This sacred relic is now more than one hundred
yenrs old and looks its age. 1t has. however. been
mpnnted on net and has been carefully mended.
with good care II should last n long time.
Al every good American knows-or should
know-the Flag now consists OF thirteen alternate
red and white stripes, representing the thirteen
original states. and Il blue field on which are
foriy-eight white stars, arranged In six rows Of
eight stars each. representing the forty-eight
states now constituting the Union. The forty
seventh and forty-eighth stars were added in 1912
when New Mexico and Arizona were admitted.
The original Flag was adopted by congress June
ID lTT1-thatS why June II is observed as Flag
Day. 1t had thirteen stripes and thirteen stars.
II was the plan in the early days TO add both u
stnr and n stripe 10 the Flag for each new state.
But II was soon Secn-by 1912 there were FIVE new
stnteS-thnt while a star could easily he added
additional stripes were out Of the question. The
addition in 1904 Of two stripes for Vermont Q7oD
anu Kentucky OT02l destroyed the proportions
of the Flag So there were never more than nf.
teen stripes and the fifteen were officially reduced
to the original thirteen in 1918.
It's Of interest to note that the Fort McHenry
Flag has but Gftcen stars. though In 1914 there
were eighteen states. Tennessee Q7O6), Ohio
uSO2l md Louisiana uS12) having been admit.
ted. Hut fifteen u has-in six alternate rows OF
three and two stars, beginning nj the edge Of the
field next the SIM, The explanation is that no
official change was made In the Flag between 1904
and 1878. The Flag in 1918 was given twenty
stnrs, lndiann and Mississippi having been admit.
tel. and thirteen stripes.
Did you know that by correct usage the Flag
In time Of peace Is not permitted to float all night.
except AT the grave of Francis Scott Key2
Senator France, In Introducing the Fort Nc
Henry bin. put into the Congressional Record the
contents of a booklet prepared by himself and
other patriotic citizens. This booklet contains.
among other things. the following Interesting
Ehtter:
The list OF September, 1914. saw the city of
Washington burned. the handful OF American war.
ships driven 90 port by force OF superior numbers
the Atlantic coast from Maine 20 Louisiana open
60 attach. Rnd the fate OF the Union In the balance
a WAS then that Fort MeTIenr stood firm against
the invader. redeemed our eastern seabonrd. and
delivered the federal government from serious
disaster. orsutter ruin.
In the two and a half years NJ war preceding
th, defe,s, of Fort McIlenrv scores Of the fastest