Norwich bulletin., 1922-06-15

of Flag Day with impressive exercises held by daylight early Wednesday eve ming on the lawn in front of the Elks home on Main street. The audience of several huGdred occupied chairs and standing room on the lawn, while many lined the sdewa alks on Main street and Park street or had seats in automobiles to listen to the singing and speaking. (
 From 10 80 daylight time. the fol- lowing programme was excellently rem dered by Trbbs' band under the director, Aubrey W. Jarvis.
 March. Tubbs' Military Band A. W. Jarvis Overture. Jolly Robbers, Suppe, Selection Songs From the Old Folks, Lake, Star Spangled Banner.
 A platform decorated with bunting was arranged for the speakers on the front steps of the Elks' home and members of the common council attended the exer- cises by invitation and were seated on the portch of the home.
 After brief introductory words by Ex- aited Ruler James J. Harrington, ex- blaming the nature of the exercises. a new American flag was raised on the lawn by a detachment of Boy Scouts.
 Miss Sadie Driscoll was heard in fine voice in an appropriate solo. We'll New CT Let the Old Flag Fall (MacNutD which was followed by the history and tribute to the flag given by P. E. R. Ed ward Cotter of Hartford lodge
 Miss Driscon delighted her audience again with another solo, The Americans Come which was rvndered with fine ex- pression. Henry La Fontaine was accom- panlst.
 Flag Day OratiOn
 Exalted Ruler Harrington then intro duced Thomas C. McCone. P. E. R., q Hartford lodge u deliver the flag day oratian. Mir McCone had the closest at tentIon of his audience as he spoke as follows:
 am glad of the opportunity to be with you tonight and to have a part in these exercises. because I am an Elk and be- liece in what the Elks stand for, repre- sent and purpose to accomplish in any community in which one of their lodges is situated
 Even the casual reader of history, my friends is impressed by the desire of peo- ples, however insignificant, to epitomize il, a flag, a symbol, a motto as the great factor of their unity. It may be the se- cret password of some persecuted tribe of Egypt that long since has gone down in the struggle for existence it may be the naughty banners of the trained Pha- | the pennant bearing the cross of the Crusaders across Europe to rescue tne revered Holy Land
 While history does not positively state what people were the first to visit Amer | ico. the Northmen from Norway are de clared to be among the first and while it has not been proven that upon landing they carried either flags or banners. il Is obsutely certain that their sails were decorated with the form Of a raven. ant their prows carried the head of a dragon, | The first record of the landing of a flag i. credited to Columbus:
 Columbus, dressed in gold em- broidered scarlet, bearing the royal standard, first stepped upon the shore"
 l If this be true, the royal standard o Spain was the first flag to be landed up on the shores of America. However tha may be, we can safely say with historica correctness that since the landing of Co iumbus some sort of flag has continu ] ously waved over these shores. The ori gin and history of our emblem has been S full covered by one of the previous speak CTS that there is but little left for me |. say on that subject.
 ! Permit me, however to be guilty 0 boresome repetition in order to pay in m,
 
 regal banner in saying that it is a worl that came from the very souls of the peo pie who originated It. When the peopl of the Colonies were defending their lib critics against the. might of kings. the, chose their banner from the design SC in the Armament through all eternity Tn flags of the great empires of that day ar gone but the Stars and Stripes remair It pictures the vision of people who's eyes were turned to the rising dawn l represents the hope of a father for hi posterity It has never Haunted for tn
 glory of royalty. but to be born under
 is to be a child of 2 king and to estat
 fish home under 1t is the founder of
 royal house. Alone of all flags 1t e1
 which endures when all else passes away
 presses the sovereignty of the peopl Speaking with their voice, it has tn
 sancfity of revelation. He who lives UT
 der 1t and is loyal to 1t is loyal to 'trut and justice everywhere. He who live
 under it and Is disloyGl to it is a traitc
 to the human race everywhere Whs
 could be saved If the flag of the America nation were to perish7
 In recognition ot these truths and 0, of desire born of a purpose to defen , and perpetuste them, the state of Col 3 necticut has by statute decreed that f, one day of each year their irnportan. . should be dwelt upon and remembere 2 Therefore, in accordance with that autho g ity. the anniversary of the adoption e the national Flag, the 14th of June 2 set apart as Flag Day.
 r The Order of Elks Is distinctive . American organization, the requIremen ; for membership being American citize l ship. love of country. home and friend '. This order was the first great fratern - organization to make the birthday of t k American flag a day of national eel '. bration.l On Flag Day. our order ca f it's members to gather about our altar, . iTenew our pledges of loyalty and to exte . heart and hand In support of our countr! s institutions, and the laws for which t s flag stand, to offer prayers of thank