Evening star., 1925-01-25

Few persons know that the pledge
| to the Flag, our Star Spangled Ban
| ner," has been changed as a result
| of experiences during the war, when
! foreign born took the oath meaning
| in their minds some other country
| than the United States, when they
pledged allegiance to the Flag and the
| nation for which It stands. The prop
er form now is:
II pledge allegiance to the Flag oil
| the United States and to the Republic
! for which ii stands, one Nation, indt-
visible, with liberty and justice for
| all"
: Our Flag is the third oldest Of the
| national standards OF the world. II is
| older than the Union Jack of Great
! Britain or the Tricolor of France. II
was first authorized by Congress- June
I IA, 1TT7 This date is now observed
as Flag Day throughout the United
! states, and on that date in 1923. rep
resentatives of more than 6S organi-
| cations met in conference in Wash
| ington and drafted an authentic code
| OF flag etiquette, which has been
! adopted by more than 100 organtza-
| tions representing directly at least
| half of all the people of this great
| Nation.
! First Flown August }, 1777.
| The Flag IS nothing precious in it
| self-it is, but a symbol-of what! !
To get the real spirit OF what tho
! Flag means We have but to listen to
| Henry Ward Beecher: I'm 177I, upon
| the 14th Of June, the Congress of the
! Colonies assembled and ordained this
/ glorious National Flag, which now we
| hold and defend, and advanced IT
! fuu high before God and all men as
| the Flag of Liberty. It was no holl-
day flag. gorgeously emblazoned for
| Eayety or vanity. It was a solemn
! national signal. When that banner
| first unrolled to the sun, II was the
| symbol of all those holy truths and
! purposes which brought together the
Colonial American Congress.
The United States Flag was first
flown from Fort Stanwix, on the site
| of the present City of Rome, n. Y, on
August 8. 1T77. 1t was first under
fire three days later In the Battle OF
Oriskany, August 6, 1777.
II was first decreed that there
should be a star and a stripe for each
State. making Is of both for the
States at that time had just been
erected from the original 13 colonies
First in Battle on September II.
In l7e4 Vermont and Kentucky
were admitted to the Union and the
number of stars and stripes was rails
ed TO is in correspondence. AS other
States came into the Union II became
evident that there would be too many
stripes So in 1918 Congress enacted
that the number OF stripes be reduced
and restricted henceforth to 1S, repre-
senting l3 original States-while a
star should be added for each sue
ceedinE State. That Is the law today.
The Flag was first carried in battle
at the Brandywine, September II, l777.
1t first flew over foreign territory
January 2S. 177S, at Nassau, Bahama
Islands-Fort Nassau having been
captured by the Americans in the
course of the War for Independence.
The first foreign salute to the Flag
was rendered by the French admiral,
La Motto Piquet, off Quiberon Bay,
February 13, 1878.
The Flag first rose over 13 States
along the Atlantic seaboard, with a
population of some 100000 people.
Today it flies over 4S States, extend
ing across the continent and over
great islands of two oceans: and
130.000,O00 people owe it allegiance.
1t has been brought to this proud
position by love and sacrifice. Citizens
have advanced 1t all over the world
as a standard OF the highest honor,
and heroes have died for il. 1t Is
the sign made visible of the strong
spirit that has brought liberty and
prosperity to the people of America.