Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-14
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Z Ben Altheimer: Like the Amer
| lean pioneers who blazed their way
| westward, he helped. through years
of continued efforts, to lead the way
| in establishing the popular and re-
| ligiouS observance of Flag day To
| him, patriot of vision and Inspiration,
belongs the honor and distinction Of
having contributed to the establish.
ment of Flag day in the hearts OF the
| American people, thereby helping to
| bring into greater consideration and
higher appreciative regard the flag
of the United States and the ideals,
traditions. principles and institutions
for which the flag stands"
And last Sunday came the third
citation-to Col. Lindbergh, as above
reported.
While no one person can claim the
distinction of originating Flag day,
there is one man to whom the CHIEF
credit must be given for the founding
of the United States Flag Association,
whose mission Is to preserve rever-
ence and love for Old Glory. He is
the son of Il captain in Gen. Robert
E. Lees defeated army, which surren.
dered to Gen. u. s. Grant at Appomat.
tox. That officer returned to his home
Al
whence he had marched forth a
wealthy planter. He came to his fam
lily so poor that literally he did not
have a shirt to wear. Eventually
there were IA children in the family.
When the youngest boy, James, born
five or six years after Appomattox,
was old enough, he entered into COM
petition for appointment to West
Point Military Academy, and won.
He was graduated. and then wrote
technical military books-S3 books
and fought through three wars-Cu-
ban, the Philippines and World War
in the latter, by his own request, COM
| handing a colored regiment.
Perhaps the World War was the
| ill wind which blows nobody good"
but the publishers of those SO books
| by Col. James A. Moss had to charter
whole cars to carry the Moss books TO
the military camps, and his royalties
| during the war ran as high as $4,000
a month.
After 81 years of service behind the
| flag which had brought such distress
to his father. Col. James A. Moss was
| retired-retired with a fervent love
| of 'Old Glory" which had led him
| through many battles--and he wanted
to express his gratitude for all that
the flag meant to him. He organized
the United States Flag Association,
with voluntary sustaining fund at
| his own expense Of many thousands
| OF dollars a year. He devotes prac-
tica1ly his whole time to its manage
ment. bearing all his personal ex.
! penses and receiving no salary.
How refreshing it is to find patriot.
ism and heroism and idealism still
living, to Offset subversive efforts to
1 NJ fS1A EA A"OH a..
nigh ideals and dreams Of youth.
BY permission of the poet, the fol.
lowing copyrighted apostrophe to the
flag by Mrs. Francesca Falk Miller Of
Chicago (one-time State president Of
the Daughters of 1912 Is published in
expression of what "Old Glory" is
now passing through:
Flag Of Ny Land.
"9 Flas Is Of the nv red ID. II your stripes tonight
That t. . stood for Ds.siS.s passion bright.
nif Flag age Of T. my s1' la ash''
Inc fdaGs s:re sas AND and EsaS i away
IN tnere's no red blood in its folds today.
And where is the white with its unsmirchsd
That bfs aas ro on the breeze when the drum.
With challenge bold,
The law to uphold,
Flag of my land!
The white turned gray when the pacifsts
Fer they bar.ered their words for my
And my stars grew dim for the slacksr's
Men of my land!
And 3D. why is your blue 50 rumplsd and torn.
That droops from the stan each azure morn.
For aliens to scorn -
And patriots mourn.
FLAG Of my land? e
The pacifists came and tore 10 apart
When they sold their trust In The public
With, their whining fears Of cowards
heart,
Men Of my landi sA&
oh why. and how. dare such thtnss Be.
Flag OF my land.
And what is your greatest need Of me.
On land or sea.
For liberty.
Flag Of my land? -
You must tear these vesds from each fes-
And cleanse clean NY honor ana err Il ,hroaa.
Fish.lnE for q: 90. 2PPd your eoaniFys dod.
icopyisAt 1897. ~ Paul '. Coiuas.,