Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-13
''Star Spangled Banner"
Held as National Anthem

Realizing the unusual value of your
aper from an educational point of view.
not only locally but nationally take
tho liberty of asking that I may be al
lowed space to take issue with certain
statements disparaging to THE Star
Spangled Banner" which appeared In a
feature article by Mr.. John Clagett
Proctor In the Sunday edition. Among
other statements to which l take excep-
ton the writer says. Congress, realiz-
ing that there Is not a unanimous de-
mand for The Star Spangled Banner,
has always managed to pigeonhole any
proposition which would put itself on
record in favor of any particular piece
as the country's national anthem"
1t seems to me that Congress put
itself on record" officially in acknowl-
edgment Of The Star Spanglcd Ban
ncr" as our national anthem when 1t
voted unanimously to name the Million
dollar bridge. crossing the Potomac at
the Nations Capital. The Francis Scott
Kew Bridge" in honor Of the writer. Not
dissenting voice was heard in Congress
when Representative Hill OF Maryland
asked that this name be given the
bridge as memorial to Francis Scott
Key. Congress again voted to honor the
writer of our national anthem when 1t
voted to preserve Fort McHenry as
national shrine because Of its connec-
ton historically with the writing of
The Star Spangled Banner"
In an interview with Admiral George
Dewey in 1915. the admiral said, when
expressed regret that Congress had
not acted officially in the matter OF our
national anthem. do not bother about
congressional action. That is not neces-
sary end Congress realizes the fact. The
Star Spangled Banner is I'D officially,
as you know. by the Army and Navy as
our national anthem and it is sacred
to all of us because of general usage for
over one hundred years. There VIII
never be any other national anthem for
our Nation" If it was considered sacred
then, which was before the World War,
by our great admiral, how much more
precious it is to us now after the World
War when its strains inspired our boys
to do and die in that conflict!
In my efforts to have the Francis
Scott Key Bridge so named. interview
ed many members of Congress. They ex-
pressed the same opinion set forth by
Admiral Dewey that no official con-
grcssional action is necessary in the
matter of our national anthem.
Recently a volunteer veteran of the
Spanish American War said in my
presence. Il, for one. will never acknoWl-
edge any other song as our national
anthem. / recall the surrender which
closed the Spanish American War. July
IT, 1898, at Santiago, Cuba, when our
boys, 1900 of them, burst into the
strains of The Star Spangled Banner
thus taking their part in this impress
sive ceremony"
Not only Congress. as above shown.
has voted unanimously in recognition of
The Star Spangled BANNER as our
national anthem. but representatives
from IS patriotic societies in con-
vention in Washington. D. c.. for
two consecutive years. recently voted
unanimously to recognize The Star
Spangled Banner as our national
anthem. The representatives came from
every section of our country. The Ma
nearly 100000 women and every State
in the Union, have voted unanimously in
their Congress. year after year. to
recognize The Star Spangled Banner"
as Our national anthem and yet your
writer states, I'm Washington, quite
naturally, we would adopt The Star
Spangled Banner principally because it
is most familiar to US. and incidentally
because Francis Scott Key was one of
our own residents. In the
Northern States. America and Yankee
Doodle would be most acceptable. and
OF course the South loves Dixie
According TO the viewpoint expressed
by the late President Harding at the
dedication of Fort McHenry, he did not
seem to think it necessary. as Goes your
writer. that another "Rouget de Lisle
appear upon lifes scene and does as
oI1 no
France" In his speech President Hard
ing said, 'Francis Scott Key. though he
produced some splendid lines, was not
great poet. He was less, but he was also
more. than great poet. He was posses
sor of a patriotism which in supreme
moment could make words and meters
it's creatures and servitors; and so
modest genius was raised in one flam-
ing hour TO place among the immortalS.
To give ringing voice to such a conVic-
ton, to such an inspiration. was one of
the greatest services which any man
could do for the young republic. That
was the service Of Francis Scott Key. 1t
was not in the production of soul-stir-
ring lires thrilling with martial appeal
it was in the contribution of his great
hymn toward creating that sense of
national pride and that realization of
feSpOnSlDnty lOr great adventure III
behalf of humanity which became at
last the inspiration of union preserved
and of nationalism established. think
1t fair to say that we have come here
today, not so much to pay tribute to
the genius which caught the inspiration
of vital moment and wrote that in
spiration into one of the songs of th7
ages, but rather more to mem5rializ,
the patriotic service of the author In his
everlasting contribution to the soul up
lift and exaltaticn Of his countrymen
who live after him"
The Star Spangled Banner" has been
christened our national anthem. bap-
tized in the red blood shed by our
heroic dead.
MAUD LIPSCOMB GREENAWALT,
Regent Ruth Brewster Chapter. d. A. r.