Evening star., 1928-06-14

This is Flag dayl" Can we see by
the dawn's early light what so proudly
we saw at the twilight's last gleamingV
Or have we forgotten to raise Old Glory
upon this, Its l50th birthday? Have
we listened to the sneer OF the paciflst
and iconociast at the sacredness OF the
flag? Are we bit ashamed TO betray
sentiment, or even emotion, as we look
up at It's stripes and stars?
What is a flag, anyhow Why Is 1t
fonored? II Is bunting woven OF wool,
dyed with chemicals and tied TO rope,
stretched upon a staff. What does 1t
mean? Why salute 1t?
There are college-incubated men who
ridicule the fetish" and Scoh at all
that it betokens. They laugh at the
saIuting Of 1t as an emblem. They are
superior minds; they hold no allie
glance TO anything with which the flag
Is associated. Yet they are protected by
what it stands for. They would not de-
fend 1t from an invader, they would
not resent an insult TO Its honor. they
laugh ironically when 1t Is torn and de-
feated and dragged In mire. How very
superior" 1t Is to have no flag. no en-
blern Of our faith In our country, its
liberty, it's enlightenment, its assurance
OF equality of rights and equality Of
Justice and equality Of opportunity
Sayages have no fiag-why should
civilized peoples2 Anarchy waves the
red token OF blood, but not the blue OF
truth and faith nor the white OF purity
of ideals.
History shows that while the use OF a
| flag began ages ago as token of
power~--symboiizin the whip and lash
Of the chieftain's authority over men
the more thoroughly civilization became
organized, the more truly was the SYM
| boil honored, until in "a government OF
, the people, by the people and for the
| people" Its whip and lash betoken the
power OF the people themselves over
disorder. over confusion and anarchy
II synbolizes freedom. Where there ID
no organized society there can be no
safety for the individual, but license
only for crime and rapine, for the
power OF the bully and the robbcr.
| When governmental power rested In
monarch, the flag represented The
throne, and not the people; where a
republic stands upon equality and JUS
| tice The flag Ia the emblem Of the whole
people. for they alone are sovereign,
and he who gcorns IL would, In spirit,
betray the defense OF physically weak
and dependent, the sanctity OF the
home. the Justice of law. He is a
| traitor and parasite, so long as ne
| takes the protection Of the flag and
what II synbolizcs, while refusing 10
| recognize itg ideals and his own respon-
sibility 10 do II honor and TO stand Ia
| It's defense.
The flag Is not an inciter OF war: 1t
, Ii a prayer tor peace and justice. The
| imperial flag VI a Napoleon or Kaiser
| VIII never wave again, but instead there
| appears today upon the horizon OF world
peace the most glorious ideal which the
sun ever shone upon~~that flag which
Is even now ready 10 betoken the IN
teFnationai discarding Of all wars In
national policies.
| Its laudaLion, as yet, has never In
| eiiided one WGrd OF recognition from
OF c0mmendati0n from professional
sneerers at "Old Glory" For that new
flag does not stand for compromise with
cOWardiee, nor for eGuttIlng 0f the ship
| 0t state In the presence of possible at
taeks upon national honor, IL does not
| call for weakening III means VI defense
| but provides only for reducing the prob
| ability III need Of defense by abolish
| ING war
A song RI our banneff Tbs watehwofd
YbisP asys y.,.aS ,es Sg9.s Gfggel,e u her tston
| ~ Hahde and preserves Us nattDnI
/, The union of laksE~~tne union 0f lands
| The union of States none ean Eegef~ev~e
| This unssn qf HsaFtgaasths union of hAndsv~
Aad the nag Of our Union t0TeysH
| Il
Many Americans think II is optional
whether they render active service to
| the Nation, Never have they felt tbe
strong hand NJ compulsory military
training IN time of peace, aud seldom oI
compulsory service IN time of war In
thai respect Americans have been