Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-07
ROW ON RELIGION
BELIEVED ENDED
HefIin's Demand for Show
down on Church Flag May
Finish Controversy.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

| when bne OnlUeQ STATES SenaCe Oh
February declined to haul down the
church pennsnt from its traditional
place on American ships of war, it took
action, politicians say, of vastly farther
reaching importance than the incident
itself. They are persuaded that the
| 68 to 10 vote by which the Helm
amendment to the cruiser bill was re-
jected has in all probability put an end
! to religious controversy on the Senate
floor for a long time to come.
1t is a consummation that has been
devoutly wished for for many months.
For the first time since he inaugurated
his systematic anti-Catholic crusade two
years ago-at the time of the Mexican
and Nicaraguan troubles-the senior
Senator from Alabama ventured to risk
roll-call. He deliberately and spe-
officially asked for vote against 'the
Roman Catholic flag" Had he confined
his demands to ''the church pennant,"
its official title, the Alabaman might not
have precipitated the kind of debate he
evoked and the rebuke that ensued But
he chose to drag in references to 'the
Pope's crown" and other things that his
colleagues interpreted as anti-Catholic.
The result was crushing vote against
any tampering with the flag practice.
Even the Navy Departments readiness
to fly the church pennant elsewhere
proved of no effect.
Flown Under Signal Orders.
The church pennant flown above the
Stars and Stripes on American warships
while divine service Is in progress aboard
them is, of course, in no sense Roman
Catholic flag. 1t is simple white pen
nant on which is super imposed simple
Latin cross in blue. The general order
providing for its display Is contained in
the Nays signal book and reads as
follows: THE church pennant will be
hoisted Immediately above the ensign
at the peak or Flagstaff at the time of
commencing, and kept hoisted during
the continuance Of, divine service on
board all vesselA of the Navy"
In all probability, this writer Is
authoritatively informed, the custom of
using the church pennant was derived
from the British naval service, which
is responsible for many of our sea-
service customs. The British fly and
have flown since time immemorial,
church pennant during church service
abroadship. Their flag consists of
pennant with Greek est. Georges)
cross next to the staff, and three stripes,
making the pennant red, white and
blue flag.
The first reference to a church pen
nant in Our Navy is found in the ''al-
lowance list" of the Navy in 1874. In
1874 there is record of a commodore
who was going to sea making formal
requisition for zone church pennant."
The French book of flags, dated 1858,
showed a cut of the American church
pennant, which is the one still in use.
Naval records indicate that the pen
nant has been regulation" since at
least 1850-or for roundly 80 years
but most authorities agree it has been
in vogue virtually since the organiza-
ton of the Navy itself.
Chief Chaplain Approves.
About the time Senator Hefiin first
aired his views regarding the church
pennant nine or ten month ago. Capt. !
Curtis Hoyt Dickens, chief chaplain of
the Navy. addressed the following letter
to the head of a national patriotic |
in New England:
"Of course, we occasionally hear Of |
people who criticize the hosting of the |
church pennant above the Stars and !
Stripes. But, as matter Of fact, it
has a powerful inspiration back Of it, |
are ever fighting for it or constantly |
preparing to fight for that flag, which
we all love.
The church pennant is flown as a
simple and willing admission on our
part Of the supremacy Of God and Of
his Son, Jesus Christ, over all of the
temperatures of this life. Wherever
this flag is seen placed above the Stars
and Stripes, it is an evidence to those
who see it that the worship of Almighty
God is in progress.
Naturally. the Navy is perhaps more
jealous of the history, traditions and
sacredness of our national ensign than
any one else; for too many of our ship
mates have paid the great sacrifice in
it's protection, and we certainly do not
feel that its value has been lessened.
Rather has it been heightened by the
display of our simple acknowledge
ment of the supremacy of God in the
affairs of men,"
(Copyright, 1929