The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-05-30

towards uniformity were taken. Oh
June "a, 1912 and again on October
%, 1912, President Taft issued execu-
tive orders that "the color of the field
of the Presidents flag shall be blue"
but the army did not Immediately con-
form and difficult situation arose at
the inaugural ceremonies of President
Wilson in March, 1913. The review
ing box in front of the White House
was decorated with two Presidents
flags, provided by the War department
and the Navy department. TIE Navy
departments was blue, but the War
departments was red!
This revived the old controversy
and when again in 1915 there was a
double display of cOlors the matter
assumed a serious aspect. 1t was
pointed out to President Wilson that
an agreement should be made and a
standard flag adopted for both
branches of the service. The President
called in Lieutenant-Co Commander By
ron McCandless, aide to the secretary
Of the navy, and requested him to pre-
pare design for the Presidential
standard. The new flag was to consist
of blue field with four white stars
in the corners, since the flags Of an
admiral and Of a general bear four
stars as sign of command, and the
President is the highest ranking
admiral and general. Instead of an
exact reproduction of the great seal,
President Wilson expressed desire
to have his personal seal, modifica-
ton of the great seal used on the
Presidents stationery in the White
House, on the flag. This seal differs
from the great seal in that the eagles
head is turned to the sinister tits
lefty and the stars above the eagle
are differently arranged.
The new design was prepared by
the bureau of construction and repair
under the direction of Commander
McCandless and was approved by the
President in an executive order dated
May 90, 1916. So at last the con-
troversy was ended and Presidents
flag, uniform for both branches of the
service, came into being.
But though the army-navy contro-
versy over the Presidents flag was
thus ended, there are those who are
not yet satisfied with the Presidents
flag. They point out the fact that the
seven white and six red bars on the
shield, even though it does have the
Endorsement of the State department,
is not in conformity with the arrange
ment of these colors as prescribed in
the act of congress of June 20, 1852,
adopting the great seal Of the United
States, nor as prescribed by the act
of congress of April a, 1918, prescrib-
ing alternating red and white stripes
(instead of alternating white and red)
in establishing the American flag.
But more serious that this, accord
ing to heraldry experts, is the fact
that on the Presidents flag the eagles
head is turned towards the sinister,
that is, away from the flag pole. It
is one Of the ancient rules of heraldry,
they say, that no bird or animal ever
look away from the staff, for if such
a flag is carried into battle, the head
thus turned would make it look as
though the bird were retreating from
the enemy. On all other flags on
which the eagle appears, its head al
ways faces the staff, regardless Of
which side of the flag one looks at.
1t is felt therefore that this device
on the Presidents flag possibly vio-
lates military honor. Also it is pointed
out that this eagle has a top-knot,
something unknown in eagles and
sacrificing a time-honored picture Of
our national bird. Still another OBJ
lection to this eagle, in the minds Of
some people, is that, in looking to-
ward the sinister, the eagles gaze is
toward the talon which holds the ar
rows, symbol of warlike intentions.
They believe that it should look to-
ward the claw which holds the olive
branch, as more symbolic Of this ma
tons prevailing peacefulness.
Although the design of the Presi-
dents flag is the same for both
branches Of the service, there is some
difference as to sizes. In the navy
there are two sizes, known as mo.
/" and mo. g." the former to be flown
at the masthead Of vessel when the
President is aboard, and the latter
to be flown at the bow of a boat
when the President is taking passage
from wharf to ship or from ship
to ship. All navy flags, including the
Presidents, are always bunting. never
silk. This is matter of economy,
as well as reverence for the flag, for
a silk flag at masthead would soor.
whip itself to pieces.
In the army. there are four types
of Presidents flags: /, the large blue
bunting flag; 2, the elaborate blue
silk "colors," edged with gold and sill
yer fringe; 3, the blue bunting boat
flag (for use when the President is
on an army transport) and 4, the
blue silk automobile flag. edged with
white and yellow silk fringe The
latter has been adopted in recent
years since the Chief Executive began
going about in motor cars instead of
in the carriage of his predecessors.