The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-06-10
THEE AMERICAN FLAG

~>NO~NA1~A~t9
every true American. This
year the day win carry a ten
fold significance, as the nation
celebrates the Two Hundredth
Anniversary of the Birth of
George Washington. For to
General Washington, tradition
credits a leading part in the
very designing of the flag, and
Whist he did to give it meaning
is and will be known to every
American as long as our cOun-
try lives.
On June IA, 1777, Congress
resolved: "That the flag of
the thirteen United States be
thirteen stripes, alternate red
and white, that the Union
be thirteen stars, white in a
blue field, representing a new
constellation"
In these simple words, au-
thority was given to General
Washington to design the flag,
and on the same day tradition
has it that he went to the house
of Betsy Ross on that visit
which has become one of the
finest pages of American folk
lore. With him, according to
the account, went Robert Nor
ris and George Ross, one of the
Signers of the Declaration of
Independence and the uncle of
Betsy Ross deceased husband.
On entering her modest
house in Arch street, Pbiladel-
phia,. they are said to have
found Mistress Ross busy at
her needlework and humming
a tune-softly, however, so
that she might hear the tinkle
Of the bell on the door of her
shop at the front of the house,
and General Washington
Cnus SIMPLY stated his errand.
Mistress Ross, we have
come to ask you to help in
making a flag for our country.
We do not feel pleased with the
grand union flag because OF
the Kings colors in the canton.
so we have planned another"
The grand union" flag re-
ferred to by Washington was
the one he himself had design
ed and first flung to the breeze
on January 1, 1875, during his
siege of Boston. This was at
a time when the Revolution
lists still felt they were fight
ing, not the British king, but
his ministers; hence Washing
toms flag consisted of the thir-
teen alternate red and white
stripes, but bore in it's canton
the kings crosses of st. George
and st. Anthony. By TIT the
Revolutionists were fighting
solely for an American nation
and they wanted an American
flag.
Mrs. Ross, it is said, under
took the making of the flag
eagerly, and with an exalted
sense of the unusual honor
conferred upon her. Not only
that. she even suggested to
Washington a slight correction
In the design, which bore six
pointed stars instead OF the
five-pointed type of heraidry
With a snip of her scissors she
cut a folded paper and held
forth a perfect five-pointed star
to show what she meant. For
a few minutes longer the de-
sign was discussed, and as
quickly as nimble fingers
could execute the task, Mrs.
Ross had the flag in being.
So. in this homely fashion
which so we'll suits the Ameri-
can spirit, was born the en-
blem designed by Washington.
coming almost like a direct LIT
form him, to fly ever since over
the nation that he also design
ed. Today, every American is
privileged to ponder on the
stupendous human events and
influences that have flowed
from this simple incident at
the house of Betsy Ross a cen
tury and a half ago.
When that flag was designed
and made there was not a true
Republic in existence. Since
then the principles set in mo-
ton by George Washington
and his fellow patriots have
extended themselves to the ut
tormOSt nartl Of tho oou+b