The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1959-06-11
On kInAkn1ton
with Rep. John Henderson

EsS: Ex
with Rep. John Henderson
Memorial Day and Flag Day
on June IA mark the last two
national holidays to be celebrated
under the 49-star flag of the
United States which has risen
throughout the world in the
cause of freedom since it became
our national emblem on July 4,
1912.
At one minute after midnight
next July 4, the 49-star flag will
rise over Fort McHenry in Bal
timore's harbor symbolizing the
final step in the admission of
Alaska to the Union. 1t was the
flag which flew over that en-
battled fortress on the night of
September 1914, 1914 that in
spired Francis Scott Key to write
the Star Spangled Banner" The
flag used in that battle was the
second of many official banners
since the founding of our coun-
try. 1t differed significantly in
that it carried fifteen stars and
fifteen stripes one for each of
the states of the new Union. On
April 4, 1918, by Act of Con-
gress, the general pattern for the
nations future flags was estab-
lished in that the number of
stripes was reduced to l3 one
for each of the original states,
with one star to be added in the
blue field on July 4 following
the admission Of each new state.
The change caused by the
entry Of Alaska's star will be the
twenty-sixth revision since the
original "Stars and Stripes" each
denoting another step IN the
nations sweep across the West
ern wilderness to the Pacific
shores and beyond. Before 1912,
each change officially described
only the number of stars, leav-
ing their arrangement to the
Imagination of flag designers.
Although general patterns were
usually followed, the results
were often fanciful.
In addition to horizontal rows
on the blue field other designs
were often seen a century ago
including among the most pop
ular, small stars forming a large
circle. There were, in fact, so
many variations that Mr.. S.
Alfosen remarked in magazine
article in August 1857 that he
had spent the previous Fourth OF
July observing the differing flag
designs on ships in New York S
harbor and on that city's hotels
and public buildings. After
describing the designs he re-
marked, Here were nine speci-
mems of the same flag; similar,
it is true, in the l3 stripes, but
all varying in the design of the
union, and vet all were called
American Flags. This dissimi-
! iarity, wincn is 50 frequently oo-
served, led the Dutch govern
ment twenty years ago Q83D
to inquire, What is the American
Flag - to which query no de
finite answer could be returned
In 1912, as the stars for Arlz
ona and New Mexico made THEN
appearance, the President pro
clamation described a specific
pattern for the arrangement o
the stars. The same practice wa:
followed by President Eisenhow
er earlier this year when he ap
proved the design calling fol
seven staggered rows of sever
stars each. 1t was this same ar
rangement of fewer stars which
flew over Fort McHenry in The
September dawn's early ligh
| in 1914. The Presidents EXecu
tive Order l0798 goes into great
er detail prescribing the prope
proportions for each componen
in the flags design.
It will be proper to continue
to display the 48-star flag afte
July 4. AS a matter of fact, th'
old flag will be seen on man.
| federal buildings so long as thos'
now in use are Serviceable ant
until the supply of existing stock
| of unused flags are exhausted
| 1t is appropriate for all citizen
to do the same.
/ Even as the new flag is hoistet
to scores of thousands of staff
on July 4, another change is il
the making. Several days earlier
on June 27, the people of Hawai-
will vote on the issue of state
hood for that beautiful islam
territory. There is little doub
about the enthusiasm of Hawai-
for statehood, assuring anothe
change in the flag on July