Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 13, Number 13, DeMotte, Jasper County, 5 February 1943 — DISPLAY AND USE OF THE AMERICAN FLAG [ARTICLE]

DISPLAY AND USE OF THE AMERICAN FLAG

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of tfce United States of America ia Congress assembled, That the following codification of •xisting rules and customs pertaining to the display and use •f the llag of the United States •f America be, and is he r eby, established for the use of such civilians or civilian groups or •rganizations as may not be required to conform with regulations promulgated by one •r more executive departments #f the Government of the United States. Sec. 2. (a) It is the universal custom to display the Hag ohJj from sunrise to sunset e» buildings and on station-

ary tiagstaffs in the open. However, the flag may be displayed at night upon special occasions when it is desired to pro* drneo a patriotic effect. (bj The flag should be hoist #d briskly and lowered ceremoniously. (c) The flag should not be displayed on days when the

weather is inclement. (d) The flag should be displayed on all days when the! weather permits/ especially on New Y ear’s Day, Jan. 1; In figuration Day, Jan. 20; Lincoln's birthday, Feb. 12; Washington's birthday, Feb. 22; Army Day, April 10; Easter! iienday (variable) ; Mothers Day, second Sunday in May ; Memorial Day (half staff until soon), May 30; Flag Day, Jane 14; .Independence Day, Jmlv 4, Labor Day, first Mon v y 9u 7

day in September; Constitution Day, Sept. 17; Columbus Day, Oct. 12; Navy Day* Oct. 27; Armistice Day, November 11; Thanksgiving Day, last Thursday in Nov.; Christmas Day, Dec. 25; such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States; the birthdays of states (dates of admission) ; and on State holidays. (e) The flag should be displayed daily, weather permitting. on or near the main administration building of eve r y public institution. (f) The flag should be displayed in or near every polling place on election days. (gs The flag should be displayed during school days in or near every scboolhouse. Sec. 3. That the flag, when carried in a procession with an- j other flag or flags, should be j either on the marching right;; that is, the flag’s own right, or, if the r e is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line. (a) The flag should not be j displayed on a float in a parade j except from a staff, or as provided in subsection (i). (b) The flag should not be draped over the hood, top, or i back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a boat. When the flag is displayed on a motor car, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chasis or clamped to the radiator cap. (c) No other flag or pennent should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during the church services for the personnel of the Navy. (d) The flag of the United States of America, when it is displayed with another flag against at wall from crossed eaffs, should be on the right,

the flag’s own right, and its staff should be in front of the staff of the othe r flag.

(e) The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group wnen a number of flags of States or localities or i>enuants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs. (f) When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pen nants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the }>eak. When the flags are flown from adjacent start's, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag o 1 pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the right of the flag of the United. States.

-(g) When flags of two or more nations arc displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time j of peace.

(h) When the flag of the: United States is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally i or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, o r front of a building, the union of the! flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is a half staff. When the flag is suspended over a sidewalk from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.

(i) When the flag is displayed otherwise than by being flown from a staff, it should be displayed flat, "whether indoors or out. When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag’s own right; that is, to the observers left. When displayed in a window', the flag should be displayed in the same way; that is, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street.

(j ) When the flag is displayed over the middle of the street, it should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street, or to the east in a north and south j street. (kV When used on a speaker's platforms, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, if it is displayed in the chancel of a church, or on the speaker's platform in a public auditorium, the flag should occupy the position of honor and be placed at the clergyman's or speaker’s right as he faces the congregation or audience. Any other flag so displayed in the chancel or on the platform should be placed at the clergyman’s or speaker's left as he faces tin* congregation or audience. But when the flag is displayed from a staff in a church oi* public auditorium elsewhere than in the chancel or on the platform it shall be placed in the p<> sition of honor at the right of the congregation or audience as they face the chancel or., platform. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the congregation or audience as they face the chancel or platform. (1) The flag should form a distinctive feature of the ceremony of unveiling a statue or

monument, but it should never be used as the covering for the statue or monument. (m) The flag, when flown at half staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the halfstaff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. By half staff is meant hauling the flag to one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff. Crepe streamers may be affixed to spearheads or flagstaff's in a parade only by order of the President of the United States, (n) When the flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so placed that the union is at the head ami over the left shoulder. The flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground. To be continued in next week's issue.