THE BUILDER MARCH 1925

Official Etiquette of the Flag

As Prepared by ROBERT C. DAVIS, the Adjutant General, War
Department, Washington, D. C.

So many inquiries come to hand from lodges and other Masonic bodies
as to the official etiquette of the national flag that THE BUILDER
is here publishing in full a circular on that subject as issued by
the War Department under date of March 28, 1924.

WHILE it is within the province of the War Department to prescribe
rules and regulations governing the use of the flag for observance
within the Army, yet it is beyond its province to prescribe any
such rules or regulations for the guidance of civilians or to
undertake to decide questions concerning this subject that are
presented by civilians.

On Flag Day, June 14, 1923, representatives of over sixty eight
patriotic organizations met in Washington for a conference under
the auspices of the National Americanism Commission of the American
Legion, to draft an authentic code of flag etiquette. The rules
adopted by this conference represent the opinion of the patriotic
organizations represented at this conference and other patriotic
organizations which have since adopted this code. The flag circular
previously published by the War Department under date of February
15, 1923, having been incorporated in this code practically in
toto, the conference flag code is published for the information of
those concerned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FLAG

The flag of the United states has 13 horizontal stripes--7 red and
6 white--the red and white stripes alternating, and a union which
consists of white stars of five points on a blue field placed in
the upper quarter next the staff and extending to the lower edge of
the fourth red stripe from the top. The number of stars is the same
as the number of states in the Union. The canton or union now
contains 48 stars arranged in six horizontal and eight vertical
rows, each star with one point upward. On the admission of a state
into the Union a star will be added to the union of the flag, and
such addition will take effect on the 4th of July next succeeding
such admission.

In the Army Regulations four kinds of national flags are described,
viz., flags which are flown at military posts or on ships and used
for display generally; small flags or ensigns which are used on
small boats; colors which are carried by unmounted regiments, and
standards which are carried by mounted regiments and are,
therefore, smaller in size than colors.

National flags, with the exception of the colors and standards
carried by troops, will be of the following proportions:


Hoist (width) of flag, 1.
Fly (length) of flag, 1.9.
Hoist (width) of union, 7/13.
Fly (length) of union, 0.76.
Width of each stripe, 1/13.

For a number of years there has been prescribed in Army Regulations
a knotted fringe of yellow silk on the national standards of
mounted regiments and on the national colors of unmounted
regiments. The War Department, however, knows of no law which
either requires or prohibits the placing of a fringe on the flag of
the United states. No act of Congress or Executive order has been
found bearing on the question. In flag manufacture a fringe is not
considered to be a part of the flag, and it is without heraldic
significance. In the common use of the word it is a fringe and not
a border. Ancient custom sanctions the use of fringe on the
regimental colors and standards, but there seems to be no good
reason or precedent for its use on other flags.

FEDERAL LAWS

There is no Federal law now in force pertaining to the manner of
displaying, hanging, or saluting the United States flag, or
prescribing any ceremonies that should be observed in connection
therewith. In fact, there are but four Federal laws on the statute
books that have any bearing upon this subject; first, the act of
Congress approved February 20, 1905 (33 Stat. L., p. 725),
providing that a trade-mark can not be registered which consists of
or comprises, inter alia, "the flag, coat of arms, or other
insignia of the United States, or any simulation thereof"; the
second, a joint resolution of Congress approved May 8, 1914 (38
Stat. L., p. 771), authorizing the display of the flag on Mother's
Day; the third, the act of Congress approved February 8, 1917 (39
Stat. I,., 900), providing certain penalties for the desecration,
mutilation, or improper use of the flag, within the District of
Columbia; and the fourth, the act of Congress approved May 16, 1918
(40 Stat. L., p. 554), providing, when the United States is at war,
for the dismissal from the service of any employee or official of
the United States Government who criticises in an abusive or
violent manner the flag of the United States. Several states of the
Union have enacted laws which have more or less bearing upon the
general subject, and it seems probable that many counties and
municipalities have also passed ordinances concerning this matter
to govern action within their own jurisdiction.

Warning against desecration of the American flag by aliens was
issued by the Department of Justice, which sent the following
notice to Federal attorneys and marshals:

"Any alien enemy tearing down, mutilating, abusing, or desecrating
the United States flag in any way will be regarded as a danger to
the public peace or safety within the meaning of regulation 12 of
the proclamation of the President issued April 6, 1917, and will be
subject to summary arrest and punishment."

CONFERENCE CODE

There are certain fundamental rules of heraldry which, if
understood generally, would indicate the proper method of
displaying the flag. The matter becomes a very simple one if it is
kept in mind that the national flag represents the living country
and is itself considered as a living thing. The union of the flag
is the honor point; the right arm is the sword arm, and therefore
the point of danger and hence the place of honor.

1. The flag should be displayed only from sunrise to sunset, or
between such hours as may be designated by proper authority. It
should be displayed on national and state holidays and on historic
and special occasions. The flag should always be hoisted briskly
and lowered slowly and ceremoniously.

2. When carried in a procession with another flag or flags, the
flag of the United states should be either on the marching right,
i. e., the flag's own right, or when there is a line of other flags
the flag of the United states may be in front of the center of that
line.

3. When displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed
staffs, the flag of the United states should be on the right, the
flag's own right, and its staff should be in front of the staff of
the other flag.

4. When a number of flags are grouped and displayed from staffs,
the flag of the United states should be in the center or at the
highest point of the group.

5. When flags of states or cities or pennants of societies are
flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United states, the
national flag should always be at the peak. When flown from
adjacent staffs the flag of the United states should be hoisted
first. No flag or pennant should be placed above or to the right of
the flag of the United states.

6. When flags of two or more nations are displayed they should be
flown from separate staffs of the same height and 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 of peace.)

7. When the flag is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally
or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front of building,
the union of the flag should go clear to the head of the staff
unless the flag is at half mast.

WHEN BUNTING SHOULD BE USED

8. When the flag of the United States is displayed in a manner
other 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, i. e., to the observer's left. When displayed in
a window it should be displayed the same way, that is, with the
union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street. When
festoons, rosettes, or drapings of blue, white, and red are
desired, bunting should be used, but never the flag.

9. When displayed over the middle of the street, as between
buildings, the flag of the United states 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 street.

10. When used on a speaker's platform, the flag should be displayed
above and behind the speaker. It should never be used to cover the
speaker's desk nor to drape over the front of the platform. If
flown from a staff it should be on the speaker's right.

11. When used in unveiling a statue or monument, the flag should
not be allowed to fall to the ground but should be carried aloft to
wave out, forming a distinctive feature during the remainder of the
ceremony.

12. When flown at half staff, the flag is first hoisted to the peak
and then lowered to the half-staff position, but before lowering
the flag for the day it is raised again to the peak. On Memorial
Day, May 30, the flag is displayed at half staff from sunrise until
noon and at full staff from noon until sunset, for the Nation lives
and the flag is the symbol of the living Nation.

13. When used to cover a casket the flag should be placed so that
the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag
should not be lowered into the grave nor allowed to touch the
ground. The casket should be carried foot first.

14. When the flag is displayed in church it should be from a staff
placed on the congregation's right as they face the clergyman. The
service flag, the state flag, or other flag should be at the left
of the congregation. If in the chancel, the flag of the United
states should be placed on the clergyman's right as he faces the
congregation and other flags on his left.

15. When the flag is in such a condition that it is no longer a
fitting emblem for display it should not be cast aside or used in
any way that might be viewed as disrespectful to the national
colors, but should be destroyed as a whole, privately, preferably
by burning or by some other method in harmony with the reverence
and respect we owe to the emblem representing our country.

CAUTIONS

1. Do not permit disrespect to be shown to the flag of the United
States.

2. Do not dip the flag of the United States to any person or any
thing. The regimental color, state flag, organization or
institutional flag will render this honor.

3. Do not display the flag of the United States with the union down
except as a signal of distress.

4. Do not place any other flag or pennant above or to the right of
the flag of the United States.

5. Do not let the flag of the United States touch the ground or
trail in the water.

6. Do not place any object or emblem of any kind on or above the
flag of the United States.

7. Do not use the flag as drapery in any form whatever. Use bunting
of blue, white, and red.

8. Do not fasten the flag in such manner as will permit it to be
easily torn.

9. Do not drape the flag over the hood, top, sides, or back of a
vehicle, or of a railroad train or boat. When the flag is displayed
on a motor car the staff should be affixed firmly to the chassis or
clamped to the radiator cap.

10. Do not display the flag on a float in a parade except from a
staff.

11. Do not use the flag as a covering for a ceiling.

12. Do not use the flag as a portion of a costume or of an athletic
uniform. Do not embroider it upon cushions or handkerchiefs or
print it upon paper napkins or boxes.

13. Do not put lettering of any kind upon the flag.

14. Do not use the flag in any form of advertising nor fasten an
advertising sign to a pole from which the flag of the United States
is flying.

15. Do not display, use, or store the flag in such a manner as will
permit it to be easily soiled or damaged.

PROPER USE OF BUNTING

Bunting of the national colors should be used for covering a
speaker's desk, draping over the front of a platform, and for
decoration in general. Bunting should be arranged with the blue
above, the white in the middle, and the red below.

SALUTE TO THE FLAG

During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the
flag is passing in a parade or in a review, all persons present
should face the flag, stand at attention, and salute. Those present
in uniform should render the right-hand salute. When not in uniform
men should remove the headdress with the right hand and hold it at
the left shoulder. Women should salute by placing the right hand
over the heart. The salute to the flag in the moving column is
rendered at the moment the flag passes.

When the national anthem is played those present in uniform should
salute at the first note of the anthem, retaining this position
until the last note of the anthem. When not in uniform men should
remove the headdress and hold it as in the salute to the flag.
Women should render the salute as to the flag. When there is no
flag displayed all should face toward the music.

