Photograph by U. S. Navy Department 



SENDING AND RECEIVING SEMAPHORE MESSAGES ON THE SIGNAL BRIDGE 



Bluejackets are never graduated in the "two R's" of warship education — "readin' and 

 'ritin' " with flags. The radio and the wireless telephone have accomplished marvels in facili- 

 tating communication between the units of a fleet, but the semaphore and the wigwag flag 

 still have their place in the service. 



fly only while those bodies are in session 

 and during a recess. At adjournment, 

 either at the end of a day's work or for 

 a session, they are lowered. 



When the Stars and Stripes float from 

 the flagstaff of the White House, from 

 sunrise to sunset, it is indicative of the 

 presence in Washington of the President. 



An act of Congress passed in 1905 

 provides that a trade-mark cannot be reg- 

 istered which consists of or comprises 

 "the flag, the coat-of-arms, or other in- 

 signia of the United States, or any simu- 

 lation thereof." An act passed in 1917 

 provides penalties for the desecration, 

 mutilation, or improper use of the flag 

 within the District of Columbia. The 

 Department of Justice has held that any 

 alien enemy tearing down, mutilating, 

 abusing, or desecrating the United States 

 flag will be regarded as a danger to the 

 public peace or safety within the mean- 

 ing of the President's proclamation of 



April 6, 1917, and will be subject to sum- 

 mary arrest and punishment. 



At every military post or station it is 

 the practice in the army, each day in 

 the year, to hoist the flag briskly at sun- 

 rise, irrespective of the condition of the 

 weather, and to lower it slowly and cere- 

 moniously at sunset, indicating the com- 

 mencement and cessation of the activities 

 of the day. While the flag is being low- 

 ered the band plays the national anthem, 

 which for the army and navy is the "Star 

 Spangled Banner." If there is no band 

 present the field music sounds "To the 

 colors." Officers and enlisted men out of 

 rank face toward the flag, stand at atten- 

 tion, and salute. (For a description of 

 army flags see page 307 and onward.) 



A military force is said to be accorded 

 "the honors of war" when, after a spe- 

 cially honorable defense, it has surren- 

 dered its post, and is permitted by the 

 terms of capitulation to march out with 



405 



