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$eptember 3Oth~ 1943.
<br />
<br />Er. ~arren presented the following, and on motion of~_. ~ ~ ~arren, said res-
<br />
<br />olution was adopted:
<br />
<br /> ~There have been many beautiful tb~nge, in verse and prose, written, spok-
<br />en and sung ~oout the Flag of our Country~ these United States of America. But, with it ally
<br />there has been nothing of which I know personally (of course, my knowledge is limited) that
<br />has expressed so simply, so beautifully~ so uniquely, the rock-bottom funds~mentals of life
<br />and of our Country as the symbolism set forth in ,A Tribute to Our Fl&g" which was published
<br />in our City's nswspaper, "The Portsmouth Star", Sunday, June 13th~ 1943.
<br /> Eoreover, ~o the best of my knowledge, our Flag is the only Flag i~ exis-
<br />tence from which the symbolism zo expressed can be drawn and now, whenever I see or think
<br />about our Flag, God~ Home~ Country become paramount.
<br /> It is with justifiable pride Z ~m glad to say that it is a native son of
<br />our City who is the author of this "A Tribute ~ our Flag", w~itten by him last year, June 8,
<br />~42~ while in cur City; nor is it copyrighted, but gratis, free to all.
<br /> ~ith these remarks~ my heart constrains me, particularly in times like
<br />the present, to beg your indulgence to permi~ me to submit the following Resolutions which I
<br />do hope you ~ll~unanimously approve. ~ith ~ he one sole purpose in mind the ultimate good of
<br />all - please permit me to submit the following Resolutions to this C ounoilo~
<br />
<br />Resolution -
<br />
<br />~WHEREAS, there was published i n our local city newapapsr, ~ne
<br />Portsmouth Star, issue of Sund~, June 13th~ 19~3, the follow-
<br />ing, to wit, "A Tribute to Our Flag"
<br />
<br />"A Salute ~o thee, Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes - Our F!ag~
<br />Thou wast born~ June 14,
<br />
<br />Thy field of blue with forty-eight stars of white doth repre-
<br />sent the union of States while t?~ thirteen stripes of red
<br />~nd w~hite, the original colonies; but thou art more;
<br />Thou~art a silent symphony of Red, ~hite ~ud Blue~ the harmony
<br />of Home and Oountry comp~ ed by God himself~ the Master of
<br />Life, Liberty, Equality and the Pursuit of Happiness;
<br />
<br />Thy asure Blue, like the firmament, displays now a galaxy, a
<br />constellation of bright shinin~ stars in one of which each of
<br />us has a Home, yet, every other star is likewise a Home for
<br />each of us - one for all and all for one - a Perfect Union;
<br />
<br />Thy stripes of WhiZe, six in number, emblazon on high, the
<br />purity of purpose of Creation by the Almighty God ~gnose Omnis-
<br />cience and Omnipotence, in six days, brought into being all
<br /> there is, including Earth and over all therein gave He domin-
<br />ion to Man And God was pleased because all was good; thus was
<br />thy birth firs~ planned;
<br />
<br />Thy stripes of Red~ seven in number, one for each day of the
<br />week in which to render passionate, living~ virile worship
<br />and service to the Infinite, by man serving man in joy and
<br />sadness, in plenty and poverty, in health and ~ickness, re -
<br />gard~ess of cost, sacrifice, race~ color or creed; thus do
<br />our part by Providence planned;
<br />I salute thee, my Flag, because thou dost sympolize all I
<br />hold most dear - God~ Home~ Country~ and I will defend thee
<br />against all enemies, domestic and foreign~
<br />
<br /> I salute thee~
<br /> John W.
<br />
<br />WHEP~F~S~ in the said "A Tribute $~ Our Fla~" is set forth the
<br />literal interpretation of the fla~ of our ~nited S*ate= ~
<br />America followed by a symbolism ~bodying fundamen~als'o~-our
<br />very life, namely, God~ Home~ Country ! as portrayed in our Flag;and
<br />
<br />WP~REAS, it is believed this symbolism so set forth is unique and
<br />applicable to our flag only;
<br />
<br />Be it Resolved by this Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia,
<br />
<br />That the said "A Tribute to our Flag" be commended and recommended
<br />to the attention of the Superintendent of Public Schools of our
<br />City to the end that a fr~ned copy of said ~A Tribute to Our Flag"
<br />be placed in each school room in the Public Schools of our City,
<br />and further,
<br />That the said ,,A Tribu~e to Our Flag"be commended ~o the attention
<br />of all churches, schools, clubs, organizations, fraternal orders
<br />and citizens of our City, and further,
<br />
<br />That the said "A Tribute to Our Flag" be commended to all the
<br />Homes of our City for the benefit partioularly of the future gen-
<br />
<br />
<br />
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