World War II-Iwo Jima-30,000 Marines hurled themselves at 21,000 Japanese. A murderous, interlocking sleep of shot and shrapnel rained upon the American troops as they assaulted the island. Within an hour, the beach was littered with American bodies, with guns, burning jeeps, and useless landing boats. But still the landing waves came on, and still Marines climbed terraces, moving inland, always seeking the higher ground. When the Marines reached the top of Mount Suribachi, they raised a piece of pipe upright and from the end of the pipe fluttered the American flag. By then that flag had cost 16,000 American lives, and another 7,800 wounded. To you from failing hands we throw In Korea, that mountainous, hostile terrain, Americans fought at Inchon, on Pork Chop Hill, and on Bloody Ridge. Unflinchingly, our men took up their guns. The American soldiers daringly and persistently did their job to do and to die. Let these scenes from the pages of history be forever a reminder of what it costs to be free. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep ***. Today the sun never sets on our beloved flag. Thousands of miles from this committee room, many of our young men are dying at this very minute in Vietnam for the principles and beliefs that we hold most dear and most sacred. But here in the cities, torn admist riots and demonstrations, these same principles and beliefs are ignored, and our flag has become one of the targets at which are hurled insults of all kinds. But what can the Federal Government do to stop such insults to our national standards? Do we have a Federal law to protect from such abuse the one symbol that has from the beginning of this Nation been the symbol of our Federal Union of "from many one"? We all know we don't have a law, but we should and must have one. In all logic and reasonableness, the Federal Government must be сараble of protecting those symbols that embody our Nation's principles. Charles Sumner stated in his "Are We a Nation?" "There is the national flag." He did not speak of it as a States' flag-it isn't-it is our national flag. "He must be cold indeed, who can look upon its folds rippling in the breeze without pride of country." "Our flag should be cherished by all our hearts," and should be "upheld by all our hands." The patriotism which evoked such sentiments over 100 years ago, is not dead today; in fact, because of the glorious history that has followed in these past 100 years, our patriotism should be even higher and more profound. In many areas it is. But when flag burnings overshadow and take the headlines from those who would uphold our flag. who would die for it, we must take steps to see that these detractors receive the punishment which their actions merit. If these young rebels ever stopped to consider the vast spiritual and moral resources of this Nation, the fantastic commitments we have made to insure freedom, and the responsibilities we and our forebearers have assumed to ordain and establish-and continue this free union for ourselves and our posterity, surely they would be less hasty in their actions of disrespect. If they would only go further to compare our lives to those in communistic and socialistic countries, I am sure they would be much more appreciative of what they have. Youth has and will always be impulsive, but their impulsiveness cannot excuse their irresponsible actions and disrespect and disdain. Whether they like it or will admit it, there are certain authorities-in the home, in the State, in the churches, and in the Nation-and the purpose of these authorities is not to do everything to their liking. That does not mean that no one can disagree with the policies of those in authority, but there are bounds in which these disagreements are to be manifested. I feel that when anyone goes so far as to desecrate our beloved flag for their own personal satisfaction, he has gone too far. The proper authority must step in and take the appropriate action, and I believe my bill, as set out in H.R. 6385, sets penalties on those who would publicly mutilate, deface, defile, defy, trample on or cast contempt, either by word or act, upon any flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States. My only concern is that the not more than $1,000 fine and not more than 1 year in prison are not sufficient penalties for such actions. I recommend that the fine be increased to not more than $10,000. Mr. Chairman, I urge that the committee approve this bill and recommend it unanimously to the full committee. Let all of us here this committee and the entire Congress bring a new surge of patriotism to our Nation by showing our people that we do care what happens to the great symbol of our great Nation. That we do deplore any desecration of our flag, that we will not permit this defilement of our national standard to continue unaccounted for. Patriotism is not dead in the hearts of our people, nor is it always wildly evident, but there are times when this deep love of our country and all it stands for must be unfurled. In these troubled times, there is no doubt that now it must be manifested. We cannot casually ignore the acts against our flag as temporary, as a passing fantasy of the young. We must act positively, and again express our support and abiding loyalty to our flag. Mr. Chairman, I would like to read a resolution that was passed by the Tennessee State Legislature on April 20, 1967: [H.J. Res. 22] A RESOLUTION To urge the Congress to enact legislation making desecration of the United States Flag a federal offense Whereas, the Daughters of the American Revolution, at the Seventy-Fifth Continental Congress, on June 18-22, 1966, in Washington, D.C. adopted the following Resolution: Whereas, the Flag of the United States of America is the emblem of the Nation and a symbol of liberty wherever displayed and Whereas apathy, indifference and lack of respect for the Flag are becoming increasingly evident by incidents of desecration and sometimes violent destruction; and Whereas Public Law 829 (Flag Code) does not provide penalties for desecration and misuse of the Flag; Resolved, That the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, support legislation which would make desecration of the Flag of the United States of America a Federal offense with penalties of fines and/or imprisonment, Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the Eightyfifth General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the Senate concurring, that the United States Congress be urged to enact legislation to carry out the objectives of the DAR Resolution, and that copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the members of the Tennessee congressional delegation. JAMES H. CUMMINGS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Mr. Chairman, I would like to insert at this point in my remarks, a resolution that was adopted by the 16th Annual Tennessee Service Officers' Conference, Division of Veterans' Affairs, meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on April 20-22, 1967, and which was forwarded to me by the director of the Tennessee Division of Veterans' Affairs, Mr. Joe F. Hudgens. Mr. ROGERS. It will be received for the record, without the necessity of your reading it. Mr. QUILLEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (The document referred to follows:) RESOLUTION Whereas, At the present time there is no federal law on the books against desecration of the United States Flag; and Whereas, There is more need today than in quite some time to respect the United States, with our fighting men dying in Vietnam; and Whereas, The passage of this bill will serve as a reminder to those persons who would disrespect the United States Flag that they can no longer do this without being punished: And therefore be it resolved, That the Sixteenth Annual Tennessee Service Officers' Conference, meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, April 20-22, 1967, does hereby request Representative Emanuel Celler, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee of the United States Congress to clear from his Committee for passage by the Congress a bill by Representative James H. Quillen of the First Congressional District of the State of Tennessee, which provides that anyone who "publicly multilates, defaces, defiles, tramples upon or casts contempt by word or act upon any flag, standard, colors or ensign of the United States," shall be punished by imprisonment of not more than one year and a fine of not more than $1,000. Mr. QUILLEN. I have also received a copy of a telegram that the State commander of the American Legion, Mr. Jay Harville, sent to Chairman Celler which states that the 50,000 members of the American Legion in Tennessee urge the immediate clearance of this bill. Last August, I received a telegram from the commander of the Department of Tennessee, Veterans of Foreign Wars, James A. England, stating that the 30,000 members of the VFW in Tennessee requested that I sign the discharge petition for the flag desecration bill, which I had already done. And on April 4 of this year, Leslie M. Fry, the commander in chief of the VFW, stated in a letter to the editor of Life magazine that the 1,350,000 members of the VFW strongly support this legislation. A year ago, Herbert M. Houston, the national commander of the Veterans of World War I, wrote the barracks commanders in my district and said: **We are We wholeheartedly support this bill of Congressman Quillen. * appalled by the lack of respect being paid our colors in this day and age, and we feel that anything we can do to defend this symbol of our Country now, as we did in 1917-18, will help to create a better feeling of patriotism among our fellowmen, a feeling that has been lost somehow in many areas through the years. Just last Tuesday, the new national commander of the Veterans of World War I, William H. Walker, stated in a bulletin : We stop in our daily tasks and wonder what is happening to our way of life in this great Country of ours. In the past month we have seen pictures of the burning of the flag *** in Central Park in New York. This is enough to make men who have given their lives for Old Glory turn over in their graves. What an insult to our entire Country that we allow such actions to go unpunished. These disloyal people keep screaming for their rights. What about the rights of we loyal people? What has happened to our love of Country and respect for our flag? Action should be taken against these people. * ** John E. Davis, national commander of the American Legion, denounced the flag burners in Central Park in a speech at the Hotel Commodore on April 19, and I understand his representative is scheduled to appear before your committee this week. Mr. Chairman, I have received letters and wires from all over the country expressing support for this legislation. I would like to mention just a few of the letters along with the above resolutions. Late in March of this year, Commander Robert J. Coontz of the U.S. Navy, whose mother resides in my district, wrote: I heartily approve and support your intentions in this regard, and wish you ever success. My naval service has extended over the past twenty-two years, every minute of which has required the same respect for the flag which you demonstrate. Very soon I shall take my ship to the western Pacific in support of the interests represented by that same flag. Then just last week, James A. Lloyd of Signal Mountain, Tenn., wrote: As most loyal Americans know since our flag first flew at the ramparts of America and abroad, the American flag has been the rallying point and symbol of our fighting men in all wars. What greater sacrifice did any of our boys give than at Iwo Jima when the flag was planted by our heroic Marines on the heights of Mount Suribachi signifying their dedication and love for their Country? Now, as a father of a son fighting in very far off Vietnam with the U.S. Infantry and only a few miles from the Cambodian border, naturally, I strongly support your request for punishment of anyone descreating the American flag. My son, Jimmy, is fighting for the supreme heritage that the Armed Forces of our Nation have fought for in all the wars of this country to bring peace and tranquility to the United States of America and the world. Should he and others be so publicly abused by such dastardly demonstrations and desecration of the flag that you and I love? The answer we must give Mr. Lloyd and all those parents of our fighting men and all our fighting forces is a resounding, "No." These fine young men should not be abused, and neither should any American for any attack on our flag is an outburst against all loyal Americans civilian or military. Mr. Chairman, I will mention here just a few of the many editorials that have appeared in the newspapers in my district strongly supporting my bill, and if it is permissible to you, Mr. Chairman, instead of reading the editorials, I shall offer them for admission into the record. Mr. ROGERS. They will be received in the record. (The document referred to follows:) On April 16 of last year, the Bristol Virginia-Tennessean editorialized: "Did you ever think you'd see the day when the American flag would have to be protected from Americans? "Or an enemy flag would be openly and proudly displayed by curious characters who at least profess to be Americans? "Well, the day is here. "How do you like it? "And why are we so strangely tolerant of it? "Do we really believe that any American-regardless of race, nationality, creed, color or motive-has the right to tear down or tear up Old Glory? "Do we really believe that any American-regardless of personal views or convictions-has the right to choose the Viet Cong flag over the Stars and Stripes? "Such acts of near-treason cannot be excused or condoned on the basis of any 'cause or any ideology, no matter how just or how sincere. "It is tragic and outrageous for one American to defile and sneer at his country's flag at the very moment another American is dying to defend it. "Is this the freedom we are fighting for?" Mr. QUILLEN. On April 16 of last year, the Bristol Virginia-Tennessean editorialized-and I submit the editorial for the record. Three weeks later, the Bristol Herald Courier commented that my bill "has in it the essence of good, old-fashioned patriotism." While the Morristown Gazette-Mail stated that "if there is one thing we must have in this land of ours it is respect for the flag." There are two other editorials which I would like to quote in full and which appeared in the Kingsport Times of Kingsport, Tenn., my hometown, last May and July, and I will offer them for the record. Mr. ROGERS. They will be received for the record. (The documents referred to follow :) There stands north of Arlington National Cemetery a bronze statue which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the nation's capital. The figures depict the historic raising of the Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima during World War II. However, it also represents the thousands of Americans who have died defending this flag. It is hard for loyal citizens of this nation to stomach the abuse and disgrace that some would-be Americans have heaped upon this banner. It has been burned, spat upon, torn up, defouled, and made the object of ridicule by these unpatriotic characters. Yet, they run to it for protection when they claim their "rights" are being violated. It is for these reasons we heartily endorse a bill that has been introduced in Congress aimed at punishing those who desecrate our flag. This is a bill that every congressman and senator can and should support. Those who do not should have to answer to their constituents back home at election time. Of course, a great many people do not show the proper respect for the flag. Men will stand with their heads covered as it passes by and women will fail to recognize it by placing their hands over their heart in salute. Mr. QUILLEN. Gentlemen, is it because we have failed to show respect in the litle ways that this editorial mentions that we have come |