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Hellraisers Journal – Thursday December 19, 1918
New York, Youngstown, Cleveland, Etc., Seek to Ban Red Flag
From The Ohio Socialist of December 18, 1918:
“THE RED FLAG ROAD”
We stole the caption because it sounded good. And now listen to our story.
You’ve heard of the Red Flag. You may never have seen one but we are sure you have heard about it. A Red Flag is a piece of cotton, wool or silk that’s been dyed red and in appropriate size is then hoisted to enjoy the breezes that blow.
There is a certain class of people in this land that go mad at sight of the Red Flag just as a bull does at sight of a red rag, and they chase it around with mouthings and ordinances.
The sport began in New York some weeks ago and seems to be traveling westward. The city fathers of Youngstown, Cleveland, Detroit and other cities have seen red and with heroic mien are chasing the Red Flag around and around.
We feel sorry for the Red Flag, folks. Poor, inanimate thing! Can neither talk back nor defend itself while it’s being banished and disgustingly discussed by those whom people have deemed wise enough to run cities.
Passing ordinances that the Red Flag shall fly no more is acting much like the fellow who cut off his little finger to make his hand quit stealing. The Red Fag is only an appendage. The real stuff is a matter of brains. And when brains accept the Red Flag as the insignia for Industrial Democracy then, whether the Red Fag flies or not, the trick is done.
